Ionic Rare Earths (ASX:IXR) is ramping up production of heavy rare earths via its wholly owned subsidiary Ionic Technologies to meet supply demands in Asia, Europe, and the US following China’s export halt in May 2025.
Ionic Technologies aims to boost production of dysprosium oxide and terbium oxide at the Belfast plant, after receiving customer inquiries.
Samples from the plant have been issued to Western customers following queries.
Managing Director Tim Harrison says the subsidiary holds a unique place in the heavy rare earths space, with its Belfast produced technology deliver
“Ionic Technologies’ Demonstration Plant has shown its ability to produce high purity rare earth oxides from end-of-life permanent magnets or production swarf since January 2024, successfully operating on a 24/7 basis, and delivering rare earth oxides to our supply chain partners,” Harrison says.
“Since the recent April rare earth controls announced by China, we have been flooded with enquiries from automakers, and other manufacturers for heavy rare earths, due to the critical Western Australia shortage of these highly strategic materials.”
“This has been highlighted by a tripling of prices for both dysprosium oxide and terbium oxide over the past three months.”
Executive Chairman Brett Lynch believes the company is well positioned to meet the growing demand from the Western market.
“Ionic Rare Earths is rapidly building a global rare earth recycling industrial business,” Lynch says.
“We are taking small steps but even more quickly towards commercialisation, demonstrating our proactive approach to improving shareholder returns as we work towards delivery of the Belfast commercial plant.”
The subsidiary recently secured £11 million ($22.53 million) from the UK Government to deliver a rare earth permanent magnet supply chain from the UK, leading the CirculaREEconomy project from next month, as reported by Mining.com.au.
A peer-reviewed study of the product carbon footprint indicated emission reductions of up to 61% from the made-in-Belfast technology, in comparison to the existing supply chain.
Dysprosium and terbium are both critical elements used to improve thermal stability as well as magnetic coercivity across sectors such as electric vehicle motors, wind turbine generators, industrial robotics, and fluorescent lighting.
Strategic Metals Invest reports the price of dysprosium at $453.9 per kilogram as of 29 July 2025, representing a 28.55% boost since 1 January.
Terbium has jumped 42.03% for this year to date, currently marked at $1,983.4/kg.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
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