Rare earth · light
What is samarium? Uses, supply and price
Samarium (Sm, atomic number 62) is a light rare earth used in samarium-cobalt magnets, which keep their strength at high temperature, with a 2025 oxide price of $2.82 per kg. Among the 15 rare earths with a USGS price, samarium oxide ranks number 13 by 2025 average price.
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · reviewed 28 October 2026
Samarium key facts
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Symbol and atomic number | Sm, 62 |
| Class | Samarium is a light rare earth |
| Oxide price, 2025 | $2.82 per kg, up 40% on 2024 ($2.01) |
| US National Defense Stockpile | Potential acquisition of 60 tonnes of samarium-cobalt alloy in fiscal 2025 |
| Chinese export licence | Since 4 April 2025 |
| Main uses | Samarium-cobalt magnets |
Samarium price: oxide, 2021 to 2025
| Year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD per kg | 2.03 | 3.34 | 2.17 | 2.01 | 2.82 |
Oxide 99.5%. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (Argus Media, Asian Metal), dollars per kilogram, FOB. Annual averages, not live prices. We have no supplier reference price for samarium metal; the weekly prices we track are on the rare earth prices page.
How samarium compares with the other rare earths
| Rank | Element | 2025 oxide, USD/kg |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terbium | 1,010 |
| 2 | Lutetium | 888 |
| 3 | Scandium | 640 |
| 4 | Dysprosium | 239 |
| 5 | Praseodymium | 74 |
| 6 | Neodymium | 73 |
| 7 | Holmium | 70 |
| 8 | Erbium | 46 |
| 9 | Gadolinium | 30 |
| 10 | Europium | 27 |
| 11 | Ytterbium | 15 |
| 12 | Yttrium | 9.00 |
| 13 | Samarium | 2.82 |
| 14 | Cerium | 1.71 |
| 15 | Lanthanum | 1.00 |
Forms and purities differ by element (oxide 99.5% to 99.99%; scandium is a range midpoint of the USGS lot-size average). Promethium and thulium have no USGS price.
Where samarium comes from
Supply
Samarium is a light rare earth recovered during separation of monazite and bastnaesite. The oxide is cheap; the value is in samarium-cobalt alloy and magnets, which defence and aerospace buyers use where heat resistance matters.
What samarium is used for
| End use | Detail |
|---|---|
| Samarium-cobalt magnets | Heat-resistant permanent magnets |
Chinese export controls and policy
Licence status: April 2025 list.
Samarium metal, oxide, alloys and compounds have needed a Chinese export licence since 4 April 2025. The US stockpile list includes samarium-cobalt alloy.
See the full export-control timeline, and rare earth stocks for listed companies.
Samarium: frequently asked questions
What is samarium?
Samarium (Sm) is a light rare earth used in samarium-cobalt magnets, which keep their strength at high temperature, with a 2025 oxide price of $2.82 per kg.
What is the price of samarium?
USGS gives a 2025 average of $2.82 per kg for samarium oxide at 99.5% purity, up from $2.01 in 2024.
Why is samarium on the export-control list?
It is used in samarium-cobalt magnets with defence applications. China added it to the licence list on 4 April 2025.
Is there a samarium price chart or live price?
We show the USGS annual average for the oxide above. We do not have a supplier reference price for samarium metal. Prices we track weekly are on the rare earth prices page.
Related elements
Sources
Information only, not investment advice. Reviewed 28 October 2026.