LREE vs. HREE (Light vs. Heavy)

The Divide

Rare earths are split into two camps based on their atomic number:

• Light Rare Earths (LREE): Lanthanum (57) through Samarium (62). These are more abundant and generally lower value (with the exception of Nd/Pr).
• Heavy Rare Earths (HREE): Europium (63) through Lutetium (71), plus Yttrium (39). These are much rarer, harder to separate, and often command a higher price.

The dominance

China dominates LREE production, but they have a near-total monopoly on HREEs due to their unique Ionic Clay deposits.