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Where does China get its nickel ore? Import sources 2024

In 2024, China imported $3 billion of nickel ore (38.4 million tonnes), 60.3% of the world total. The Philippines sold 50% of the total, followed by Finland (11%) and Russia (11%). China was the world’s largest importer of nickel ore.

Summary

Value
$3billion
Tonnes
38.4million tonnes
Share of world total
60.3%
World rank
1st
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 20 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD billions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
Philippines1.5Tonnes: 34,655,155USD per tonne: $4450.4%Sea
Finland0.32Tonnes: 41,404USD per tonne: $7,78810.8%Sea
Russia0.32Tonnes: 236,559USD per tonne: $1,35710.7%Land
Australia0.12Tonnes: 56,778USD per tonne: $2,1814.1%Sea
Brazil0.12Tonnes: 61,111USD per tonne: $1,9584%Sea
New Caledonia0.11Tonnes: 1,287,994USD per tonne: $873.7%Sea
Namibia0.1Tonnes: 41,382USD per tonne: $2,4783.4%Sea
Zambia0.1Tonnes: 47,425USD per tonne: $2,1533.4%Sea
Côte d'Ivoire0.08Tonnes: 1,134,739USD per tonne: $682.6%Sea
Vietnam0.06Tonnes: 50,142USD per tonne: $1,2942.2%Land
Taiwan0.05Tonnes: —USD per tonne: —1.7%Sea
Solomon Islands0.04Tonnes: 497,590USD per tonne: $781.3%Sea
Malaysia0.02Tonnes: 16,573USD per tonne: $1,4980.83%Sea
Tanzania0.01Tonnes: 18,872USD per tonne: $6450.41%Sea
Guatemala0.01Tonnes: 225,103USD per tonne: $450.34%Sea
Zimbabwe< 0.01Tonnes: 1,570USD per tonne: $1,0970.06%Sea
South Africa< 0.01Tonnes: 141USD per tonne: $2,0280.01%Sea
Canada< 0.01Tonnes: 322USD per tonne: $6720.01%Sea
United States< 0.01Tonnes: 8USD per tonne: $7,5230%Sea
Kazakhstan< 0.01Tonnes: 20USD per tonne: $2,7000%Land

Trend

Who it buys from

The Philippines has been its main source since 2013

Value in USD billions. The five largest sources in 2024.

  • Philippines 1.5
  • Finland 0.32
  • Russia 0.32
  • Australia 0.12
  • Brazil 0.12

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
Philippines01.5
Finland00.32
Russia00.32
Australia00.12
Brazil00.12

Sources and methodology

Other products of this country

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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