China’s rare earth magnet exports fell 6.1% month-on-month to 5,774 metric tons in September 2025, ending three months of gains ahead of the government’s October expansion of export controls targeting users in the defense and semiconductor sectors. The latest figure was down from a seven-month high of 6,146 tons in August. The monthly decline came as Chinese rare earth magnet firms faced tighter scrutiny on export license applications since September. However, compared to the same month a year earlier, shipments rose 17.5%, according to the General Administration of Customs, which released the data on Monday. By country, Germany, South Korea, Vietnam, the United States, and Mexico were the top five export destinations for Chinese rare earth magnets by volume last month. The US has imposed a series of restrictions on exports to China as well as tariffs on Chinese imports.
