70 Yb 173.045
Atomic properties
Atomic number
70
Z
Density
6.9 g/cm³
at STP
Melting point
824 °C
at 1 atm
Boiling point
1196 °C
at 1 atm
Crystal structure
FCC
Electron config.
[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 6s²
Oxidation states
+2, +3
most common
Market data
No tradeable futures market for Yb 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ytterbium Metal | Yb | 173.05 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $180-250 | Alloys, research, targets |
| Ytterbium Oxide | Yb₂O₃ | 394.08 g/mol | 99.9-99.999% | $45-85 | Lasers, ceramics, phosphors |
| Ytterbium Fluoride | YbF₃ | 230.04 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $120-180 | Optical coatings, dental materials |
| Ytterbium Chloride | YbCl₃·6H₂O | 387.49 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $280-400 | Catalysts, chemical synthesis |
| Ytterbium Nitrate | Yb(NO₃)₃·5H₂O | 449.13 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $350-500 | Chemical reagent, catalysts |
| Ytterbium Acetate | Yb(CH₃COO)₃·4H₂O | 422.24 g/mol | 99.9% | $450-650 | Catalysts, precursors |
| Ytterbium Sulfate | Yb₂(SO₄)₃·8H₂O | 778.39 g/mol | 99.9% | $180-300 | Chemical processing |
| Ytterbium Carbonate | Yb₂(CO₃)₃ | 526.12 g/mol | 99.9% | $150-250 | Ceramics, precursors |
| Ytterbium Oxalate | Yb₂(C₂O₄)₃·10H₂O | 790.26 g/mol | 99.9% | $200-350 | Precursor for oxide production |
| Ytterbium Metal Powder | Yb | 173.05 g/mol | 99.9% | $350-500 | Additive manufacturing, alloys |
| Ytterbium Foil | Yb | 173.05 g/mol | 99.9% | $1,200-2,000 | Research, thin films |
| Ytterbium Sputtering Target | Yb | 173.05 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $800-1,500 | Thin film deposition |
Suppliers by country
🇨🇳 China
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| China Northern Rare Earth Group | Oxide, metal, chloride, nitrate | Integrated mining and separation, high-purity products |
| China Minmetals Rare Earth | Oxide, fluoride, carbonate | Separation technology, custom compounds |
| Shenghe Resources | Oxide, metal, various compounds | Ion-adsorption clay processing |
🇺🇸 United States
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| MP Materials | Oxide (in rare earth concentrate) | Mountain Pass mine operator, developing separation capacity |
| Neo Performance Materials | Metal, oxide, specialty compounds | High-purity products, custom formulations |
| American Elements | All forms including nano-materials | Research quantities, ultra-high purity |
🇦🇺 Australia
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Lynas Rare Earths | Oxide, carbonate | Non-China integrated producer, Malaysian processing |
| Iluka Resources | Oxide (in development) | Eneabba refinery project |
🇲🇲 Myanmar / 🇻🇳 Vietnam
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Various Ion-Adsorption Clay Producers | Mixed rare earth carbonates/oxides | Heavy rare earth concentration |
🇧🇷 Brazil
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| CBMM (in development) | Oxide (future production) | Developing rare earth separation from niobium operations |
🇪🇺 European Union
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Less Common Metals (UK) | Metal, alloys | High-purity metals, custom alloys |
| Solvay (Belgium/France) | Oxide, specialty compounds | High-purity separation, recycling |
Market demand by product form
| Product Form | Global Market Size | USA Market | China Market | Growth Rate (CAGR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ytterbium Oxide | $28 million | 18% share | 58% share | 7.5% |
| Ytterbium Metal | $15 million | 22% share | 52% share | 6.8% |
| Ytterbium Fluoride | $8 million | 25% share | 45% share | 8.2% |
| Other Yb Compounds | $12 million | 20% share | 55% share | 5.5% |
| Yb Sputtering Targets | $5 million | 30% share | 40% share | 9.5% |
| Research Grade Products | $3 million | 35% share | 25% share | 4.5% |
Market trends
Fiber Laser Growth: Ytterbium-doped fiber lasers driving 60% of demand, especially for materials processing Supply Chain Diversification: Western countries investing in non-China supply chains (USA, Australia, EU projects) Quantum Applications: Emerging use in quantum computing and atomic clocks increasing research demand Price Stability: More stable pricing than light rare earths due to lower volume and specialized applications Recycling Initiatives: Limited but growing recycling from fiber laser scrap and optical materials Technology Development: New applications in medical imaging (Yb-169 isotope) and solar cells
Moles per kilogram
| Product Form | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Moles/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ytterbium Metal | Yb | 173.05 | 5.78 |
| Ytterbium Oxide | Yb₂O₃ | 394.08 | 2.54 |
| Ytterbium Fluoride | YbF₃ | 230.04 | 4.35 |
| Ytterbium Chloride (hydrated) | YbCl₃·6H₂O | 387.49 | 2.58 |
| Ytterbium Nitrate (hydrated) | Yb(NO₃)₃·5H₂O | 449.13 | 2.23 |
| Ytterbium Sulfate (hydrated) | Yb₂(SO₄)₃·8H₂O | 778.39 | 1.28 |
| Ytterbium Carbonate | Yb₂(CO₃)₃ | 526.12 | 1.90 |
References
No citations on this page yet. References will appear here once enrichment runs.
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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