Rare earths are not hard to find on eBay. They are hard to find cheaply. A 10mm neodymium cube from a US collector seller costs $19,857 per kilogram. The same metal in 2 kg ingot form from a German industrial supplier costs $1,231/kg. On Alibaba, the FOB China price for 99.9% neodymium ingot is $80–380/kg. The retail premium ranges from 15x to over 100x depending on element, form, and platform.
This report documents every qualifying listing found across eBay (US-shipping and global), Alibaba industrial, and Amazon retail for 25+ elements, surveyed April 4, 2026. It excludes the two dominant eBay rare earth sellers — bogmir-71 (Kazakhstan) and natsh5543 (USA) — to focus on the broader market of European specialists, US niche sellers, oxide suppliers, and industrial wholesalers that collectively define the true pricing landscape beyond the KZ/US duopoly.
Methodology
eBay US-shipping survey. Buy It Now listings, ships to United States, collected April 4, 2026. Focus on all sellers except bogmir-71 and natsh5543.
eBay global survey. Same date, US-only filter removed. Targeted elements that were thin or absent in the US survey: gadolinium, erbium, yttrium, gallium, samarium. Captured European and Chinese sellers; Chinese eBay cube resellers excluded from this analysis.
Alibaba industrial survey. FOB China pricing from verified suppliers (5–11 year platform track records). Prices reflect wholesale/industrial quantities, typically 1–100 kg MOQ. Included selectively where suppliers are established manufacturers, not dropshippers.
Amazon retail survey. Collector/educational element sample kits — not a procurement channel, but establishes a “collector minimum” floor.
Per-kilogram pricing calculated from listed price divided by quantity, excluding shipping unless noted.
The seller landscape
The eBay rare earth market outside the bogmir-71/natsh5543 duopoly segments cleanly into four tiers.
Tier 1 — European element specialists
snaucke-elements (Netherlands, 7,700 feedback, 100% positive) carries 1g vial samples of virtually every rare earth element at $9–20/g. The broadest inventory of any single eBay seller.
novaelements (Italy, 2,700 feedback, 99.1%) offers 1g samples of all rare earths, plus argon-sealed premium versions at 2–3x markup. Ships worldwide.
the_periodic_guy (Israel, 4,500 feedback, 100%) specialises in turnings, argon ampoules, and wholesale 8-packs. The go-to source for 10–20g quantities at competitive international pricing.
the-element-shop (Austria, 672 feedback, 100%) sells ultra-precision density cubes at premium pricing — a collector market, not a materials market.
Tier 2 — German bulk metal suppliers
evek-gmbh (Germany, 36,000 feedback, 99.4%) and auremo-eu (Germany, 12,000 feedback, 99.4%) scale from 1g to 10 kg for gadolinium, neodymium, cerium, and others. At volume, their pricing approaches industrial levels — evek-gmbh’s gadolinium metal starts at approximately $450/kg for multi-kilogram orders.
Tier 3 — US retail and collector
Luciteria (USA, 3,400 feedback, 99.7%) carries density cubes and bullion bars for most elements at premium pricing. Trusted, fast domestic shipping. The $129 lanthanum 10mm cube ($21,148/kg) exemplifies the collector premium.
chemsaversinc1 (USA, 8,600 feedback, 100%) sells chemical compounds — oxides, chlorides, nitrates — at lab-grade pricing. Not raw metal.
leroy500 (USA, 2,600 feedback, 100%) is the best US source for rare earth oxides in 50g–5kg quantities. Dy₂O₃ at $2,550/kg (100g) and Gd₂O₃ at $745/kg (5kg) represent the most competitive US oxide pricing found.
chemstore2017 (USA, 482 feedback, 100%) carries similar oxide compounds.
Tier 4 — Alibaba industrial
Verified Chinese manufacturers with 5–11 year track records: Ganzhou Wanfeng, Changsha Xinkang, Hebei Saiweisi, Tianjin Chengmai, and others. Also non-Chinese Alibaba suppliers: SARL ISLO (France) for tellurium and Star Earth Minerals (India) for cerium oxide. These represent true wholesale pricing — but for controlled elements, listed prices may not reflect obtainable pricing due to Chinese export restrictions.
Light rare earths: La, Ce, Nd, Pr
Light rare earths are the most abundant and least expensive rare earth category. They are also where eBay retail markups are most extreme relative to industrial floor pricing.
Lanthanum (La)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.5% | ~6.1g | $21,148 | US |
| joenicks | Ingot (Ar sealed) | 99.9% | 21.3g | $18,310 | US |
| engineeredlab | Element cube | — | ~6g | $15,230 | US |
| chemstore2017 | La₂O₃ oxide | 99.9% | 50g | $920 | US |
| leroy500 | La₂O₃ oxide | 99.9% | 100–1000g | $275–450 | US |
Lanthanum oxide from leroy500 at $275–450/kg is the most reasonable US eBay pricing. Even so, Alibaba industrial pricing for La₂O₃ is estimated at $10–30/kg — a 14–30x markup. Lanthanum metal in cube form is a pure collector market with no relationship to materials pricing.
Cerium (Ce)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.9% | ~6.8g | $18,382 | US |
| leroy500 | CeO₂ oxide | 99.99% | 250–1000g | $336–575 | US |
| Various polishing | CeO₂ polish | 85–99% | 50g–5lb | $28–86 | Various |
| Star Earth Minerals | RE oxide | 99.9% | 100kg | $3–3.50 | India |
| Changzhou Geoquin | CeO₂ oxide | 99.95% | 1kg | $2.40 | China |
Cerium oxide polishing powder is the single most industrially competitive segment on eBay. At $28–86/kg for 85–99% purity CeO₂, eBay polishing sellers approach the Alibaba industrial floor of $2.40–3.50/kg with only an 8–25x markup — far tighter than any other element. This is driven by genuine demand from glass polishing professionals who purchase in multi-pound quantities. The Indian supplier Star Earth Minerals on Alibaba offers 99.9% RE oxide at $3–3.50/kg FOB for 100kg+ orders.
Neodymium (Nd)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.5% | ~7g | $19,857 | US |
| engineeredlab | Element cube | — | ~7g | $13,054 | US |
| novaelements | 1g pieces | 99.9% | 1g | $11,750 | Italy |
| chemsaversinc1 | Nd₂O₃ oxide | 99.3% | 25–500g | $600–2,078 | US |
| auremo-eu | Metal 2kg | 99.5–99.9% | 2,000g | $1,231–1,478 | Germany |
| Ganzhou Wanfeng | Metal ingot | 99.9% | 1–10kg | $80–380 | China |
The auremo-eu listing at $1,231–1,478/kg for 2 kg of neodymium metal is the closest any eBay listing comes to industrial pricing for Nd. Even this represents a 3–15x premium over the Alibaba FOB China price of $80–380/kg. Neodymium is not subject to MOFCOM export controls, meaning Chinese industrial pricing is obtainable — but requires meeting MOQ requirements and arranging freight.
Praseodymium (Pr)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.5% | ~6.8g | $20,441 | US |
| Luciteria | 1g metal | 99.6% | 1g | $9,900 | US |
Praseodymium has the thinnest eBay market of any light rare earth. Only Luciteria carries it in metal form for US buyers. No oxide listings were found. Alibaba PrNd alloy pricing of $125–280/kg represents the industrial floor.
Heavy rare earths: Dy, Tb, Gd, Ho, Tm, Er, Y, Eu, Sm, Yb
Heavy rare earths carry higher intrinsic value, tighter supply, and — for most — active or recently suspended Chinese export controls that distort the relationship between listed and obtainable pricing.
Dysprosium (Dy) — MOFCOM No. 18 controlled
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| novaelements | 1g pieces | 99.95% | 1g | $12,990–30,990 | Italy |
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.5% | ~8.6g | $5,698 | US |
| the_periodic_guy | 10g turnings | 99.9% | 10g | $4,740 | Israel |
| leroy500 | Dy₂O₃ oxide | 99.99% | 25–100g | $2,550–5,400 | US |
| Hebei Saiweisi | Dy₂O₃ oxide | 99.9% | 1kg | $110–210 | China |
Dysprosium oxide on Alibaba at $110–210/kg appears to represent extraordinary value against the $2,550/kg eBay oxide price. However, dysprosium is under active MOFCOM Announcement No. 18 export controls with no suspension. That Alibaba price reflects Chinese domestic pricing; actual export requires a MOFCOM licence that may be denied or delayed indefinitely. The eBay market outside of the KZ/US duopoly is thin — the_periodic_guy’s Israeli-sourced turnings at $4,740/kg represent a non-Chinese alternative.
Terbium (Tb) — MOFCOM No. 18 controlled
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ganzhou Wanfeng | Nitrate | 99.9% | 1kg | $600 | China |
No terbium metal listings were found outside the bogmir-71/natsh5543 duopoly. Ganzhou Wanfeng’s Alibaba listing for Tb nitrate at $600/kg is the only non-duopoly data point, and it is subject to MOFCOM No. 18 export controls. Terbium remains one of the most supply-constrained elements on the market.
Gadolinium (Gd) — MOFCOM No. 18 controlled
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luciteria | 1-inch cube | 99.9% | ~129g | $1,186 | US |
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.9% | ~7.9g | $2,658 | US |
| snaucke-elements | 1g pieces/vial | 99.9% | 1g | $9,750 | Netherlands |
| novaelements | 1g sample vial | 99.95% | 1g | $9,990 | Italy |
| evek-gmbh | Metal pieces | 99.95% | 1g–10kg | $450–9,440 | Germany |
| auremo-eu | Metal pieces | 99.95% | 1g–10kg | $500–1,700 | Germany |
| vkris_1 | Bulk 1lb | 99.9% | 454g | $507 | US |
| leroy500 | Gd₂O₃ oxide | 99.99% | 50–5000g | $745–800 | US |
| chemstore2017 | Gd₂O₃ oxide | 99.9% | 50g | $1,160 | US |
Gadolinium is the element most transformed by removing the US-shipping filter. In the US-only survey, gadolinium was essentially absent. Globally, 43 results appeared. The most notable listings are the German bulk suppliers: evek-gmbh at $450/kg and auremo-eu at $500/kg for multi-kilogram orders approach industrial pricing. vkris_1’s 1 lb lot at $507/kg is the best US bulk price found.
For oxide, leroy500 offers Gd₂O₃ at $745–800/kg in quantities up to 5 kg — the deepest US oxide inventory for any single rare earth.
Erbium (Er) — MOFCOM No. 57 (suspended)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| snaucke-elements | 1g pieces/vial | 99.9% | 1g | $10,950 | Netherlands |
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.95% | ~9.1g | $3,736 | US |
| novaelements | 1g argon sealed | 99.95% | 1g | $27,530 | Italy |
Erbium metal is thin even globally. Only three non-Chinese, non-duopoly sellers were found. Novaelements’ argon-sealed premium at $27,530/kg is the most expensive erbium listing in the survey. MOFCOM No. 57 controls on erbium are currently suspended until November 10, 2026 — meaning Chinese supply is theoretically available during this window, but could be cut off with minimal notice.
Yttrium (Y) — MOFCOM No. 18 controlled
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| snaucke-elements | 1g nuggets/vial | 99.95% | 1g | $9,450 | Netherlands |
| novaelements | 1g shiny piece | 99.95% | 1g | $9,100 | Italy |
Yttrium is the most overpriced element in the survey relative to its industrial value. At $9,100–9,450/kg on eBay versus an estimated Alibaba industrial price of $30–80/kg for yttrium metal, the retail premium exceeds 100x. No bulk eBay listings were found outside the duopoly. Under MOFCOM No. 18, Chinese yttrium exports require licensing with no suspension.
Europium (Eu) — MOFCOM No. 57 (suspended)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luciteria | 10g metal | 99.9% | 10g | $3,800 | US |
A single listing. Europium’s radioactivity concerns and niche applications (phosphors, anti-counterfeiting) limit retail demand.
Samarium (Sm) — MOFCOM No. 18 controlled
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| snaucke-elements | 1g pieces/vial | 99.9% | 1g | $9,000–10,000 | Netherlands |
| novaelements | 1g sample | 99.95% | 1g | $10,000–12,000 | Italy |
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.5% | ~7.5g | $3,867 | US |
Samarium was absent from the US-only survey. Globally, only the European specialists and Luciteria carry it. Pricing of $3,867–12,000/kg reflects pure collector demand — samarium-cobalt magnets are manufactured at industrial scale, but the retail metal market barely exists.
Ytterbium (Yb) — MOFCOM No. 57 (suspended)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Changsha Xinkang | Ingot/rod/chunk | 99.9–99.99% | 1kg | $185–700 | China |
No eBay listings for ytterbium metal were found outside the duopoly. The only data point is Changsha Xinkang’s Alibaba listing at $185–700/kg. MOFCOM No. 57 suspension means this pricing may be obtainable through November 2026, but reinstatement risk is material.
Strategic metals: Te, Ga, Ge, In, Co, Bi, W, Zr, V, Nb
Tellurium (Te) — MOFCOM No. 10 controlled
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SARL ISLO | Ingot (small lot) | 99.99% | 1 mt | $1,100–1,450 | France |
| Multiple suppliers | Ingot (bulk) | 99.99% | 1–5 mt | $80–120 | CN/FR |
The France-based SARL ISLO listing on Alibaba is significant: it represents a non-Chinese source for tellurium at $1,100–1,450/kg. Chinese tellurium is under active MOFCOM No. 10 controls (never suspended), making non-Chinese sourcing increasingly important. Bulk pricing at $80–120/kg is available from multi-origin suppliers but the Chinese component requires export licensing.
Gallium (Ga)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple toy sellers | Liquid metal | 99.99% | 20–1000g | $120–400 | Various |
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.9% | ~5.9g | $3,220 | US |
| Multiple suppliers | Metal ingot | 99.99% | 10–100kg | $200–400 | CN/DE/PH |
Gallium is the only element where eBay retail approaches industrial pricing. “Melting metal” toy sellers offer 99.99% gallium at $120–400/kg — within the same range as Alibaba’s $200–400/kg industrial pricing. This is driven by gallium’s novelty appeal (melts at 29.7°C) creating genuine consumer volume. Gallium exports from China to the US are banned under MOFCOM Announcement No. 46/2024, Article 1 (military end-use), with the blanket Article 2 ban suspended until November 2026.
Germanium (Ge)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luciteria | 10mm cube | 99.999% | ~5.3g | $16,038 | US |
A single listing at $16,038/kg against an estimated Alibaba industrial price of $1,000–2,000/kg. Germanium is subject to the same MOFCOM No. 46/2024 US export restrictions as gallium.
Indium (In)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luciteria | 100g metal | 99.995% | 100g | $1,470 | US |
Luciteria’s 100g listing at $1,470/kg is the most competitively priced US indium found, against an estimated Alibaba industrial price of $200–400/kg (4–7x markup).
Cobalt (Co)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discountelements | Cathode | 99.98% | 191g | $146 | US |
| emovendo | Pellet | 99.95% | 7.1g | $2,815 | US |
The discountelements cathode at $146/kg is the second-most competitive retail pricing in the survey (after gallium), sitting at approximately 2–4x above the Alibaba industrial floor of $30–60/kg. The emovendo pellet at $2,815/kg demonstrates how small quantities distort per-kilogram pricing — the absolute price is $20, but divided by 7.1g the rate is astronomical.
Niobium (Nb)
| Seller | Form | Purity | Qty | $/kg | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| navycbmichael | Turnings | High purity | 100g | $351 | US |
| Tianjin Chengmai | Granules | 99.9% | 100kg | $70–130 | China |
Niobium at $351/kg retail versus $70–130/kg industrial (3–5x markup) represents one of the tightest retail-industrial spreads for any metal in the survey. Niobium is not subject to Chinese export controls.
The retail premium: a quantified view
The table below summarises the retail-to-industrial markup for every element surveyed, using the best available non-duopoly pricing.
| Element | Best eBay $/kg | Alibaba Ind. $/kg | Markup | Export status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallium | $120 | $200–400 | 1–2x | US ban (Art. 2 susp.) |
| Cobalt | $146 | $30–60 | 2–4x | No control |
| Niobium | $351 | $70–130 | 3–5x | No control |
| Gadolinium | $450 | ~$80–200 | 2.5–6x | MOFCOM No. 18 |
| Cerium oxide | $28 | $2.40–3.50 | 8–25x | No control |
| Neodymium | $1,231 | $80–380 | 3–15x | No control |
| Dysprosium oxide | $2,550 | $110–210 | 12–25x | MOFCOM No. 18 |
| Indium | $1,470 | $200–400 | 4–7x | No control |
| Ytterbium | $185 (Alibaba only) | $185–700 | n/a | MOFCOM No. 57 (susp.) |
| Yttrium | $9,100 | ~$30–80 | 100x+ | MOFCOM No. 18 |
| Scandium | $31,333 | $1,000–1,600 | 20–30x | MOFCOM No. 18 |
| Germanium | $16,038 | ~$1,000–2,000 | 8–16x | US ban (Art. 2 susp.) |
Three structural factors drive these spreads:
-
Quantity effect. Most eBay listings are 1–100g. Per-kilogram rates for gram-scale purchases are inherently extreme. The auremo-eu neodymium listing (2 kg at $1,231/kg) demonstrates that eBay pricing can compress dramatically at modest scale.
-
Form premium. Density cubes, argon-sealed samples, and distilled pellets command 5–20x premiums over equivalent-purity industrial metal. This is not a materials market — it is a collector market.
-
Export control premium. For elements under active MOFCOM controls (Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Lu, Sc, Y), the gap between Chinese domestic pricing and international retail pricing is widening. Non-Chinese supply chains for these elements are thin, pushing retail premiums higher.
Key findings
Gadolinium is the element most underserved by US-only eBay. Removing the US shipping filter yielded 43 global results versus near-zero domestically. German bulk suppliers offer gadolinium metal at $450–507/kg — approaching industrial pricing and an order of magnitude below US collector sellers.
Yttrium is the most overpriced element relative to industrial value. At 100x+ retail-to-industrial markup, yttrium on eBay represents a pure information asymmetry premium. No bulk eBay listings exist outside the KZ/US duopoly.
Gallium is the only element where eBay retail matches industrial pricing. Consumer demand from “melting metal” novelty buyers has driven sufficient volume to compress margins to 1–2x.
Cerium oxide polishing powder is the most industrially competitive eBay category. Professional demand from glass polishers creates genuine volume at $28–86/kg, within striking distance of Alibaba’s $2.40/kg floor.
Non-Chinese supply matters and is emerging. SARL ISLO (France) for tellurium, Star Earth Minerals (India) for cerium oxide, and the German bulk suppliers (evek-gmbh, auremo-eu) for rare earth metals represent viable non-Chinese procurement paths that bypass MOFCOM licensing entirely.
Export controls are the single largest price determinant. The gap between MOFCOM No. 18 elements (fully controlled, no suspension) and uncontrolled elements like neodymium is growing. Buyers of controlled elements face not just higher prices but supply availability risk — a listed price means nothing if the export licence is denied.
Chinese export control reference
| Announcement | Elements | Status | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 18/2025 | Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Lu, Sc, Y | Active | 4 Apr 2025 |
| No. 57/2025 | Ho, Er, Tm, Eu, Yb | Suspended until 10 Nov 2026 | 9 Oct 2025 |
| No. 10/2025 | W, Te, Bi, Mo, In | Active | 4 Feb 2025 |
| No. 46/2024 (Art. 1) | Ga, Ge, Sb | Active (US military end-use ban) | 3 Dec 2024 |
| No. 46/2024 (Art. 2) | Ga, Ge, Sb | Suspended until 28 Nov 2026 | 3 Dec 2024 |
For detailed analysis of the domestic regulatory architecture that constrains Chinese rare earth exports regardless of MOFCOM announcements, see China’s invisible rare earth wall.
Data compiled April 4, 2026. Pricing reflects Buy It Now listings at time of survey. All per-kilogram calculations exclude shipping unless noted. This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute procurement advice. Buyers should independently verify current pricing, availability, and applicable export control requirements before committing to purchases.