Two rare earths that underpin modern photonics — erbium for fiber optic amplifiers (the internet backbone), yttrium for LED phosphors and YAG lasers.
Erbium: Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers underpin the global internet backbone, making erbium essential to digital communications infrastructure.
Yttrium: Yttrium is essential for LED lighting, solid oxide fuel cells, and high-performance aerospace alloys. The U.S. is heavily dependent on Chinese imports.
Erbium: Erbium is a rare earth element used in fiber optic amplifiers, lasers, and pink-tinted glass and ceramics. Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) are the backbone of global internet infrastructure. Yttrium: Yttrium is a rare earth element used in LEDs, phosphors, lasers, and high-performance alloys. Yttrium oxide is a key component in white LED phosphors that replaced traditional lighting.
As tracked by Critical Minerals HQ, Erbium is currently $30 USD/kg and Yttrium is $3.2 USD/kg. The two minerals are quoted in different units (USD/kg vs USD/kg), so see the live price panels above for the most recent figures.
Neither is "better" in absolute terms — each is engineered for different end-uses. Erbium is primarily used for: Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFA) for internet infrastructure, Medical and dental lasers, Neutron-absorbing nuclear alloys, Pink colorant in glass and ceramics. Yttrium is primarily used for: White LED phosphors for lighting, Yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) lasers, Fuel cell electrolytes (yttria-stabilized zirconia), High-temperature superalloys. The right mineral depends on the application.
Erbium and Yttrium are quoted in different units (USD/kg vs USD/kg), so a direct numeric rarity comparison from spot price alone is indicative only. See the indexed 25-year chart on the live page for relative scarcity behavior.
Specific US import-reliance percentages are not in our on-file reference text for either Erbium or Yttrium. See the official USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries for the latest figures.
Erbium top producers (USGS): China, Australia, United States. Yttrium top producers: China, Australia, United States, Canada. The mineral whose first-listed producer accounts for a larger share of global output carries the greater supply-chain concentration risk.
Erbium: Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers underpin the global internet backbone, making erbium essential to digital communications infrastructure. Yttrium: Yttrium is essential for LED lighting, solid oxide fuel cells, and high-performance aerospace alloys. The U.S. is heavily dependent on Chinese imports.