The global market for rare earth oxides was 158.2 thousand metric tons in 2011, and is expected to reach nearly 258 thousand metric tons by 2016, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3%, according to the study “Rare Earths: Worldwide Markets, Applications, and Technologies” from BCC Research. The global market for rare earth oxides can be broken down into six segments: mechanical or metallurgical, glass and ceramics, chemical, energy, electronics, and others. The mechanical or metallurgical segment accounted for almost 51,000 metric tons in 2011, and should be nearly 77,000 metric tons by the end of 2016, a CAGR of 8.6%. The glass and ceramics segment totaled 39,500 metric tons in 2011 and should reach 60,000 tons in 2016, a CAGR of 8.7%. The chemical segment, 24,800 metric tons in 2011, should total 32.6 thousand metric tons in 2016, a CAGR of 6.2%. The energy segment, 27,300 metric tons in 2011, should total nearly 62,000 metric tons in 2016, a CAGR of 17.8%. The segment made up of electronics, optics, and optoelectronics accounted for nearly 12,000 metric tons in 2011 and in 2016 should total nearly 21,300 metric tons after increasing at a CAGR of 12.4%. The other rare earth oxides accounted for nearly 4,000 metric tons in 2011, and in 2016 will account for nearly 5,200 metric tons, a CAGR of 5.8%.

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