Samarium Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

Samarium is a light-to-mid rare earth co-produced with neodymium and praseodymium from bastnaesite and monazite, sold as samarium oxide (99.5 percent) and samarium metal. Its main use is in samarium-cobalt magnets for defense and aerospace systems that need high-temperature performance without dysprosium or terbium, plus nuclear control rods, catalysts and the medical isotope Sm-153. China makes nearly all commercial supply, Lynas in Malaysia is the only non-Chinese commercial oxide producer, and China has licensed samarium and samarium-cobalt magnet exports since April 2025.

The US Geological Survey puts 2025 Chinese oxide prices at USD 2.82 per kg, up 40 percent from 2024. Samarium metal in China was USD 11.02 per kg on 1 July, fell 11.1 percent to USD 9.80 by 3 August and has held near USD 9.85 since, as new ex-China supply softened the second and third quarters. Outside China, defense-compliant material has been reported at a five to eight times premium to Chinese-origin supply, creating a two-tier market.

Samarium Prices in October 2026

Samarium metal was USD 9.87 per kg in China on 30 September, roughly flat since August and about 10 percent below 1 July. Three drivers explain the market.

• China export controls: Techtimes reported on 2 October that the April 2025 licensing regime remains fully active and exports stay below normal, while Rare Earth Exchanges reported on 17 September that the separate October 2025 measures are suspended only until 10 November 2026.
• US defense sourcing: DFARS rule 252.225-7052 takes effect on 1 January 2027, and a 28 September analysis found only two to three years of non-Chinese samarium-cobalt inventory secured.
• New ex-China supply: Lynas launched commercial samarium oxide production, with first orders expected from October to December 2026, and South Korea's LS Eco Energy filed on 30 September for a 240 tonne per year samarium metal plant in Vietnam with pilot production targeted for December 2026.

Supplier news: Lynas reported on 22 July record June-quarter revenue of USD 200 million and 3,481 tonnes of rare earth oxide, with a supply agreement with Malaysian magnet maker JS Link running to 2038. Neo Performance began commercial sintered-magnet production in Estonia and Arafura extended an offtake of up to 500 tonnes per year of NdPr oxide. Short term, licensing keeps ex-China prices high; long term, Lynas and Vietnamese capacity could narrow the premium.

Samarium Price Forecast for 2026

Expect a mixed picture through H2 2026, with China easing modestly on ample domestic supply while the United States, Japan, and India continue climbing on import-driven demand. Aerospace and military-linked samarium-cobalt magnet demand should keep providing steady, if not dramatic, structural support across all four markets. Any shift in Chinese rare earth export policy remains the key risk to watch for the three import-reliant markets in this group. Samarium-cobalt magnet demand should remain comparatively insulated from the sharper cycles affecting neodymium and praseodymium given its smaller, more specialised end-use base.

Taken together, the 4 markets in this report averaged a 4.7% increase quarter on quarter through the first half of 2026, a pace we expect to broadly continue barring a shift in the underlying cost or demand picture described above.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

Samarium Prices Q2 2026:

• China: USD 44.20/KG
• United States: USD 78.20/KG
• Japan: USD 75.30/KG
• India: USD 81.80/KG

Samarium Prices in China

China reached USD 44.20/KG in Q2 2026, abundant domestic supply from established mining and processing facilities kept Chinese pricing easing modestly, putting it the most affordable of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.

Why did the price of Samarium change in Q2 2026 in China?

Abundant domestic supply from established mining and processing facilities kept Chinese pricing easing modestly, the only market in this group to soften, with China now sitting about 36.7% below the 4-region average this quarter.

China has averaged 2.2% a quarter over the six quarters this report tracks; this move came in faster than that longer-run pace.

Samarium Prices in United States

United States rose 6.4% to USD 78.20/KG in Q2 2026, steady aerospace and military-linked magnet demand kept US pricing climbing in step with the broader non-Chinese trend, making it the 2nd most expensive of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.

Why did the price of Samarium change in Q2 2026 in United States?

Steady aerospace and military-linked magnet demand kept US pricing climbing in step with the broader non-Chinese trend, which puts United States roughly 11.9% above the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.

Set against a 2.8% average quarterly pace over the six quarters this report tracks, United States's move this quarter landed faster than that trend.

Samarium Prices in Japan

USD 75.30/KG. That is where Japan landed in Q2 2026, up 6.4% from USD 70.80/KG in Q1 2026, ranking it the 3rd most expensive among the 4 markets this report follows.

Why did the price of Samarium change in Q2 2026 in Japan?

Consistent specialty magnet manufacturing demand supported another firm increase, working out to Japan trading about 7.8% above this quarter's 4-region average.

Measured against Japan's own average pace of 2.8% a quarter across the six quarters this report tracks, this move came in faster than that pace.

Samarium Prices in India

India's price gained 6.4% to USD 81.80/KG, growing domestic demand for specialty magnets and nuclear applications kept India at the top of this group, placing it the priciest across the 4 regions covered in this report.

Why did the price of Samarium change in Q2 2026 in India?

Growing domestic demand for specialty magnets and nuclear applications kept India at the top of this group, leaving India running roughly 17.1% above the 4-region average for the quarter.

That is faster than the 2.8% average quarterly move India has posted across the six quarters this report tracks.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

Samarium Prices Q1 2026:

• China: USD 45.80/KG
• United States: USD 73.50/KG
• Japan: USD 70.80/KG
• India: USD 76.90/KG

Samarium Prices in China

China reached USD 45.80/KG in Q1 2026, domestic supply conditions held steady as the year opened, putting it the most affordable of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.

Why did the price of Samarium change in Q1 2026 in China?

Domestic supply conditions held steady as the year opened, supporting a firm early-year gain before the softer Q2 turn, with China now sitting about 31.4% below the 4-region average this quarter.

China has averaged 2.2% a quarter over the six quarters this report tracks; this move came in slower than that longer-run pace.

Samarium Prices in United States

United States rose 2.0% to USD 73.50/KG in Q1 2026, steady aerospace and military magnet demand supported a firm early-year increase, making it the 2nd most expensive of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.

Why did the price of Samarium change in Q1 2026 in United States?

Steady aerospace and military magnet demand supported a firm early-year increase, which puts United States roughly 10.1% above the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.

Set against a 2.8% average quarterly pace over the six quarters this report tracks, United States's move this quarter landed slower than that trend.

Samarium Prices in Japan

USD 70.80/KG. That is where Japan landed in Q1 2026, up 2.0% from USD 69.44/KG in Q4 2025, ranking it the 3rd most expensive among the 4 markets this report follows.

Why did the price of Samarium change in Q1 2026 in Japan?

Consistent specialty magnet manufacturing demand carried prices higher as the new year began, working out to Japan trading about 6.1% above this quarter's 4-region average.

Measured against Japan's own average pace of 2.8% a quarter across the six quarters this report tracks, this move came in slower than that pace.

Samarium Prices in India

India's price gained 1.9% to USD 76.90/KG, growing domestic industrial demand supported a firm start to 2026, placing it the priciest across the 4 regions covered in this report.

Why did the price of Samarium change in Q1 2026 in India?

Growing domestic industrial demand supported a firm start to 2026, leaving India running roughly 15.2% above the 4-region average for the quarter.

That is slower than the 2.8% average quarterly move India has posted across the six quarters this report tracks.

Quarterly Samarium Price Trends

The global average climbed steadily across the window, from USD 61.80/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 69.88 by Q2 2026, a gain of 13.1% over six quarters.

What was Samarium Price in 2025?

The global samarium average moved steadily through 2025, opening near USD 61.80/KG in Q1 and closing the year at USD 65.48, a 5.9% increase.

Samarium Prices in China in 2025

China prices moved from about USD 42.50/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 44.95 by Q4, up roughly 5.8%. That left China ranked 4 of 4 tracked markets heading into 2026.

Samarium Prices in United States in 2025

United States prices moved from about USD 68.00/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 72.08 by Q4, up roughly 6.0%, placing United States 2 of 4 tracked markets as 2025 closed out.

Samarium Prices in Japan in 2025

Japan prices moved from about USD 65.50/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 69.44 by Q4, up roughly 6.0%. Japan closed the year ranked 3 of the 4 markets this report tracks.

Samarium Prices in India in 2025

India prices moved from about USD 71.20/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 75.43 by Q4, up roughly 5.9%, leaving India in 1 place among the 4 tracked markets heading into the new year.

How We Can Help

Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Samarium Price Intelligence

Tracking samarium prices means tracking what actually moves them: bastnasite/monazite (RE concentrate) costs, regional demand shifts, and the policy decisions that touch both. Our team maintains that view across every region in this report, refreshing it as conditions change.

Rather than a single static figure, our forecasts blend capacity data, feedstock cost trends, and demand signals from across the regions we cover, built specifically to support procurement budgeting and supplier negotiations.

Reach out to our analysts for a deeper regional breakdown, historical data extending beyond the six quarters shown here, or a custom samarium sourcing analysis tailored to your specific procurement footprint.

We track samarium oxide and samarium-cobalt alloy pricing separately, since magnet manufacturers buying the pre-alloyed material skip a processing step that oxide buyers must still complete themselves.