# Ytterbium Price per kg (United States) As of October 2026, the US benchmark price of ytterbium is $17.08 per kg contained. Source: https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/ytterbium-price-us Category: Critical Minerals (https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/critical-minerals) Lists: US Critical Minerals List, EU Critical Raw Materials Act ## Key figures | Figure | Value | | --- | --- | | Price per kg contained | $17.08 | | Price type | Stockatomics monthly benchmark | | Price month | October 2026 | | 1-month change | - | | 6-month change | - | | 1-year change | +7.2% | | 5-year change | - | | 12-month high | $17.08 | | 12-month low | $17.08 | | Last updated | 18 October 2026 | ## Price summary In the past year the monthly price has moved between $17.08 and $17.08. Measured over the past year, ytterbium is +7.2%. ## Ytterbium monthly prices USD per kg contained, newest first. | Month | Price | Change | | --- | --- | --- | | October 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | September 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | August 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | July 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | June 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | May 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | April 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | March 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | February 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | January 2026 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | December 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | November 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | October 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | September 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | August 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | July 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | June 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | May 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | April 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | March 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | February 2025 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | January 2025 | $17.08 | +7.2% | | December 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | November 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | October 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | September 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | August 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | July 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | June 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | May 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | April 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | March 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | February 2024 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | January 2024 | $15.94 | +7.7% | | December 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | November 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | October 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | September 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | August 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | July 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | June 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | May 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | April 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | March 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | February 2023 | $14.80 | 0.0% | | January 2023 | $14.80 | −7.2% | | December 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | November 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | October 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | September 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | August 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | July 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | June 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | May 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | April 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | March 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | February 2022 | $15.94 | 0.0% | | January 2022 | $15.94 | −6.7% | | December 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | November 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | October 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | September 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | August 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | July 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | June 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | May 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | April 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | March 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | February 2021 | $17.08 | 0.0% | | January 2021 | $17.08 | - | ## What ytterbium is used for Ytterbium (Yb) is the dopant in **ytterbium fibre lasers**, the workhorse of industrial laser cutting and welding. It also supports medicine as the starting material for some lutetium-177 cancer treatments, and science through **optical atomic clocks** of extraordinary precision. ### Other uses - Stainless steel additive - Stress gauges for earthquake and explosion monitoring - Research in quantum technologies - Specialty glass ## Ytterbium supply and demand factors Ytterbium is a heavy rare earth produced in small volumes, mainly in China. Demand comes from fibre lasers, medical isotopes and research, and is growing steadily with industrial laser adoption. Its price follows heavy rare earth output and Chinese export policy. ### What moves the price - Heavy rare earth output and export policy - Industrial fibre laser demand - Medical isotope production - Research demand ## Ytterbium price history Ytterbium has a small market, with prices following heavy rare earth supply and Chinese policy rather than open trading. As of October 2026, the Stockatomics benchmark price is $17.08 per kg contained. ## Where ytterbium is produced Ytterbium is produced in small amounts from heavy rare earth deposits, mostly the ionic clays of **China** and **Myanmar**, and is separated almost entirely in China. ## Why ytterbium is a critical mineral Ytterbium is on the **US critical minerals list**, and the heavy rare earths are on the **EU critical raw materials list**. Industrial lasers and medical isotopes depend on it, volumes are small, and separation is concentrated in China. ## How the ytterbium benchmark price is calculated Stockatomics publishes a US benchmark price for ytterbium in US dollars per kg contained, reading as of October 2026. The price is quoted per kg of oxide, not for a fibre laser. US trade in ytterbium is thin, so its price moves less often than those of the higher-volume minerals. ### Converting the price - Ytterbium oxide contains about 88% ytterbium ## FAQ ### What is the price of ytterbium per kg today? As of October 2026, the US benchmark price of ytterbium is $17.08 per kg contained. Stockatomics updates it every month. ### What is ytterbium used for? Ytterbium-doped fibre lasers for industrial cutting and welding, production of medical isotopes and research into optical atomic clocks. ### Is ytterbium a rare earth? Yes, a heavy rare earth. ### Where is ytterbium produced? Mostly in China, from heavy rare earth deposits. ### How is the ytterbium benchmark price calculated? The Stockatomics benchmark for ytterbium is a monthly US price in US dollars per kg contained, published every month and current as of October 2026. ## Related commodities - [Lithium price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lithium-price-us): $89.62 per kg contained - [Copper price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/copper-price-us): $13.92 per kg contained - [Cobalt price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/cobalt-price-us): $56.81 per kg contained - [Nickel price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/nickel-price-us): $17.24 per kg contained - [Graphite price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/graphite-price-us): $1.17 per kg graphite - [Gallium price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/gallium-price-us): $1,530 per kg contained ## Sources - U.S. trade data: the monthly ytterbium price. - U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): the US critical minerals list. - Company filings: the listed companies and their roles. Last updated 18 October 2026.