Rare earth mineral supplies remain heavily concentrated in a small number of countries, with China holding a commanding lead over the rest of the world. As of January 2025, China controls an estimated 44 million metric tons of rare-earth reserves, more than double that of any other country, according to a chart shared by Visual Capitalist, using data from the U.S. Geological Survey.
What’s Related
Rare earths are used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, defense systems, electronics, and advanced manufacturing. But as the chart makes clear, most of the world’s supply sits in just a handful of countries.
Global rare earth reserves by country (metric tons)
China: 44.0 million
Brazil: 21.0 million
India: 6.9 million
Australia: 5.7 million
Russia: 3.8 million
Vietnam: 3.5 million
United States: 1.9 million
Greenland: 1.5 million
Tanzania: 890,000
South Africa: 860,000
Canada: 830,000
Rest of the world: ~1.0 million
Visual of the Week ��
China holds 44M metric tons of rare earth reserves, with Brazil next at 21M. Altogether, the top six countries control about four-fifths of the world’s known reserves ⛏️https://t.co/IYZb3MtjjT pic.twitter.com/xkc8KRcY9Z
— Visual Capitalist (@VisualCap) December 6, 2025
How companies and governments are responding
With so much of the world’s rare earth supply tied up in just a handful of countries, it’s easier to see why rare earths keep showing up in new U.S. projects and investments.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Energy committed $134 million to recover rare earth elements from waste streams, including coal ash and mine tailings. The goal is to pull usable materials from existing sites rather than rely entirely on new mining projects, which can take a decade or more to come online.
At the same time, companies are looking for ways to reduce their reliance on rare earths altogether. Niron Magnetics is building what it says will be the world’s first rare-earth-free magnet plant in Minneapolis, aiming to supply electric motors, industrial equipment, and other applications without depending on traditional rare-earth materials.
