Lynas Rare Earths has announced the initial production of samarium oxide at its Lynas Malaysia facility.

This development expands Lynas' range of separated heavy rare earth oxides to three products, alongside dysprosium and terbium, reinforcing its status as the sole commercial producer of such oxides outside China.

Samarium oxide is a key component in the manufacture of high-performance magnets used across various industries including electronics, aerospace, optics, catalysts and medical devices.

The announcement of the expansion of Lynas Malaysia's separated heavy rare earth (HRE) separation facility was made in October 2025 as part of the company's Towards 2030 growth strategy.

The first production output at Lynas Malaysia was initially forecast for April 2026.

Lynas has produced samarium oxide earlier than planned, marking the first milestone in developing its expanded HRE separation facility.

The company plans to gradually increase its HRE processing capacity, with the initial suite of separated HREs expected to be operational within two years.

This initial line-up includes samarium, dysprosium, gadolinium, lutetium, terbium and yttrium.

Potential enhancements to produce additional products like europium, holmium, ytterbium and erbium are under consideration, contingent upon favourable commercial agreements that justify further investment.

Lynas Rare Earths CEO and managing director Amanda Lacaze said: “The achievement of first samarium oxide, on spec and ahead of schedule, is a significant milestone for Lynas and demonstrates the expertise and capability of our in-house team, which is unique outside China.

“The addition of samarium oxide means that we can provide an expanded suite of light and heavy rare earths that customers will use to produce high-performance permanent magnets.”