Rare earth yttrium hits new high, up 140-fold in 1 year on China curbs

Rise accelerated by added restrictions on sales to Japan companies since January

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Yttrium is a rare-earth element with a particularly broad range of applications, including some defense uses. © Reuters

TOKYO -- The price of yttrium, a rare-earth metal used in electronics and defense applications, has risen by a factor of around 140 since China started imposing new export controls in early 2025.

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