68 Er 167.259

Erbium

lanthanide · Group 3 · Period 6

USGS 2025 3 section(s) thin

Atomic properties

Atomic number

Atomic weight

167.259[1]

g/mol

Density

9.066 g/cm³

at STP

Melting point

1529 °C

at 1 atm

Boiling point

2868 °C

at 1 atm

Crystal structure

hexagonal

Electron config.

[Xe] 4f¹² 6s²

Oxidation states

most common

Market data

No tradeable futures market for Er on Yahoo / Stooq. Live market data is not available; pricing in this page is based on contract reference figures from the source documents.

Commercial forms & specifications

Product Form	Chemical Formula	Molecular Weight	Typical Purity	Price Range (USD/kg)	Main Applications
Erbium Metal	Er	167.26 g/mol	99.9-99.99%	$800-1,500	Alloys, nuclear applications
Erbium Metal Powder	Er	167.26 g/mol	99.9-99.99%	$1,000-2,000	Metallurgical additives, filters
Erbium Oxide	Er₂O₃	382.52 g/mol	99.5-99.999%	$35.70-37.20	Glass colorant, phosphors, ceramics
Erbium Chloride	ErCl₃·6H₂O	381.71 g/mol	99.9-99.99%	$180-350	Catalysts, erbium metal production
Erbium Fluoride	ErF₃	224.25 g/mol	99.9-99.99%	$250-450	Infrared materials, metal production
Erbium Nitrate	Er(NO₃)₃·5H₂O	443.35 g/mol	99.9-99.999%	$150-300	Catalysts, optical materials
Erbium Bromide	ErBr₃	406.97 g/mol	99.9-99.99%	$300-600	Crystal growth, analysis
Erbium Iodide	ErI₃	547.97 g/mol	99.9-99.99%	$500-1,000	Specialty applications
Erbium-Doped Glass	SiO₂:Er	Variable	0.1-3% Er	$2,000-10,000	Fiber amplifiers, lasers
Erbium-Doped YAG	Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Er	Variable	0.5-50% Er	$5,000-20,000	Medical lasers, optical devices

Suppliers by country

🇨🇳 China (70% of Global Rare Earth Production)

Company	Product Forms	Specialties
China Northern Rare Earth Group	Er oxide, metal, compounds	World's largest rare earth producer, light rare earths focus
China Rare Earth Group	Er oxide, metal, alloys, compounds	Heavy rare earths specialist, southern China operations
Xiamen Tungsten	Er oxide, metal powders, compounds	Battery materials, rare earth processing
Shenghe Resources	Er concentrates, oxides, metals	Global operations, integrated supply chain
Shanghai Xinglu Chemical	High-purity Er compounds	Specialty chemicals, research materials

🇺🇸 United States

Company	Product Forms	Specialties
MP Materials	REE concentrates (containing Er)	Mountain Pass mine, expanding to oxides/metals
USA Rare Earths	Er oxide (development stage)	Round Top project, heavy rare earths focus
Stanford Materials	Er metal, powder, compounds	High-purity materials distributor
ESPI Metals	Er metal, alloys, compounds	Research-grade materials since 1950

🇦🇺 Australia

Company	Product Forms	Specialties
Lynas Rare Earths	REE concentrates, separated oxides	Mt Weld mine, Malaysian processing
Northern Minerals	Heavy REE concentrates (Er-rich)	Browns Range project, dysprosium/terbium focus
Arafura Resources	REE oxides (planned)	Nolans project, integrated processing

🇲🇲 Myanmar

Company	Product Forms	Specialties
Various Artisanal Miners	Heavy REE concentrates	Ion-adsorption clay deposits, environmental concerns

🇪🇺 Europe

Company	Product Forms	Specialties
Goodfellow (UK)	Er metal, foil, powder, compounds	Research materials, custom forms
TRADIUM (Germany)	Er oxide, metal	Rare earth trading, strategic storage
Noble Elements (Germany)	Er compounds, metals	Rare earth importing for SMEs

🇮🇳 India

Company	Product Forms	Specialties
Indian Rare Earths Limited	REE concentrates, chlorides	Monazite processing, thorium handling
Aritech Chemazone	Er oxide, compounds	Chemical manufacturing, exports

Market demand by product form

Product Form	Global Market Size	USA Market	China Market	Growth Rate (CAGR)
Erbium Oxide	$90-100 million	15% share	65% share	4.5%
Erbium Metal	$15-20 million	20% share	55% share	3.8%
Er-Doped Materials	$40-50 million	30% share	35% share	6.2%
Erbium Compounds	$10-15 million	25% share	50% share	4.0%

Market trends

China Export Controls: New restrictions on rare earth exports affecting global supply chains, temporary licenses being issued Supply Chain Diversification: US, EU, and allies investing heavily in non-Chinese rare earth production Fiber Optic Demand: 5G rollout and data center expansion driving EDFA demand Medical Laser Growth: Increasing adoption of Er:YAG lasers in minimally invasive procedures Price Volatility: Erbium oxide prices fluctuating between $35-40/kg due to geopolitical tensions Recycling Initiatives: Growing focus on recovering erbium from end-of-life fiber optic equipment Myanmar Disruption: Production halts affecting heavy rare earth supply globally

Moles per kilogram

Product Form	Formula	MW (g/mol)	Moles/kg
Erbium Metal	Er	167.26	5.98
Erbium Oxide	Er₂O₃	382.52	2.61
Erbium Chloride (hydrated)	ErCl₃·6H₂O	381.71	2.62
Erbium Fluoride	ErF₃	224.25	4.46
Erbium Nitrate (hydrated)	Er(NO₃)₃·5H₂O	443.35	2.26
Erbium Bromide	ErBr₃	406.97	2.46
Erbium Iodide	ErI₃	547.97	1.83

References

No citations on this page yet. References will appear here once enrichment runs.

Explore on Amazon

Explore Erbium-related materials, books, and lab gear on Amazon. Selections are search-based; results refresh on Amazon.

Erbium samples

Display-grade specimens, ampoules, and reference samples.

View on Amazon →

Erbium books

Textbooks, monographs, and reference works.

View on Amazon →

Erbium posters

Periodic-table art and educational prints.

View on Amazon →

Lab equipment

Glassware, crucibles, and analysis tools.

View on Amazon →

Affiliate disclosure:As an Amazon Associate, nanos earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more.

Coverage notes

The following sections are thin or absent in the source document for this element. They will be filled by enrichment passes (NIST atomic, OSHA/NIOSH safety, USGS / IAI environmental).

Missing section: Raw Material Sources
Missing section: Production Cost
Missing section: Energy Consumption