Substance　flow　analysis(SFA)　is　an　established　method　to　analyze　the　structure　and　characterization　of　resource　flows　or　substance　flows.　Lanthanum(La)　is　an　important　type　of　light　rare　earth　element,　which　is　widely　used　in　the　fields　of　glass,　luminescence,　catalyst,　agriculture,　etc.　This　paper　conducts　a　static　SFA　for　lanthanum　in　China　in　2002　and　2011,　including　different　life　cycle　stages,　e.g.,　exploitation,　concentration,　smelting,　manufacture,　use　and　disposal.　Mining　utilization　efficiency,　smelting　ratio,　export　rate,　ratio　of　scrap　to　raw　material　in　2002　and　2011　were　comparatively　analyzed.　The　results　indicated　that　the　utilization　efficiency　of　La　in　the　production　stage　of　rare　earth　concentrates　increased　in　2011　relative　to　the　value　in　2002　by　80%,　and　the　utilization　efficiency　of　La　in　the　manufacturing　stage　increased　by　74%.　The　results　also　showed　that　although　the　mining　utilization　rate　was　increased,　the　resource　efficiency　was　still　low　and　how　to　increase　the　resource　efficiency　is　a　significant　issue　for　Chinese　rare　earth　industry.　On　the　based　of　the　results,　some　advices　were　also　proposed,　which　will　provide　useful　reference　information　for　the　green　development　of　Chinese　rare　earth　industry.　©　2017　Trans　Tech　Publications,　Switzerland.