Dysprosium, a heavy rare earth element (HREE) with a bright silver luster, is never found in nature as a pure substance but occurs in minerals like xenotime. Nearly all global Dysprosium mining occurs in China or Myanmar, with refining concentrated in China. While the Nd2Fe14B phase in Neodymium magnets offers high energy product, remanence, and coercivity, its performance drops significantly at elevated temperatures, making it unsuitable for high-heat applications. Substituting a small percentage of Neodymium with Dysprosium enhances these high-temperature properties.
Dysprosium is typically used as Dysprosium Iron (DyFe) alloy due to cost considerations. This DyFe alloy, with a nominal composition of 80% Dysprosium and 20% Iron, impacts Neodymium magnet costs. The DyFe price trend significantly influences the price of high-coercivity Neodymium magnets, alongside the PrNd price trend. To optimize rare earth resource use, stabilize supply chains, and reduce costs, magnet manufacturers and downstream consumers are exploring HREE-less or HREE-free solutions—such as grain boundary diffusion (GBD) technology—to minimize reliance on Dysprosium and Terbium. Monitoring the DyFe price remains key to understanding these market shifts.
