globaltraffic.earth

Lithium hydroxide and other metal oxides: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in lithium hydroxide and other metal oxides totaled $7.4 billion (1.1 million tonnes). The top exporters were China (43%), the United States (8%) and Chile (8%); the top importers were South Korea (28%), Japan (14%) and the United States (10%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 34%.

Summary

World trade
$7.4billion
Tonnes
1.1million tonnes
Price per tonne
$6,928
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. China$3.1 billion · 42.5%
  2. United States$594 million · 8%
  3. Chile$566 million · 7.7%
  4. Netherlands$292 million · 4%
    re-exports
  5. Germany$271 million · 3.7%
  6. Japan$267 million · 3.6%
  7. France$207 million · 2.8%
  8. Brazil$192 million · 2.6%
  9. Belgium$191 million · 2.6%
    re-exports
  10. Vietnam$185 million · 2.5%
  11. Norway$145 million · 2%
  12. Russia$142 million · 1.9%
  13. Australia$140 million · 1.9%
  14. South Korea$138 million · 1.9%
  15. South Africa$99 million · 1.3%
  16. India$77 million · 1%
  17. United Kingdom$58 million · 0.79%
  18. Taiwan$57 million · 0.77%
  19. Finland$56 million · 0.76%
  20. Turkey$55 million · 0.75%

Top importers

  1. South Korea$2 billion · 27.6%
  2. Japan$1 billion · 13.6%
  3. United States$744 million · 10.1%
  4. China$416 million · 5.6%
  5. India$313 million · 4.2%
  6. Germany$298 million · 4%
  7. Netherlands$247 million · 3.3%
    re-exports
  8. France$175 million · 2.4%
  9. Italy$131 million · 1.8%
  10. Russia$129 million · 1.7%
  11. Taiwan$123 million · 1.7%
  12. Czechia$117 million · 1.6%
  13. Turkey$107 million · 1.5%
  14. Belgium$106 million · 1.4%
    re-exports
  15. Sweden$104 million · 1.4%
  16. Austria$97 million · 1.3%
  17. Poland$89 million · 1.2%
  18. United Kingdom$88 million · 1.2%
  19. Singapore$84 million · 1.1%
    re-exports
  20. Thailand$83 million · 1.1%

Trend

Who sells it

China was the top exporter throughout the period

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

  • China 3.1
  • United States 0.59
  • Chile 0.57
  • Netherlands 0.29
  • Germany 0.27

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
China0.33.1
United States0.220.59
Chile0.030.57
Netherlands0.040.29
Germany0.110.27

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 63% since 1995

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

  • 2024: $6,928

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$4,253
1996$3,655
1997$3,666
1998$3,283
1999$1,560
2000$2,779
2001$3,036
2002$1,824
2003$3,035
2004$3,667
2005$6,447
2006$4,307
2007$4,625
2008$6,383
2009$3,886
2010$5,875
2011$7,313
2012$6,876
2013$5,726
2014$5,755
2015$5,165
2016$4,577
2017$5,633
2018$6,633
2019$6,428
2020$5,155
2021$4,949
2022$9,030
2023$12,926
2024$6,928

What it includes

  • 2825 · Lithium hydroxide and other metal oxides

Products in the same chapter

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.

See all products