1,500% price increase on some rare earth elements squeezes chipmaking business — Yttrium surge caused by trade war between U.S. and China

By Jowi Morales – tom’s HARDWARE

The price of the rare earth element Yttrium has jumped through the roof, with a kilogram of the material currently sitting at $126 per kilogram. According to Bloomberg, this resource cost less than $8 at the end of 2024, meaning its price has increased by nearly 1, 500% in the past 12 months. This is an all-time high for Yttrium, with the trade war between the U.S. and China fueling the price hikes. This material is crucial for semiconductor manufacturing, where it’s used in various processes, including thin-film deposition and wafer polishing.