Rare earth File photo:VCG

China has recently made significant progress in key technology for rare earth detection, including the inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) method for directly determining rare earth impurity content in high-purity rare earths, according to a report by state broadcaster CCTV News on Monday. 

The technology successfully overcomes the limitations of traditional methods, which require prior matrix separation and suffer from high detection limits. 

It offers notable advantages including high sensitivity, high accuracy, and rapid detection, enabling the direct and precise measurement of trace rare earth impurities in high-purity rare earths. This provides robust technical support for the quality control of rare earth products.

Currently, the related technical achievements have been widely adopted by rare earth producers and testing institutions, the news report said.

It noted that in the production process, companies leverage the new detection technologies to more precisely control product quality, improve product purity, and thereby enhance production efficiency and market reputation. In the testing sector, institutions adopting the advanced detection methods have significantly improved testing efficiency and accuracy, providing reliable and precise technical support for market supervision. This is helping accelerate China's transition from a major rare earth producer to a rare earth powerhouse.

Wu Chenhui, an independent analyst specializing in the critical minerals sector, told the Global Times on Monday that that the technology marks a significant step in Chinese rare earth industry's march toward high-end development, as it will directly elevate the global competitiveness of Chinese rare earth products, while also enhancing the country's voice and influence in the global rare earth supply chain.
 
For a long time, the accurate determination of rare earth impurity content in high-purity rare earths has been hampered by matrix interference, which has severely constrained precise quality control of rare earth products, according to the CCTV news report.

The breakthrough was made by the Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Product Testing and Traceability under the State Administration for Market Regulation, China's top market regulator, which is based at Jiangxi University of Science and Technology in East China's Jiangxi Province.

In addition, the research team has achieved a series of innovative results in areas such as rare earth sample pretreatment technology and detection instrument calibration. These advances cover all stages of rare earth detection, enabling a full-process upgrade from sample processing to precise analysis.

Rare earths, known as the "vitamins of industry," are also often called "industrial gold" due to their unique application scenarios and strong irreplaceability. It is a critical material for a number of manufacturing industries - from the tech products around us to cutting-edge high-end manufacturing, according to a Xinhua News Agency report. 

China rare-earth exports totaled 4,223.5 tons in July, and cumulative exports reached 34,706.3 tons in the first seven months of 2026, down 10 percent year-on-year, Chinese customs data showed. Meanwhile, China imported 9,451.3 tons of rare earths in July, bringing total imports in the first seven months of 2026 to 63,323.0 tons, down 5.5 percent year-on-year, according to the data from the General Administration of Customs.