Natural ResourcesDec 6, 2023
The U.S. Relies Heavily on China for These 10 Minerals ⛏️
What we’re showing
America's top 10 critical minerals, ranked by China's share of their imports.
Key takeaway
The U.S. is highly reliant on Chinese production of critical minerals, both through direct sourcing from China and indirectly due to the predominance of Chinese materials in global supply chains.
Context
- The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that in 2022, China was the world’s leading producer of 30 out of 50 critical minerals.
- On August 1, 2023, China implemented export controls on gallium and germanium, as well as dozens of related products made with those metals.
Dataset
Rank | Critical Mineral | Total US Imports for Consumption (metric tons) | China's Share of U.S. Imports |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Yttrium | 1,000 | 94% |
2 | Rare Earths (compounds and metals) | 11,940 | 74% |
3 | Bismuth | 2,800 | 65% |
4 | Antimony | 25,590 | 63% |
5 | Arsenic | 5,400 | 57% |
6 | Germanium | 29,000 | 54% |
7 | Gallium | 12,000 | 53% |
8 | Barite | 2,300 | 38% |
9 | Graphite (natural) | 82,000 | 33% |
10 | Tungsten | 14,000 | 29% |
Data sources
China’s share of U.S. imports is based on average imports from 2018 to 2021.
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