World production of critical raw materials
Interactive map
- None reported
- Under 1%
- 1–5%
- 5–15%
- 15–40%
- Over 40%
- EU border
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DR Congo mined 73% of the world’s cobalt in 2025.
Used in
- Cathodes of lithium-ion batteries, its leading use worldwide
- Superalloys for jet engines and gas turbines
- Hard metals for cutting and drilling tools
- Catalysts and chemicals
Where it comes from
- DR Congo 73%
- Indonesia 14%
- Russia 2%
- Madagascar 1%
- Australia 1%
- Philippines 1%
- Canada 1%
- Papua New Guinea 1%
- Others 5%
No EU country is named among producers. Top three producers: 90%.
Part of DR Congo’s cobalt is dug by artisanal and small-scale miners alongside industrial mines.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, cobalt chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
Australia mined 32% of the world’s lithium in 2025.
Used in
- Rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, grid storage and electronics: about 88% of global use
- Ceramics and glass
- Lubricating greases
Where it comes from
- Australia 32%
- China 21%
- Chile 19%
- Zimbabwe 10%
- Argentina 8%
- Brazil 4%
- Mali 3%
- Canada 2%
- Others under 1%
EU countries named by the USGS: under 1% (Portugal). Top three producers: 72%.
The USGS withholds US production; the world total excludes it.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, lithium chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
Indonesia mined 67% of the world’s nickel in 2025.
Used in
- Stainless and alloy steels
- Nickel alloys for high-temperature and corrosive environments
- Cathodes of high-energy lithium-ion batteries
- Plating and catalysts
Where it comes from
- Indonesia 67%
- Philippines 7%
- Russia 5%
- Canada 4%
- New Caledonia 4%
- China 3%
- Brazil 2%
- Australia 1%
- Others 8%
No EU country is named among producers. Top three producers: 79%.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, nickel chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
China mined 78% of the world’s natural graphite in 2025.
Used in
- Anodes of lithium-ion batteries
- Refractories and steelmaking
- Brake linings and lubricants
Where it comes from
- China 78%
- Madagascar 4%
- Tanzania 4%
- Brazil 4%
- Mozambique 3%
- Russia 1%
- India 1%
- Canada under 1%
- Others 1%
EU countries named by the USGS: under 1% (Austria, Germany). Top three producers: 86%.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, graphite chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
China mined 69% of the world’s rare earths in 2025.
Used in
- Permanent magnets for electric motors and wind turbines, the leading use worldwide
- Catalysts
- Glass, ceramics and polishing powders
Where it comes from
- China 69%
- United States 13%
- Australia 7%
- Myanmar 6%
- Thailand 1%
- India 1%
- Madagascar 1%
- Russia 1%
- Others 1%
No EU country is named among producers. Top three producers: 90%.
Lanthanides and yttrium, as rare-earth-oxide equivalent.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, rare earths chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
Chile mined 23% of the world’s copper in 2025.
Used in
- Power grids, cables and electrical wiring
- Electric motors and transport equipment
- Building construction
Where it comes from
- Chile 23%
- DR Congo 14%
- Peru 12%
- China 8%
- Russia 6%
- United States 4%
- Zambia 4%
- Australia 3%
- Others 26%
EU countries named by the USGS: 2% (Poland). Top three producers: 49%.
In DR Congo’s Copperbelt, some copper ore is dug by artisanal and small-scale miners.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, copper chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
China refined 48% of the world’s copper in 2025.
Used in
- The same uses as mined copper: grids, wiring, motors and construction
- Refining turns ore concentrate into the high-purity copper cathode that industry buys
Where it comes from
- China 48%
- DR Congo 10%
- Chile 6%
- Japan 5%
- Russia 3%
- United States 3%
- India 2%
- Germany 2%
- Others 21%
EU countries named by the USGS: 4% (Germany, Poland). Top three producers: 64%.
Refinery output: where copper is processed, not where it is mined.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, copper chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
South Africa mined 38% of the world’s manganese in 2025.
Used in
- Steelmaking, which drives most demand
- Battery cathodes
- Chemicals, fertilisers and animal feed
Where it comes from
- South Africa 38%
- Gabon 25%
- Ghana 10%
- Australia 8%
- Brazil 4%
- India 4%
- China 3%
- Côte d’Ivoire 2%
- Others 6%
No EU country is named among producers. Top three producers: 72%.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, manganese chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
South Africa mined 71% of the world’s platinum in 2025.
Used in
- Catalytic converters that cut vehicle emissions
- Fuel cells and electrolysers for hydrogen
- Catalysts for chemicals and petroleum refining
- Glass manufacturing and jewellery
Where it comes from
- South Africa 71%
- Russia 12%
- Zimbabwe 11%
- Canada 3%
- United States 1%
- Others 2%
No EU country is named among producers. Top three producers: 93%.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, platinum group chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
Russia mined 43% of the world’s palladium in 2025.
Used in
- Catalytic converters in petrol vehicles
- Electronics, including multilayer ceramic capacitors
- Dental and medical devices
Where it comes from
- Russia 43%
- South Africa 36%
- Canada 8%
- Zimbabwe 8%
- United States 3%
- Others 1%
No EU country is named among producers. Top three producers: 88%.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, platinum group chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
China mined 79% of the world’s tungsten in 2025.
Used in
- Cemented carbides for cutting, drilling and mining tools
- Alloys and specialty steels
- Electrical, lighting and welding components
Where it comes from
- China 79%
- Vietnam 4%
- Kazakhstan 3%
- North Korea 2%
- Russia 2%
- Bolivia 2%
- Rwanda 2%
- Australia 1%
- Others 6%
EU countries named by the USGS: 3% (Austria, Spain, Portugal). Top three producers: 85%.
Tungsten ore (wolframite) is also dug by artisanal miners in eastern DR Congo.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, tungsten chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
DR Congo mined 52% of the world’s tantalum in 2025.
Used in
- Capacitors in phones, computers and cars
- Superalloys for aerospace
- Corrosion-resistant equipment and carbides
Where it comes from
- DR Congo 52%
- Rwanda 16%
- Nigeria 16%
- Brazil 8%
- China 3%
- Australia 2%
- Ethiopia 2%
- Russia 1%
- Others under 1%
No EU country is named among producers. Top three producers: 84%.
Much of DR Congo’s tantalum ore (coltan) comes from artisanal and small-scale mines.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, tantalum chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
China produced 99% of the world’s gallium in 2025.
Used in
- Chips for telecoms, radar and power electronics (gallium arsenide and gallium nitride)
- LEDs and laser diodes
- Solar cells
Where it comes from
- China 99%
- Russia 1%
- Japan under 1%
No EU country is named among producers. Top three producers: 100%.
Primary (low-purity) gallium, recovered mainly as a by-product of alumina and zinc processing.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, gallium chapter (2025 estimates). Shares calculated by Cobalis.
IPIS has recorded 3,423 artisanal and small-scale mining sites in eastern DR Congo since 2009.
Sites by mineral
- Tantalum ore (coltan) 365
- Tungsten ore (wolframite) 86
- Tin ore (cassiterite) 898
- Cobalt 52
- Copper 93
- Gold 2,235
A site can produce more than one mineral. Gold is not a critical raw material, but it dominates artisanal mining in the region.
At the most recent visit
- 31%
- of tin, tantalum and tungsten sites had armed actors present, including army units (243 of 772 sites with data).
- About 440,000
- workers were counted, across 2,820 sites.
Each site is shown as it was at its most recent visit, between 2009 and 2025. Sites are surveyed in campaigns, so this is a record of visits rather than a census.
Data: IPIS (International Peace Information Service), Open data on artisanal and small-scale mining sites in eastern DR Congo, licensed under the Open Data Commons Attribution License (ODC-BY) v1.0. Retrieved 6 October 2026. Explore IPIS’s full interactive map.
Full tables
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR Congo | 226,000 | 230,000 | 73% |
| Indonesia | 35,000 | 44,000 | 14% |
| Russia | 8,000 | 7,700 | 2% |
| Madagascar | 3,100 | 3,900 | 1% |
| Australia | 4,780 | 3,700 | 1% |
| Philippines | 3,100 | 3,700 | 1% |
| Canada | 3,350 | 3,500 | 1% |
| Papua New Guinea | 2,630 | 2,800 | 1% |
| China | 2,000 | 2,000 | 1% |
| Cuba | 3,450 | 2,000 | 1% |
| Türkiye | 2,200 | 1,900 | 1% |
| United States | 200 | 300 | under 1% |
| Other countries | — | 9,100 | 3% |
| World total (rounded) | 310,000 t |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 82,700 | 92,000 | 32% |
| China | 41,400 | 62,000 | 21% |
| Chile | 48,900 | 56,000 | 19% |
| Zimbabwe | 20,000 | 28,000 | 10% |
| Argentina | 13,800 | 23,000 | 8% |
| Brazil | 10,200 | 12,000 | 4% |
| Mali | 770 | 9,400 | 3% |
| Canada | 4,820 | 5,600 | 2% |
| Portugal | 380 | 380 | under 1% |
| United States | Withheld | Withheld | — |
| World total (rounded) | 290,000 t |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 2,310,000 | 2,600,000 | 67% |
| Philippines | 354,000 | 270,000 | 7% |
| Russia | 205,000 | 200,000 | 5% |
| Canada | 125,000 | 140,000 | 4% |
| New Caledonia | 116,000 | 140,000 | 4% |
| China | 115,000 | 120,000 | 3% |
| Brazil | 67,500 | 70,000 | 2% |
| Australia | 98,000 | 45,000 | 1% |
| United States | 7,490 | 10,000 | under 1% |
| Other countries | — | 290,000 | 7% |
| World total (rounded) | 3,900,000 t |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 1,270,000 | 1,400,000 | 78% |
| Madagascar | 85,000 | 80,000 | 4% |
| Tanzania | 27,000 | 75,000 | 4% |
| Brazil | 58,000 | 65,000 | 4% |
| Mozambique | 39,000 | 60,000 | 3% |
| Russia | 20,000 | 25,000 | 1% |
| India | 17,600 | 17,000 | 1% |
| Canada | 11,700 | 8,000 | under 1% |
| North Korea | 8,100 | 8,000 | under 1% |
| Norway | 5,340 | 6,600 | under 1% |
| Sri Lanka | 3,000 | 3,200 | under 1% |
| Türkiye | 2,600 | 2,200 | under 1% |
| Ukraine | 900 | 800 | under 1% |
| Mexico | 706 | 740 | under 1% |
| South Korea | 1,000 | 500 | under 1% |
| Vietnam | 500 | 500 | under 1% |
| Austria | 100 | 200 | under 1% |
| Germany | 140 | 140 | under 1% |
| World total (rounded) | 1,800,000 t |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 270,000 | 270,000 | 69% |
| United States | 45,500 | 51,000 | 13% |
| Australia | 29,000 | 29,000 | 7% |
| Myanmar | 27,000 | 22,000 | 6% |
| Thailand | 2,100 | 4,800 | 1% |
| India | 2,900 | 2,900 | 1% |
| Madagascar | 1,400 | 2,700 | 1% |
| Russia | 2,600 | 2,600 | 1% |
| Brazil | 560 | 2,000 | 1% |
| Nigeria | 1,500 | 1,500 | under 1% |
| Vietnam | 300 | 150 | under 1% |
| Malaysia | 140 | 110 | under 1% |
| Other countries | — | 550 | under 1% |
| World total (rounded) | 390,000 t |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 5,510 | 5,300 | 23% |
| DR Congo | 2,990 | 3,200 | 14% |
| Peru | 2,740 | 2,700 | 12% |
| China | 1,840 | 1,800 | 8% |
| Russia | 1,020 | 1,300 | 6% |
| United States | 1,050 | 1,000 | 4% |
| Zambia | 823 | 940 | 4% |
| Australia | 765 | 730 | 3% |
| Indonesia | 1,010 | 710 | 3% |
| Kazakhstan | 724 | 710 | 3% |
| Mexico | 717 | 690 | 3% |
| Canada | 515 | 500 | 2% |
| Poland | 400 | 410 | 2% |
| India | 27 | 23 | under 1% |
| Other countries | — | 3,000 | 13% |
| World total (rounded) | 23,000 kt |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 12,400 | 14,000 | 48% |
| DR Congo | 2,560 | 2,800 | 10% |
| Chile | 1,940 | 1,700 | 6% |
| Japan | 1,570 | 1,400 | 5% |
| Russia | 896 | 950 | 3% |
| United States | 921 | 850 | 3% |
| India | 545 | 620 | 2% |
| Germany | 597 | 610 | 2% |
| South Korea | 604 | 610 | 2% |
| Poland | 589 | 560 | 2% |
| Kazakhstan | 498 | 500 | 2% |
| Mexico | 489 | 480 | 2% |
| Australia | 434 | 460 | 2% |
| Indonesia | 349 | 400 | 1% |
| Peru | 385 | 340 | 1% |
| Canada | 324 | 320 | 1% |
| Zambia | 189 | 270 | 1% |
| Other countries | — | 2,100 | 7% |
| World total (rounded) | 29,000 kt |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 7,490 | 7,600 | 38% |
| Gabon | 4,640 | 5,000 | 25% |
| Ghana | 1,280 | 2,000 | 10% |
| Australia | 1,600 | 1,600 | 8% |
| Brazil | 705 | 800 | 4% |
| India | 731 | 790 | 4% |
| China | 690 | 700 | 3% |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 340 | 350 | 2% |
| Other countries | — | 1,300 | 6% |
| World total (rounded) | 20,000 kt |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 126,000 | 120,000 | 71% |
| Russia | 22,000 | 20,000 | 12% |
| Zimbabwe | 18,400 | 18,000 | 11% |
| Canada | 5,700 | 5,000 | 3% |
| United States | 3,010 | 1,800 | 1% |
| Other countries | — | 3,900 | 2% |
| World total (rounded) | 170,000 kg |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 89,000 | 84,000 | 43% |
| South Africa | 82,600 | 70,000 | 36% |
| Canada | 17,000 | 16,000 | 8% |
| Zimbabwe | 15,200 | 15,000 | 8% |
| United States | 10,200 | 6,200 | 3% |
| Other countries | — | 2,900 | 1% |
| World total (rounded) | 190,000 kg |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 67,000 | 67,000 | 79% |
| Vietnam | 3,400 | 3,000 | 4% |
| Kazakhstan | — | 2,400 | 3% |
| North Korea | 1,900 | 2,000 | 2% |
| Russia | 1,500 | 2,000 | 2% |
| Bolivia | 1,700 | 1,700 | 2% |
| Rwanda | 1,300 | 1,300 | 2% |
| Australia | 920 | 1,000 | 1% |
| Austria | 840 | 840 | 1% |
| Spain | 700 | 800 | 1% |
| Portugal | 650 | 700 | 1% |
| Other countries | — | 2,400 | 3% |
| World total (rounded) | 85,000 t |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR Congo | 1,270 | 1,300 | 52% |
| Rwanda | 374 | 400 | 16% |
| Nigeria | 390 | 390 | 16% |
| Brazil | 210 | 190 | 8% |
| China | 76 | 80 | 3% |
| Australia | 52 | 50 | 2% |
| Ethiopia | 40 | 40 | 2% |
| Russia | 29 | 30 | 1% |
| Bolivia | 2 | 2 | under 1% |
| Burundi | 2 | 2 | under 1% |
| Mozambique | 55 | 1 | under 1% |
| World total (rounded) | 2,500 t |
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 839,000 | 900,000 | 99% |
| Russia | 6,000 | 6,000 | 1% |
| Japan | 3,000 | 3,000 | under 1% |
| World total (rounded) | 900,000 kg |
Source and method
All figures come from U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (doi:10.3133/mcs2026). Values for 2025 are USGS estimates; values for 2024 may since have been revised. Figures were extracted directly from the commodity chapters on 6 October 2026.
Shares are calculated by Cobalis from the rounded figures the USGS publishes. Where the listed countries add up to more than the rounded world total, the larger of the two is used, so no share exceeds 100%. “Other countries” groups producers the USGS does not list individually, so the EU share shown on the map counts only EU countries listed by name.
Mine production shows where ore is extracted, not where it is refined or used. Refined copper and primary gallium are included to show the processing stage, the midstream, where Europe lacks capacity of its own.
Country borders are from Natural Earth (1:110m) in the Equal Earth projection, and do not imply any position on disputed territories.