9 December 2025

Terbium: high-temperature magnets, green phosphors and advanced optics

Key insights from this briefing

Why is terbium added to NdFeB permanent magnets?

Terbium can be used as a dopant to raise high-temperature coercivity, helping permanent magnets retain their field strength under thermal stress. This is valuable in demanding applications such as electric motors and other high-power systems.

What other technologies use terbium?

Terbium is well known for green phosphors used in lighting and displays, and it also has applications in fibre optics, lasers and other advanced optical systems. These specialised uses make it a low-volume but high-value heavy rare earth.

Excerpt from this briefing's Industry Insight

Terbium is a low-volume heavy rare earth with several highly specialised uses. In permanent magnets it can be added to improve coercivity and help NdFeB materials retain performance at elevated temperatures, making it valuable in demanding motors and other high-power applications. Terbium is also associated with green phosphors used in lighting and displays, and with selected optical, laser and fibre technologies. These applications combine small physical volumes with high performance requirements, supporting terbium's role as a high-value strategic material.

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