Key facts
- Canada hosts some of the most advanced REEs exploration projects in the world.
- China is the world’s largest producer of REEs, accounting for close to 90% of global annual production, estimated at 135,000 tonnes.
Canada-based advanced REEs exploration projects containing significant concentrations (> 20%) of the “heavy” REEs, 2017
| Projects* | Location | Expected refined REEs production (tonnes/year) |
Targeted production start year | Portion that are heavy REEs (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckton, DNI Metals | Alberta | Unspecified | >2020 | 24 |
| Foxtrot, Search Minerals | Newfoundland and Labrador | 10,000 | >2020 | 21 |
| Nechalacho, Avalon | Northwest Territories | 10,000 | >2020 | 28 |
| Kipawa, Matamec | Quebec | 6,000 | >2020 | 36 |
| Strange Lake, Quest | Quebec | 12,500 | >2020 | 47 |
| Grand-Vallée, Orbite Aluminae | Quebec | 1,000 | >2020 | 20 |
International context
China is the world’s largest producer of REEs, accounting for nearly 90% of global annual production, estimated at 135,000 tonnes. The remaining 10% is shared among four other countries: Australia, Myanmar, Russia and Malaysia. China remains virtually the only producer of the valued heavy REEs.
World production of REEs, by country, 2017
| Ranking | Country | Thousand tonnes | Percentage of total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 116.9 | 86.6% |
| 2 | Australia | 13.4 | 9.9% |
| 3 | Myanmar | 2.3 | 1.7% |
| 4 | Russia | 2.2 | 1.6% |
| 5 | Malaysia | 0.3 | 0.2% |
| Total | 135.0 | 100.0% |