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Alkali metals, rare earth metals and mercury: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in alkali metals, rare earth metals and mercury totaled $1.1 billion (141 thousand tonnes). The top exporters were China (38%), Vietnam (18%) and Australia (12%); the top importers were Japan (25%), Malaysia (12%) and the United States (8%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 17%.

Summary

World trade
$1.1billion
Tonnes
141thousand tonnes
Price per tonne
$7,875
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. China$418 million · 37.6%
  2. Vietnam$197 million · 17.8%
  3. Australia$128 million · 11.6%
  4. France$101 million · 9.1%
  5. Germany$54 million · 4.9%
  6. United States$51 million · 4.6%
  7. Thailand$47 million · 4.3%
  8. Japan$16 million · 1.4%
  9. Malaysia$13 million · 1.1%
  10. Netherlands$12 million · 1.1%
    re-exports
  11. Singapore$9 million · 0.81%
    re-exports
  12. Kyrgyzstan$6 million · 0.56%
  13. United Arab Emirates$6 million · 0.53%
  14. Mexico$5 million · 0.45%
  15. India$4 million · 0.4%
  16. Russia$4 million · 0.38%
  17. Nigeria$3 million · 0.27%
  18. United Kingdom$3 million · 0.27%
  19. South Korea$3 million · 0.26%
  20. Turkey$3 million · 0.23%

Top importers

  1. Japan$283 million · 25.5%
  2. Malaysia$129 million · 11.7%
  3. United States$90 million · 8.1%
  4. India$67 million · 6.1%
  5. France$45 million · 4.1%
  6. Vietnam$44 million · 4%
  7. China$40 million · 3.6%
  8. Germany$40 million · 3.6%
  9. Singapore$38 million · 3.4%
    re-exports
  10. Taiwan$30 million · 2.7%
  11. United Kingdom$26 million · 2.4%
  12. South Korea$26 million · 2.3%
  13. Canada$20 million · 1.8%
  14. Thailand$19 million · 1.7%
  15. Indonesia$17 million · 1.5%
  16. Poland$17 million · 1.5%
  17. Switzerland$13 million · 1.2%
  18. Turkey$13 million · 1.1%
  19. Netherlands$12 million · 1.1%
    re-exports
  20. South Africa$10 million · 0.9%

Trend

Who sells it

China was the top exporter throughout the period

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

  • China 418
  • Vietnam 197
  • Australia 128
  • France 101
  • Germany 54.1

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
China72.9418
Vietnam0197
Australia0.29128
France50.4101
Germany20.254.1

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 93% since 1995

Current US dollars per tonne: value over the weight reported by BACI.

  • 2024: $7,875

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$4,089
1996$2,935
1997$3,545
1998$4,154
1999$4,189
2000$4,537
2001$3,434
2002$3,627
2003$4,001
2004$3,747
2005$3,636
2006$4,957
2007$5,581
2008$3,791
2009$4,197
2010$5,277
2011$8,364
2012$7,284
2013$8,022
2014$4,907
2015$6,394
2016$6,001
2017$5,832
2018$6,738
2019$6,494
2020$6,122
2021$6,417
2022$10,477
2023$8,531
2024$7,875

What it includes

  • 2805 · Alkali metals, rare earth metals and mercury

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Sources and methodology

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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