Announcement 2025 No.57 - China Tightens Export Controls on Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Europium, Ytterbium

Announcement 2025 No.57 - China Tightens Export Controls on Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Europium, Ytterbium

Posted by Magnetop on 16th Oct 2025

[Issuing Authority] Bureau of Security and Control
[Document Number] Ministry of Commerce & General Administration of Customs Announcement No. 57 of 2025
[Date of Issue] October 9, 2025

Announcement on Implementing Export Controls on Certain Medium and Heavy Rare Earth-Related Items

In accordance with the Export Control Law of the People’s Republic of China, Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China, Customs Law of the People’s Republic of China, and the Regulations on Export Control of Dual-Use Items of the People’s Republic of China, and for the purpose of safeguarding national security and interests, and fulfilling international obligations such as non-proliferation, it has been approved by the State Council to implement export controls on the following items:

I. 1C909 Holmium-Related Items

(1) 1C909.a. Metallic Holmium, Holmium-Containing Alloys, and Related Products:

  1. Metallic holmium (reference HS code: 28053019).

  2. Holmium-containing alloys:
     a. Holmium-copper alloy;
     b. Magnesium-holmium alloy;
     c. Holmium-iron alloy.

  3. Holmium-containing sputtering targets:
     a. Holmium target;
     b. Holmium-copper alloy target.

  4. Holmium-containing permanent magnetic materials.

  5. Holmium-containing crystal materials.

  6. Holmium-containing magnetocaloric materials.

  7. Holmium-containing magnetostrictive materials.

(2) 1C909.b. Holmium oxide and its mixtures.

(3) 1C909.c. Holmium-containing compounds and mixtures.

II. 1C910 Erbium-Related Items

(1) 1C910.a. Metallic Erbium, Erbium-Containing Alloys, and Related Products:

  1. Metallic erbium (reference HS code: 28053019).

  2. Erbium-containing alloys:
     a. Erbium-aluminum alloy;
     b. [Reserved].

  3. Erbium-containing sputtering targets:
     a. Erbium target;
     b. [Reserved].

  4. Erbium-containing crystal materials.

  5. Erbium-containing optical fiber materials.

  6. Erbium-containing hydrogen storage materials.

  7. Erbium-containing ceramic materials.

(2) 1C910.b. Erbium oxide and its mixtures.

(3) 1C910.c. Erbium-containing compounds and mixtures.

III. 1C911 Thulium-Related Items

(1) 1C911.a. Metallic Thulium, Thulium-Containing Alloys, and Related Products:

  1. Metallic thulium (reference HS code: 28053019).

  2. Thulium-containing sputtering targets:
     a. Thulium target;
     b. [Reserved].

  3. Thulium-containing crystal materials.

  4. Thulium-containing luminescent materials.

(2) 1C911.b. Thulium oxide and its mixtures.

(3) 1C911.c. Thulium-containing compounds and mixtures.

IV. 1C912 Europium-Related Items

(1) 1C912.a. Metallic Europium, Europium-Containing Alloys, and Related Products:

  1. Metallic europium (reference HS code: 28053019).

  2. Europium-containing alloys:
     a. Magnesium-europium alloy;
     b. [Reserved].

  3. Europium-containing sputtering targets:
     a. Europium target;
     b. [Reserved].

  4. Europium-containing luminescent materials:
     a. Phosphors;
     b. [Reserved].

  5. Europium-containing crystal materials.

  6. Europium-containing hydrogen absorbing materials.

(2) 1C912.b. Europium oxide and its mixtures.

(3) 1C912.c. Europium-containing compounds and mixtures.

V. 1C913 Ytterbium-Related Items

(1) 1C913.a. Metallic Ytterbium, Ytterbium-Containing Alloys, and Related Products:

  1. Metallic ytterbium (reference HS code: 28053019).

  2. Ytterbium-containing sputtering targets:
     a. Ytterbium target;
     b. [Reserved].

  3. Ytterbium-containing crystal materials.

  4. Ytterbium-containing optical fiber materials.

  5. Ytterbium-containing thermal barrier coating materials.

(2) 1C913.b. Ytterbium oxide and its mixtures.

(3) 1C913.c. Ytterbium-containing compounds and mixtures.

Notes:

  1. Items listed under 1C909.a.2, 1C910.a.2, and 1C912.a.2 include ingots, blocks, strips, wires, sheets, rods, plates, tubes, granules, powders, etc.

  2. Items listed under 1C909.a.3, 1C910.a.3, 1C911.a.2, 1C912.a.3, and 1C913.a.2 include sputtering targets in the form of sheets, tubes, etc.

  3. Items listed under 1C909.a.4 include permanent magnetic materials in the form of magnets or magnetic powders.

  4. Items listed under 1C909, 1C910, 1C911, 1C912, and 1C913 covering oxides, compounds, and mixtures include, but are not limited to, powder forms.

Export Control and Compliance Requirements:

Export operators who intend to export the above items must apply for a license from the competent authority of the State Council in accordance with the Export Control Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Regulations on Export Control of Dual-Use Items.

Export operators must ensure the authenticity of declared goods, strengthen export item identification, and for controlled items, must indicate "Dual-Use Item" and the export control classification code in the declaration remarks.

For items that are not controlled but have similar parameters, specifications, or performance, the remarks must state “Not a controlled item” along with specific parameters and indicators. If the declared information is incomplete, inaccurate, or suspected to be untrue, Customs may raise a query and withhold release of the goods during the review period.

This announcement shall be effective from November 8, 2025.
The Dual-Use Items Export Control List of the People’s Republic of China shall be updated accordingly.

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial English translation of Announcement No. 61 (2025) issued by the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China. It is provided for reference purposes only. For the official version, please refer to the original Chinese publication.