Atomic properties
Market data
Raw material sources & pricing
| Raw Material Form | La₂O₃ Content | Price Range | Major Sources | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bastnäsite | ~24% of REO content | Included in REO concentrate price | China (Bayan Obo), USA (Mountain Pass) | Primary source, easier to process than monazite |
| Monazite | ~20-24% of REO content | Included in REO concentrate price | Australia, India, Brazil, USA | Contains thorium, requires special handling |
| Ion-adsorption clays | Variable, typically lower | Included in REO concentrate price | Southern China (Jiangxi, Guangdong) | Rich in heavy REEs, easier separation |
| REO Concentrate (mixed) | Variable (15-30%) | $8,000-15,000/MT REO | Various | Requires separation to individual elements |
Primary Rare Earth Minerals
Current Market Price (La₂O₃): $552-625/MT FOB China Major Global Reserves (Total Rare Earths): China: 44 million MT REO (37% of world reserves) Vietnam: 22 million MT REO Brazil: 21 million MT REO Russia: 20 million MT REO Australia: 3.8 million MT REO USA: 2.3 million MT REO 2025 Production Leaders (All Rare Earths): China: 240,000 MT (69-70% of global production) USA: 42,000 MT (12.3%) Myanmar: 38,000 MT (10.9%) Australia: 18,000 MT (5.1%) Raw Material Form La₂O₃ Content Price Range Major Sources Notes Bastnäsite ~24% of REO content Included in REO concentrate price China (Bayan Obo), USA (Mountain Pass) Primary source, easier to process than monazite Monazite ~20-24% of REO content Included in REO concentrate price Australia, India, Brazil, USA Contains thorium, requires special handlin
⚠️ Seawater Lanthanum Extraction
Commercial Viability: NOT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE Concentration: Extremely low (parts per trillion) Chemical Form: La³⁺ ions, typically complexed Status: No commercial concentrated seawater lanthanum form exists. The extremely low concentration and high extraction costs make seawater extraction uneconomical compared to mining rare earth minerals. Note: Unlike some elements successfully extracted from seawater (sodium, magnesium, bromine), lanthanum and other rare earth elements remain impractical for seawater extraction.
Production cost analysis
| Cost Component | $/kg La₂O₃ | % of Total Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining & Concentration | $0.08-0.15 | 15-20% | Open pit mining, flotation |
| Chemical Processing | $0.15-0.25 | 25-35% | Acid/alkali cracking, separation |
| Separation (SX) | $0.10-0.20 | 20-25% | Solvent extraction from other REEs |
| Energy | $0.08-0.12 | 15-20% | Electricity and fuel |
| Environmental & Waste | $0.05-0.10 | 10-15% | Radioactive waste handling |
| Total Production Cost | $0.46-0.82 | 100% | Compare to selling price: $0.55-0.62/kg |
Energy consumption breakdown
| Process Stage | Energy Type | % of Total Energy | Key Operations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining & Beneficiation | Electricity/Diesel | 10-15% | Crushing, grinding, flotation |
| Cracking/Decomposition | Natural Gas/Electricity | 20-25% | Acid baking (200-700°C) or alkali decomposition |
| Leaching & Precipitation | Steam/Electricity | 15-20% | Acid leaching, hydroxide precipitation |
| Solvent Extraction | Electricity | 30-40% | Multi-stage separation, mixing-settling |
| Calcination | Natural Gas/Electricity | 10-15% | Oxide conversion at 700-900°C |
Bastnäsite Processing Route
Roasting: 500-700°C to oxidize Ce³⁺ to Ce⁴⁺ HCl Leaching: Dissolves trivalent REEs including La Solvent Extraction: 20-50 stages for La/Ce separation Precipitation: Oxalate or carbonate precipitation Calcination: 700-900°C to form La₂O₃
Monazite Processing Route
Alkali Cracking: 140-150°C with 70% NaOH Thorium Removal: Critical for radiation safety Acid Dissolution: HCl or HNO₃ Solvent Extraction: Similar to bastnäsite route Final Purification: To 99.5-99.999% purity
Commercial forms & specifications
| Product Form | Chemical Formula | Molecular Weight | Typical Purity | Price Range (USD/kg) | Main Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lanthanum Oxide | La₂O₃ | 325.81 g/mol | 99.5-99.999% | $0.55-0.62 | Optical glass, catalysts, ceramics |
| Lanthanum Metal | La | 138.91 g/mol | 99-99.9% | $15-25 | NiMH batteries, hydrogen storage |
| Lanthanum Carbonate | La₂(CO₃)₃·xH₂O | 457.84 g/mol (anhydrous) | 99-99.9% | $5-8 | Pharmaceuticals, catalyst precursor |
| Lanthanum Chloride | LaCl₃·7H₂O | 371.37 g/mol | 99-99.99% | $20-40 | Catalysts, research |
| Lanthanum Nitrate | La(NO₃)₃·6H₂O | 433.01 g/mol | 99-99.99% | $25-50 | Catalyst preparation, optical coatings |
| Lanthanum Fluoride | LaF₃ | 195.90 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $50-100 | Optical fibers, scintillators |
| Lanthanum Hexaboride | LaB₆ | 203.78 g/mol | 99.5-99.9% | $500-1,500 | Electron emitters, cathodes |
| Mischmetal (La-rich) | 50-60% La, balance Ce/Pr/Nd | Variable | Commercial grade | $8-15 | NiMH batteries, steel additives |
| Lanthanum Acetate | La(CH₃COO)₃·xH₂O | 316.04 g/mol (anhydrous) | 99-99.9% | $40-80 | Catalysts, ceramics |
| Lanthanum Hydroxide | La(OH)₃ | 189.93 g/mol | 99-99.9% | $15-30 | Phosphate removal, catalysts |
Suppliers by country
🇨🇳 China (69-70% of global REE production)
| Company | REE Products | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| China Rare Earth Group | All REE oxides, metals, compounds | World's second largest producer, heavy REE focus |
| China Northern Rare Earth | Light REE oxides, metals, magnets | Bayan Obo mine operator, integrated supply chain |
| China Minmetals Rare Earth | REE oxides, separation products | Ion-adsorption clay processing |
| Shenghe Resources | REE concentrates, oxides | Monazite processing, global partnerships |
🇦🇺 Australia
| Company | REE Products | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Lynas Rare Earths | NdPr oxide, La/Ce products, SEG/HRE | Largest non-Chinese producer, Mt Weld mine |
| Iluka Resources | Monazite, rare earth concentrates | Eneabba refinery project |
🇺🇸 United States
| Company | REE Products | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| MP Materials | REE concentrates, NdPr oxide (planned) | Mountain Pass mine, building integrated supply chain |
| Energy Fuels | REE carbonate, oxides (developing) | Monazite processing from uranium operations |
| USA Rare Earth | REE oxides (planned) | Round Top project development |
🇲🇲 Myanmar
| Company | REE Products | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Various artisanal operations | REE concentrates (ion-adsorption clay) | Heavy REE rich deposits, supply chain concerns |
🇮🇳 India
| Company | REE Products | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) | REE chlorides, oxides | Monazite processing, thorium management |
🇨🇦 Canada
| Company | REE Products | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Neo Performance Materials | Separated REE products, metals | Value-added REE products, magnets |
| Vital Metals | REE concentrates | Nechalacho mine (first in Canada) |
Market demand by product form
| Application | Global Demand (MT La₂O₃) | % of Total | Growth Rate (CAGR) | Key Markets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) | 20,000-25,000 | 36-45% | 2-3% | Petroleum refining |
| NiMH Batteries | 10,000-12,000 | 18-22% | 4-5% | Hybrid vehicles, consumer electronics |
| Optical Glass & Polishing | 8,000-10,000 | 15-18% | 3-4% | Camera lenses, LCD polishing |
| Ceramics & Glass Additives | 5,000-7,000 | 9-13% | 2-3% | Technical ceramics, specialty glass |
| Metallurgy | 3,000-4,000 | 5-7% | 1-2% | Steel additives, alloys |
| Phosphors & Lighting | 2,000-3,000 | 4-5% | -2 to 0% | LED phosphors (declining) |
| Other Applications | 2,000-3,000 | 4-5% | 3-4% | Medical, hydrogen storage, R&D |
Market trends
Supply Chain Diversification: Western nations investing heavily to reduce reliance on Chinese supply (USA IIJA funding, EU Critical Raw Materials Act) Price Volatility: La₂O₃ prices have declined 20-30% from 2023 peaks due to oversupply and weak Chinese demand Battery Market Shift: NiMH losing market share to Li-ion, but still important for specific applications Recycling Development: Growing focus on REE recycling from NiMH batteries and FCC catalysts Environmental Regulations: Stricter controls on radioactive waste from monazite processing Vertical Integration: Major producers building complete mine-to-magnet supply chains Geopolitical Tensions: Export restrictions and quota systems affecting global trade flows
Moles per kilogram
| Product Form | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Moles/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lanthanum Metal | La | 138.91 | 7.20 |
| Lanthanum Oxide | La₂O₃ | 325.81 | 3.07 |
| Lanthanum Hydroxide | La(OH)₃ | 189.93 | 5.27 |
| Lanthanum Carbonate (anhydrous) | La₂(CO₃)₃ | 457.84 | 2.18 |
| Lanthanum Chloride (hydrated) | LaCl₃·7H₂O | 371.37 | 2.69 |
| Lanthanum Nitrate (hydrated) | La(NO₃)₃·6H₂O | 433.01 | 2.31 |
| Lanthanum Fluoride | LaF₃ | 195.90 | 5.10 |
References
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