China exported more rare earth elements in June, with shipments to the US rising by 660% on a monthly basis, according to Beijing’s General Administration of Customs.
Total exports of the precious metals increased to 3,188 tons, up around 160% from 1,238 tons in May.
Even so, June’s total was still 38% lower than the same month in 2024.
During the first half of 2025, exports of rare earth magnets also fell 18.9% on the year to 22,319 tons.
Total shipments to the US, meanwhile, rose to 353 tons in June, a boost that came after Beijing and Washington managed to secure a trade framework last month.
Building upon commitments made in May, when both nations agreed to reduce tariffs on each other for 90 days, the trade agreement involves a commitment from China to deliver more rare earths.
These minerals are used in an array of high-tech products such as smartphones, jet engines, EVs, and wind turbines.
In response to steep tariffs from the US administration, the Chinese government had imposed export restrictions on seven rare earth elements and magnets earlier this year.
The move threatened to derail global supply chains, with more than 70% of rare earth production based in China. More than 90% of the processing also takes place in China.
Despite their name, rare earths aren’t actually scarce, although they are particularly difficult to mine and process. China’s export curbs didn’t just hit the US, but they also forced some auto part suppliers in Europe to halt production.
Last month, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic commented on the restrictions: “I informed my Chinese counterpart about the alarming situation in the European car industry, but I would say industry as such because clearly rare earth and permanent magnets are absolutely essential for industrial production.” He noted that it was an EU “priority” to address export curbs.
In June, the US was the second-largest destination for China’s rare-earth magnets, after Germany, and ahead of Vietnam, South Korea, and Thailand — in descending order.
As tensions now cool between Washington and Beijing, the US has also started to ease restrictions on tech products sent to China, in response to cooperation on rare earths.
US tech giant Nvidia said last week that it would start selling its H20 AI chip in China again after the Trump administration relaxed export controls. The White House gave assurances that it would grant licenses for the product in the Chinese market, after it banned sales of the chip to China in April.
