Oceania rare earth production is concentrated almost entirely in Australia, which holds some of the largest and highest-grade rare earth deposits outside China and ranks among the top five producing nations globally. The region has become a focal point for Western government supply chain strategies, with major offtake agreements, processing investments, and bilateral mineral partnerships accelerating since 2022.
Australia — Oceania’s Rare Earth Powerhouse
Australia produced approximately 13,000 tonnes of rare earth oxide equivalent in 2023, according to USGS Mineral Resources data, making it the second-largest producer globally after China. The country’s rare earth geology is diverse — spanning laterite-hosted ionic clays in Queensland, hard-rock carbonatite deposits in the Northern Territory, and mineral sands operations in Western Australia and South Australia.
Lynas Rare Earths (ASX: LYC) is the dominant force in Australian — and Oceanian — rare earth production. Its Mt Weld operation in Western Australia is consistently cited as one of the highest-grade rare earth deposits in the world, with ore processed at the company’s facility in Malaysia and, increasingly, through its developing Kalgoorlie rare earth processing plant. Lynas is the only significant producer of separated rare earth materials outside China at commercial scale.
Iluka Resources (ASX: ILU) is building Australia’s first fully integrated rare earth refinery at Eneabba in Western Australia, supported by a A$1.25 billion loan from the Australian government. The facility is designed to process both Iluka’s own mineral sands feedstock and third-party concentrate, with production of separated rare earth oxides targeted from 2026. For a full country-level breakdown, see our Australia rare earth guide.
Key Oceania Rare Earth Projects and Deposits
Nolans Bore — Arafura Rare Earths (ASX: ARU) is developing the Nolans Bore project in the Northern Territory, one of the largest undeveloped neodymium-praseodymium deposits globally. The JORC resource stands at 56 million tonnes at 2.6% total rare earth oxide, with NdPr the primary revenue driver. Arafura has secured offtake agreements with Hyundai Motor Group and offtake interest from several European manufacturers. Project financing has been the primary constraint on timeline.
Browns Range — Northern Minerals (ASX: NTU) operates the Browns Range project in remote Western Australia, one of the few heavy rare earth projects outside China with production history. The deposit contains dysprosium and terbium — the heavy rare earths critical to high-performance NdFeB magnets used in EV motors and wind turbines. See current dysprosium price and neodymium price data for market context.
Yangibana — Hastings Technology Metals (ASX: HAS) is developing the Yangibana project in Western Australia, a NdPr-enriched deposit with a JORC resource of 21.3 million tonnes at 0.51% total rare earth oxide. The project’s neodymium-praseodymium enrichment ratio is among the highest of any Australian deposit, making it economically competitive despite modest overall grades.
Dubbo — Australian Strategic Materials (ASX: ASM) holds the Dubbo project in New South Wales, a polymetallic deposit containing zirconium, hafnium, niobium, and rare earths. ASM’s strategy centres on producing rare earth metals and alloys rather than oxides, targeting downstream value capture. The company operates a metals plant in South Korea.
Oceania Rare Earth Companies — Who to Watch
Australia hosts the largest concentration of listed rare earth companies outside North America. The ASX has become a primary listing venue for junior rare earth explorers and developers, with investor interest driven by Australia’s favourable jurisdiction, proximity to Asian processing markets, and government support for critical minerals development.
For a ranked overview of the sector, see Top 10 Rare Earth Mining Companies in Australia and Top 10 ASX Rare Earth Stocks. Australia also features prominently in the Top 10 Rare Earth Mining Companies global ranking, with Lynas consistently holding a top-three position by production volume.
New Zealand and the Pacific
New Zealand holds mineral potential across several domains — titanium-rich mineral sands on the west coast of the South Island, and rare earth-bearing phosphate deposits on the Chatham Rise offshore — but no commercial rare earth production exists as of 2026. Environmental regulation, conservation priorities, and the economics of offshore extraction have constrained development. New Zealand is not a material contributor to Oceania rare earth supply in the near term.
Pacific island nations have no significant rare earth production. Deep-sea nodule deposits in the Pacific contain manganese, cobalt, and nickel but are not rare earth resources in a commercial sense. Oceania rare earth output for practical purposes means Australian output.
Why Oceania Rare Earth Matters for Western Supply Chains
Australia’s strategic importance to Western rare earth supply chains has grown sharply since China introduced rare earth export licensing controls in 2023 and expanded restrictions in 2025. As one of the few jurisdictions capable of producing and processing rare earths at scale outside China, Australia sits at the centre of every major Western supply chain diversification strategy. For full background on the policy context, see China rare earth export controls.
Australia is a member of the Quad (alongside the US, Japan, and India) and a key partner in AUKUS. Its Critical Minerals Strategy, updated in 2023, explicitly prioritises rare earth development as a national interest. The Australian government has committed over A$4 billion in direct and facilitated financing to critical minerals projects since 2022, with rare earths receiving the largest share.
The US, UK, EU, Japan, and South Korea have all signed bilateral critical minerals agreements with Australia. Offtake agreements between Australian rare earth producers and end-users in these markets — including Japanese trading houses and Korean battery manufacturers — are providing the revenue security needed to progress projects through to production. Australia’s position in the top 10 rare earth producing countries is expected to strengthen through the late 2020s as Nolans Bore, Eneabba, and Yangibana reach production.
Oceania Rare Earth — Company Snapshot
| Company | ASX Ticker | Key Project | Primary Elements | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynas Rare Earths | LYC | Mt Weld, WA | NdPr, La, Ce | Production |
| Iluka Resources | ILU | Eneabba Refinery, WA | NdPr, Dy, Tb | Construction |
| Arafura Rare Earths | ARU | Nolans Bore, NT | NdPr | Development |
| Northern Minerals | NTU | Browns Range, WA | Dy, Tb, Y | Pilot / Care & Maintenance |
| Hastings Technology Metals | HAS | Yangibana, WA | NdPr | Development |
| Australian Strategic Materials | ASM | Dubbo, NSW | REE, Zr, Hf, Nb | Development / Downstream |
Oceania Rare Earth Outlook
Australia’s rare earth output is forecast to increase materially through 2027–2030 as Iluka’s Eneabba refinery reaches nameplate capacity and at least one of the major development-stage projects — Nolans Bore or Yangibana — progresses to production. The critical variable is project financing: most Australian rare earth developers have secured government grants and partial offtake agreements, but full project debt financing has proven difficult in a market where Chinese-controlled prices set the benchmark.
Lynas remains the anchor of the Oceania rare earth sector and is likely to retain that position through the decade. Its Kalgoorlie processing plant, if brought to full capacity, would give Australia an end-to-end rare earth supply chain for light rare earths for the first time. Heavy rare earth processing at commercial scale remains a gap — Northern Minerals’ Browns Range is the primary candidate to fill it, but the project’s economics are sensitive to dysprosium and terbium price levels. Geoscience Australia publishes updated resource estimates and project status for all significant Australian rare earth deposits annually.
Which country produces the most rare earths in Oceania?
Australia is by far the largest rare earth producer in Oceania, accounting for essentially all of the region’s output. Australia produced approximately 13,000 tonnes of rare earth oxide equivalent in 2023, ranking it second globally after China. No other Oceanian nation has commercial rare earth production.
What are the largest oceania rare earth deposits?
The largest oceania rare earth deposits by resource size include Nolans Bore in the Northern Territory (Arafura Rare Earths, 56 million tonnes at 2.6% TREO), Mt Weld in Western Australia (Lynas Rare Earths, one of the highest-grade deposits globally), and Browns Range in Western Australia (Northern Minerals, primarily heavy rare earths including dysprosium and terbium).
Is Australia a significant rare earth producer?
Yes. Australia is the second-largest rare earth producer globally after China, and home to Lynas Rare Earths — the only producer of separated rare earth materials at commercial scale outside China. Australia’s Mt Weld deposit is among the highest-grade rare earth resources in the world.
What oceania rare earth companies are listed on the ASX?
Key ASX-listed oceania rare earth companies include Lynas Rare Earths (LYC), Iluka Resources (ILU), Arafura Rare Earths (ARU), Northern Minerals (NTU), Hastings Technology Metals (HAS), and Australian Strategic Materials (ASM). The ASX has the largest concentration of listed rare earth companies outside North America.
Does New Zealand have rare earth resources?
New Zealand has some mineral potential, including titanium-rich mineral sands and rare earth-bearing phosphate deposits on the Chatham Rise offshore platform. However, there is no commercial rare earth production in New Zealand as of 2026, and none is planned in the near term due to regulatory, environmental, and economic constraints.
Why is oceania rare earth production important for Western supply chains?
Australia is one of the few countries capable of producing and processing rare earths at scale outside China. Following China’s export licensing controls introduced in 2023 and expanded in 2025, Western governments — including the US, UK, EU, Japan, and South Korea — have prioritised Australian rare earth supply through bilateral agreements, offtake deals, and over A$4 billion in government financing commitments. Australia’s Quad and AUKUS membership reinforces its strategic alignment with Western supply chain goals.
