IMC Rare Earths is a leading force in the global rare earth industry, specialising in the production of Magnet Rare Earth Oxides (MREOs). With a sharp focus on high-value elements like dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb), the company plays a critical role in powering the world’s most advanced clean energy and defence technologies.
Resource grows from
780 Mt to 1.1 Bt, a 40%
increase
Contained TREO metal
tonnes increase by 36%
MREO resource
tonnage increases by
83% to 105 Mt
Contained MREO
metals tonnes increase
by 78%
Inferred Mineral Resource, July 2025 - ERM Australia Consultants Pty Ltd (“ERM”).
Light rare earth elements form the backbone of modern materials science, with vital roles in catalysts, glass manufacturing, and high-performance magnets. Their unique chemical properties enable technological breakthroughs across a wide range of industries.
In the clean energy sector, elements like neodymium and praseodymium are critical for producing powerful NdFeB magnets used in electric vehicle motors and wind turbines—making LREEs indispensable to the global energy transition.
From smartphones and laptops to hybrid vehicles and industrial automation, these elements are found in the technologies that power modern life. Their adaptability makes them central to both current innovation and future sustainability.
Light rare earth elements (LREEs) such as neodymium, praseodymium, lanthanum, and cerium are essential to the technologies driving the shift toward clean energy, digital infrastructure, and electric mobility. They’re critical components in permanent magnets, electric vehicle (EV) motors, wind turbine generators, batteries, catalytic converters, and glass polishing.
Most light rare earths are mined and refined in China, with increasing production from the USA, Australia, and emerging projects in Africa and Europe. As global demand rises—particularly for renewable energy and EV supply chains—there’s a growing focus on supply chain resilience, sustainable extraction, and rare earth recycling.
This section explains the role of light rare earths in modern technology, their main sources, how they differ from heavy rare earths, and the steps being taken to reduce environmental impacts and secure future supply. Understanding these elements is key to grasping their value in powering the next generation of green and industrial innovation.
Light rare earth elements (LREEs) are a subgroup of rare earths found at the start of the lanthanide series. They include lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium. These elements are more abundant in the Earth’s crust and easier to separate during mining than heavy rare earths.
LREEs are essential in technologies such as EV motors, wind turbines, LED lighting, glass polishing, and catalysts for petroleum refining. Their role in clean energy, electronics, and manufacturing makes them crucial to global sustainability efforts.
The world’s largest producer of light rare earths is China, especially from the Bayan Obo deposit. Other major sources include Mountain Pass (USA) and Mount Weld (Australia). New deposits in Africa and Northern Europe are emerging to diversify supply.
The key difference is atomic weight and scarcity. Light rare earths are more common and used in high-volume technologies, while heavy rare earths are rarer and used in specialist, high-performance magnets for extreme environments.
Mining practices are evolving with low-impact extraction, closed-loop recycling, and stricter ESG standards. New methods reduce waste, water use, and emissions, helping to supply growing demand without harming the environment.
Light rare earth elements (LREEs) include the first group of lanthanides in the periodic table. These are: Lanthanum (La), Cerium (Ce), Praseodymium (Pr), Neodymium (Nd), Promethium (Pm), and Samarium (Sm). Known for their similar properties and higher abundance, these elements are critical to high-performance magnets, clean energy systems, and a range of advanced industrial technologies.
Cerium plays a vital role in glass polishing, catalytic converters, and steelmaking. Its chemical versatility ensures continued industrial use, particularly as sectors prioritise emissions reduction and sustainable materials. For miners, cerium offers broad market utility with consistent demand.
Rare earth elements are essential to modern life — from smartphones and EVs to renewable energy systems and defence technologies. Yet not all rare earths offer the same strategic value.
If you’re exploring how these materials can support your operations, investments, or supply strategy, our team would be happy to talk.
Used to create high-strength permanent magnets, these elements — especially Nd, Pr, Dy, and Tb — are vital for EV motors, wind turbines, and advanced motion systems.
Critical for thermal stability and magnetic durability, heavy rare earths like dysprosium and terbium enhance performance in aerospace, defence, and extreme-environment technologies.
With roles in catalysts, batteries, and phosphors, light rare earths power everything from hybrid vehicles to clean fuel production — forming the foundation of mass-scale modern tech.