Atomic properties
Market data
Raw material sources & pricing
| Raw Material Form | Grade/Quality | Price Range | Major Sources | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ion Adsorption Clay | 0.05-0.3% REO | $450-500/kg Dy₂O₃ | Southern China, Myanmar | 95% of Dy supply, in-situ leaching |
| Xenotime | 1-5% Dy₂O₃ | $400-450/kg Dy₂O₃ | Malaysia, Thailand, Brazil | Phosphate mineral, heavy REE rich |
| Monazite | 0.1-1% Dy₂O₃ | $350-400/kg Dy₂O₃ | India, Brazil, Australia | Contains thorium, requires special handling |
| Eudialyte | 0.2-0.5% Dy₂O₃ | Under development | Greenland, Canada | Alternative source, not yet commercial |
Ion Adsorption Clays - Primary Raw Material
Current Market Price: $453.90/kg Dy₂O₃ (June 2025 FOB China) Major Global Sources: China (Southern Provinces): 98% of global heavy REE production - Jiangxi Province dominant Myanmar: Supplies 70% of China's heavy REE feedstock Brazil: Emerging deposits under development Australia (Browns Range): First non-Chinese producer (2,294 tonnes reserves) 2025 Production Status: China: Controls 99% of dysprosium processing (until May 2025) Malaysia (Lynas): First commercial production outside China (May 2025) Global production: ~1,700 tonnes Dy₂O₃ annually Supply deficit: 35% shortfall vs demand Raw Material Form Grade/Quality Price Range Major Sources Notes Ion Adsorption Clay 0.05-0.3% REO $450-500/kg Dy₂O₃ Southern China, Myanmar 95% of Dy supply, in-situ leaching Xenotime 1-5% Dy₂O₃ $400-450/kg
⚠️ Seawater Dysprosium Extraction
Commercial Viability: NOT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE Concentration: 0.9 ng/L (0.0009 ppb) - extremely low Chemical Form: Dy³⁺ complexed with carbonate Status: No commercial seawater dysprosium extraction exists. The ultra-low concentration (6 orders of magnitude lower than aluminum) and high energy requirements make extraction completely uneconomical. Note: While some elements like lithium and magnesium are extracted from seawater, dysprosium's trace concentration makes this impossible.
Production cost analysis
| Cost Component | $/kg Dysprosium | % of Total Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Ore (IAC/Xenotime) | $50-100 | 15-20% | Depends on ore grade and location |
| Beneficiation & Leaching | $40-80 | 10-15% | Crushing, flotation, acid leaching |
| Solvent Extraction | $120-200 | 35-40% | Multiple stages, complex separation |
| Energy Costs | $80-120 | 20-25% | See detailed breakdown below |
| Chemicals & Materials | $40-70 | 10-15% | Acids, solvents, extractants |
| Labor & Overhead | $20-40 | 5-10% | Highly skilled technicians required |
| Total Production Cost | $350-610 | 100% | Compare to selling price: $450-500/kg |
Energy consumption breakdown
| Process Stage | Energy Consumption | % of Total Energy | Energy Type | Key Operations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining & Beneficiation | 5-10 GJ/kg | 8-12% | Diesel/Electricity | Excavation, crushing, flotation |
| Leaching & Dissolution | 10-15 GJ/kg | 15-18% | Steam/Natural Gas | Acid digestion, heating to 60-80°C |
| Solvent Extraction | 25-35 GJ/kg | 38-42% | Electricity | 100+ mixer-settler stages, pumping |
| Precipitation & Calcination | 15-20 GJ/kg | 23-25% | Natural Gas | Oxalate precipitation, 800°C calcination |
| Metal Reduction (if needed) | 10-15 GJ/kg | 12-15% | Electricity | Metallothermic or electrolytic reduction |
Ion Adsorption Clay Processing (38%)
In-situ Leaching: 5-8% - Ammonium sulfate injection Loaded Solution Collection: 3-5% - Pumping and transport Impurity Removal: 8-10% - pH adjustment, precipitation REE Precipitation: 5-7% - Oxalic acid addition Solvent Extraction: 15-18% - Multi-stage separation
Solvent Extraction Details (42%)
Feed Preparation: 3-5% - Solution conditioning Extraction Stages: 20-25% - 100+ mixer-settlers Scrubbing Stages: 5-7% - Impurity removal Stripping Stages: 8-10% - Product recovery Solvent Recovery: 3-5% - Regeneration systems
Commercial forms & specifications
| Product Form | Chemical Formula | Molecular Weight | Typical Purity | Price Range (USD/kg) | Main Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dysprosium Oxide | Dy₂O₃ | 373.00 g/mol | 99.5-99.99% | $450-500 | Permanent magnets, ceramics |
| Dysprosium Metal | Dy | 162.50 g/mol | 99.5-99.9% | $600-700 | Alloys, magnetic materials |
| Dysprosium Fluoride | DyF₃ | 219.50 g/mol | 99.5-99.99% | $550-650 | Laser glass, metal production |
| Dysprosium Chloride Hexahydrate | DyCl₃·6H₂O | 376.95 g/mol | 99-99.9% | $400-500 | Chemical synthesis, catalysts |
| Dysprosium Nitrate Pentahydrate | Dy(NO₃)₃·5H₂O | 438.59 g/mol | 99-99.9% | $350-450 | Ceramics, glass coloring |
| Dysprosium Carbonate | Dy₂(CO₃)₃·4H₂O | 577.03 g/mol | 99-99.5% | $380-480 | Precursor for other compounds |
| Dysprosium Sulfate | Dy₂(SO₄)₃·8H₂O | 757.31 g/mol | 99-99.5% | $320-420 | Analytical reagent |
| Dysprosium-Iron (Dy-Fe) Alloy | DyFe₂ | 274.23 g/mol | 99%+ | $800-1,200 | Terfenol-D, magnetostrictive devices |
| Dysprosium Acetate | Dy(CH₃COO)₃·4H₂O | 411.69 g/mol | 99-99.9% | $400-500 | Chemical synthesis |
Suppliers by country
🇨🇳 China
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| China Northern Rare Earth | Oxide, metal, fluoride, alloys | World's largest REE producer, integrated operations |
| China Southern Rare Earth | Oxide, chloride, carbonate | Ion adsorption clay specialist, heavy REE focus |
| Shenghe Resources | Oxide, metal, compounds | Vertically integrated, global partnerships |
| Xiamen Tungsten | Metal, alloys, magnets | Downstream products, NdFeB magnets |
🇦🇺 Australia / 🇲🇾 Malaysia
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Lynas Rare Earths | Oxide (as of May 2025) | First non-Chinese heavy REE producer, 1,500 tpy capacity |
| Northern Minerals | Mixed heavy REE carbonate | Browns Range project, dysprosium-rich xenotime |
🇺🇸 United States
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| MP Materials | Under development | Building heavy REE separation facility (2025-2026) |
| USA Rare Earth | Pilot production | Round Top project, first US Dy production (Jan 2025) |
| Energy Fuels | Mixed REE carbonate | Processing monazite, planning separation |
🇲🇲 Myanmar
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Various Small Producers | Mixed heavy REE concentrate | 70% of China's heavy REE feedstock, political instability |
🇻🇳 Vietnam
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam Rare Earth JSC | Mixed REE products | Limited production, facility issues in 2024-2025 |
Market demand by product form
| Product Form | Global Market Size | China Share | ROW Share | Growth Rate (CAGR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dysprosium Oxide | $1.05 billion | 98% (until 2025) | 2% (growing) | 5.2% |
| Dysprosium Metal & Alloys | $450 million | 95% | 5% | 6.8% |
| Dy-doped NdFeB Magnets | $8.5 billion* | 85% | 15% | 8.5% |
| Terfenol-D (DyFe₂) | $120 million | 70% | 30% | 4.2% |
| Specialty Compounds | $85 million | 75% | 25% | 3.8% |
Market trends
Supply Chain Disruption: China's April 2025 export restrictions on dysprosium causing 35% price spike Non-Chinese Production: Lynas achieved first commercial production outside China (May 2025) EV Demand Surge: Electric vehicle growth driving 8-10% annual demand increase Wind Energy Growth: Offshore wind projects requiring 150-200kg Dy per MW capacity Myanmar Instability: Political unrest threatening 70% of China's heavy REE feedstock US Defense Production: DOD investing $300M+ in domestic REE supply chain Recycling Development: Japan leading in magnet recycling, recovering 30% of Dy content Price Volatility: Prices ranged from $220-500/kg in 2024-2025 period Alternative Technologies: Research into Dy-free magnets intensifying but no commercial breakthrough
Moles per kilogram
| Product Form | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Moles/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dysprosium Metal | Dy | 162.50 | 6.15 |
| Dysprosium Oxide | Dy₂O₃ | 373.00 | 2.68 |
| Dysprosium Fluoride | DyF₃ | 219.50 | 4.56 |
| Dysprosium Chloride (hexahydrate) | DyCl₃·6H₂O | 376.95 | 2.65 |
| Dysprosium Nitrate (pentahydrate) | Dy(NO₃)₃·5H₂O | 438.59 | 2.28 |
| Dysprosium Sulfate (octahydrate) | Dy₂(SO₄)₃·8H₂O | 757.31 | 1.32 |
References
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