On June 18, 2025, Lynas, an Australian company, announced that its advanced materials plant in Malaysia successfully achieved the first mass production of terbium oxide. This marks the company’s second heavy rare earth oxide product following the initial production of dysprosium oxide in May 2025. Amid China’s rare earth export controls and high overseas rare earth prices, this milestone by Lynas—the world’s largest rare earth company outside China—holds significant importance. It can help alleviate the urgent demand for rare earth resources in overseas markets and provide a new support point for diversifying the global rare earth supply chain.
Terbium oxide is a dark brown powdery rare earth compound, insoluble in water but soluble in acids, with relatively stable chemical properties. Due to the unique electron structure of terbium atoms, it exhibits special optical and magnetic properties. In fluorescence and display applications, it serves as a key activator in phosphors, enabling the emission of pure green light in fluorescent lamps, energy-saving bulbs, and LED displays. Its sharp green spectrum enhances display color vibrancy and clarity, significantly improving visual effects. In magneto-optical and information storage, it acts as an additive in magneto-optical glass, supporting data storage and retrieval, such as in magneto-optical discs. In metal and material production, it is a core raw material for manufacturing metallic terbium, which, through reduction processes, is used to create high-performance magnetic materials. In new energy and electronics, small amounts of terbium oxide doping in new energy electrodes and neodymium-iron-boron magnets enhance magnetic properties and energy conversion efficiency, significantly benefiting the performance of magnets in electric vehicle motors and wind power equipment. In ceramics and the chemical industry, it improves the high-temperature resistance and corrosion resistance of materials like ceramics and fibers.
The raw material for Lynas’ terbium oxide comes from the Mt Weld rare earth deposit in Western Australia, recognized as a source of both light and heavy rare earth minerals. In August 2022, Lynas announced a $500 million capacity expansion project at the Mt Weld mine and concentrator to meet growing market demand for rare earth materials. This project will expand Mt Weld’s capacity to produce the raw concentrate needed for 12,000 tons of NdPr finished product annually by 2024.
Lynas, a publicly listed Australian company and the only significant rare earth separation material producer outside China, is headquartered in Perth, Western Australia.
