Analysis of customs data shows that the volume and price of China's rare earth exports fluctuate, and since 2023, the export tonnage and average price have weakened.

Specifically, in May 2023, China's rare earth exports will be 4,576 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 5.9% but still at a relatively high tonnage; the chain will remain basically unchanged. From January to May 2023, China exported 20,987.2 tons of rare earths, a year-on-year decrease of 4.4%, and the cumulative monthly decline increased; the change in the first four months was -4.1%.

In recent years, the export volume of rare earths in May has fluctuated significantly, and the year-on-year change range has weakened. In this range, before 2019, the export volume turned to a downward trend, and after 2019, it was fluctuated violently due to the impact of the US economic war and the new crown pneumonia, and the overall figures showed a weak trend.

Since 2015, the growth rate of rare earths has dropped from a maximum of 55.6% in 2016 to -5.9% in 2023, and the largest decrease during this period is -21.3% in 2020.

In May 2023, the average export price in China has dropped to the lowest value in many months, which is 17.8 US dollars per kilogram. However, it is still relatively high compared to the same month before 2021.

In recent years, the average export price in May has shown a fluctuating upward trend, while in the same month in 2023, it will drop by 28%, from a high value of US$24.8/kg to US$17.8/kg.

On the whole, the tonnage of China's rare earth exports fluctuated slightly, while the average export price fluctuated and tended to rise.