Europium lights red and blue in displays. What it is, where it comes from, and why China moved to control it in 2025.
Last updated: October 2026
Europium is a silvery-white rare-earth metal, the most reactive of the rare earths, recovered from bastnaesite and monazite ores. It is best known for the red and blue phosphors that made colour television and fluorescent lighting possible. China added europium to its export-control list in October 2025.
| # | Country | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 69% - 270,000 t REO (2025) |
| 2 | United States | 13% - 51,000 t |
| 3 | Australia | 7% - 29,000 t |
| 4 | Myanmar | 6% - 22,000 t (heavy-REE clays) |
| 5 | Thailand | 4,800 t |
| 6 | Madagascar | 2,700 t |
| 7 | India | 2,900 t |
| 8 | Russia | 2,600 t |
| 9 | Brazil | 2,000 t |
| 10 | Nigeria | 1,500 t |
Total rare-earth mine production, all elements combined, 2025 (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026). USGS does not publish per-element production shares.
Europium is a silvery-white rare-earth metal, the most reactive of the rare earths, recovered from bastnaesite and monazite ores. It is best known for the red and blue phosphors that made colour television and fluorescent lighting possible.
Red and blue phosphors for displays and lighting, nuclear reactor control rods, anti-counterfeiting markers in banknotes, and lasers.
China, with about 69% of world rare-earth mine production (270,000 t of about 390,000 t REO in 2025, USGS). Per-element europium shares are not published.
For rare earths overall, China accounts for about 69% of mine production (USGS) and up to about 91% of refining and separation (IEA). China added europium to its export-control list in October 2025.
High. China added europium to its export-control list in October 2025, alongside holmium, erbium, thulium and ytterbium; the October controls were suspended for one year in November 2025 as part of a trade truce, while the April controls remained in effect. Demand has declined with the phase-out of fluorescent lighting, but europium remains irreplaceable in nuclear control rods and security printing.
Europium is the most reactive rare earth, known for the red and blue phosphors in displays. China added it to its export-control list in October 2025. It remains irreplaceable in nuclear control rods and banknote security printing. The Bureau tracks europium supply and export controls as part of its Concentration Monitor.
Europium is a silvery-white rare-earth metal, the most reactive of the rare earths, recovered from bastnaesite and monazite ores. It is best known for the red and blue phosphors that made colour television and fluorescent lighting possible.
Red and blue phosphors for displays and lighting, nuclear reactor control rods, anti-counterfeiting markers in banknotes, and lasers.
China, with about 69% of world rare-earth mine production (270,000 t of about 390,000 t REO in 2025, USGS). Per-element europium shares are not published.
