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Where does South Korea get its zinc ore? Import sources 2024

In 2024, South Korea imported $1.5 billion of zinc ore (1.4 million tonnes), 12.3% of the world total. Its main sources were Mexico (29%), Australia (16%) and Bolivia (15%). South Korea was the world’s 2nd-largest importer of zinc ore.

Summary

Value
$1.5billion
Tonnes
1.4million tonnes
Share of world total
12.3%
World rank
2nd
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 20 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD millions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
Mexico437Tonnes: 349,571USD per tonne: $1,25028.9%Sea
Australia235Tonnes: 289,420USD per tonne: $81015.5%Sea
Bolivia230Tonnes: 130,726USD per tonne: $1,75715.2%Sea
United States226Tonnes: 181,694USD per tonne: $1,24114.9%Sea
Peru157Tonnes: 209,690USD per tonne: $74710.4%Sea
Eritrea97.8Tonnes: 88,346USD per tonne: $1,1076.5%Sea
Turkey46.5Tonnes: 38,015USD per tonne: $1,2223.1%Sea
South Africa29.6Tonnes: 30,201USD per tonne: $9812%Sea
Saudi Arabia18.5Tonnes: 16,649USD per tonne: $1,1091.2%Sea
Russia18Tonnes: 18,670USD per tonne: $9641.2%Sea
Canada6.6Tonnes: 9,157USD per tonne: $7160.43%Sea
China4.8Tonnes: 4,530USD per tonne: $1,0620.32%Sea
Argentina2.5Tonnes: 1,925USD per tonne: $1,3000.17%Sea
Japan1.2Tonnes: 1,216USD per tonne: $9640.08%Sea
Morocco1.1Tonnes: 994USD per tonne: $1,0690.07%Sea
Spain1Tonnes: 858USD per tonne: $1,1880.07%Sea
Poland0.26Tonnes: 290USD per tonne: $9030.02%Sea
Thailand0.17Tonnes: 289USD per tonne: $5810.01%Sea
Ecuador0.17Tonnes: 128USD per tonne: $1,2850.01%Sea
United Arab Emirates0.14Tonnes: 86USD per tonne: $1,6260.01%Sea

Trend

Who it buys from

Mexico has been its main source since 2023

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

  • Mexico 437
  • Australia 235
  • Bolivia 230
  • United States 226
  • Peru 157

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
Mexico0437
Australia68.6235
Bolivia7.4230
United States13.3226
Peru4.9157

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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