World Mining Data

An attempt was made to identify the development status of all countries that produce mineral raw materials. The different producer countries were classified according to international standards considering in particular UNCTAD classifications. The classification has been adopted for statistical convenience only.

Important note: The designations "developing" and "developed" are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process. Where the designations "economy" or "country" appear in tables, they cover countries, territories, cities and areas.

Developed, developing countries:

According to OECD GLOSSARY OF STATISTICAL TERMS

There is no established convention for the designation of "developed" and "developing" countries or areas in the United Nations system. In common practice, Japan and Korea South in Asia, Canada and the United States in northern America, Australia and New Zealand in Oceania and Europe are considered "developed" regions or areas. In international trade statistics, the Southern African Customs Union is also treated as developed region and Israel as a developed country; countries emerging from the former Yugoslavia are treated as developed countries; countries of Eastern Europe and former USSR countries in Europe are treated as developed countries; and former USSR countries in Asia are treated as developing countries. For detailed list of developed and developing countries see  

https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm

Source: United Nations. Standard country or Area Codes for Statistical Use. Series M, No. 49, Rev. 4 (United Nations publication, Sales No. M.98.XVII.9).

Least Developed Countries:

According to OECD GLOSSARY OF STATISTICAL TERMS

According to the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Committee for Development Policy, countries listed below are included in the list of the least developed countries (year in brackets indicates the inclusion in the group):

Africa: Angola (1994), Benin (1971), Burkina Faso (1971), Burundi (1971), Central African Republic (1975), Chad (1971), Comoros (1977), Congo, D.R. (1991), Djibouti (1982), Eritrea (1994), Ethiopia (1971), Gambia (1975), Guinea (1971), Guinea-Bissau (1981), Lesotho (1971), Liberia (1990), Madagascar (1991), Malawi (1971), Mali (1971), Mauritania (1986), Mozambique (1988), Niger (1971), Rwanda (1971), Sao Tome and Principe (1982), Senegal (2000), Sierra Leone (1982), Somalia (1971), South Sudan (2012), Sudan (1971), Tanzania (1971), Togo (1982), Uganda (1971), Zambia (1991)

Asia and the Pacific: Afghanistan (1971), Bangladesh (1975), Bhutan (1971), Cambodia (1991), Kiribati (1986), Laos P.D.R. (1971), Myanmar (1987), Nepal (1971), Solomon Islands (1991), East Timor (2003), Tuvalu (1986), Yemen (1971)

Latin America and the Caribbean: Haiti (1971)

Source: United Nations. Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS). United Nations Internet site https://www.un.org/ohrlls

Economies in Transition:

According to UNCTAD HANDBOOK OF STATISTICS (2021) the category "Economies in Transition" is no longer used. As of 2022 Asean countries of this former category are treated as developing countries and European countries are treated as developed countries.

Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Europe: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Ukraine

CAS - Central Asia:

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia-Asia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

EAS - Eastern Asia:

China, Japan, Korea North, Korea South, Mongolia, Taiwan

EEU - Eastern Europe:

Belarus, Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia-Europe, Slovakia, Ukraine

LAM - Latin America and the Caribbean:

Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

NAF - Northern Africa:

Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia

NAM - Northern America:

Canada, Unites States of America

NEU - Northern Europe:

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia,Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom

OCE - Oceania:

Australia, Christmas Island, East Timor, Fiji, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands

SAS - Southern Asia:

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

SEAS - South-eastern Asia:

Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam

SEU - Southern Europe:

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Malta, Montenegro, North-Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain

SSA - Sub-Saharan Africa:

Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo D.R., Congo Rep., Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopa, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

WAS - Western Asia:

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

WEU - Western Europe:

Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland

Apart from these, the memberships of various countries in different economic blocks or other cartel-like associations were taken into consideration.

Economic blocks or cartel-like associations were included as follows (in alphabetical order, year of entry in brackets):

ACP Countries: African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states linked to the European Communities as signatory to the Georgetown Agreement and the Lomé Conventions.

Africa: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo D.R., Congo Rep., Côte d'Ivoire, Djibuti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauretania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Caribbean: Antigua-Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent-Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

Pacific: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, East Timor, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

ASEAN Countries: Association of South East Asian Nations

Brunei (1984), Cambodia (1999), Indonesia, Laos (1997), Malaysia, Myanmar (1997), Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam (1995)

BRICS Countries:

A 2001 report by Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O'Neill created the modern term for the four major emerging economies with annual growth rates in economic performance of 5 to 10%. BRICS stands for the initials of the countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined in 2011. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and United Arab Emirates joined in 2024, Indonesia in 2025.

EC (EU): European Community

Austria (1995), Belgium (1952/58), Bulgaria (2007), Croatia (2013), Cyprus (2004), Czech Republic (2004), Denmark (1973), Estonia (2004), Finland (1995), France (1952/58), Germany (1952/58), Greece (1981), Hungary (2004), Ireland (1973), Italy (1952/58), Latvia (2004), Lithuania (2004), Luxemburg (1952/58), Malta (2004), Netherlands (1952/58), Poland (2004), Portugal (1986), Romania (2007), Slovakia (2004), Slovenia (2004), Spain (1986), Sweden (1995), United Kingdom (1973-2020)

EFTA: European Free Trade Association

Austria (until 1994), Denmark (until 1973), Finland (until 1994), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Portugal (until 1986), Sweden (until 1994), Switzerland, United Kingdom (until 1973)

G7: Group of the Most Important Industrialized Countries

G7 (1976): Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States of America, Russia (1998-2013)

MERCOSUR (Mercado Comun del Sur): Common Market of the South

Treaty since January 1, 1995 between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay establishing a common market; Venezuela 2006-2017; associated members: Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname

OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Australia (1971), Austria (1961), Belgium (1961), Canada (1961), Chile (2010), Colombia (2020), Costa Rica (2021), Czech Republic (1995), Denmark (1961), Estonia (2010), Finland (1969), France (1961), Germany (1961), Greece (1961), Hungary (1996), Iceland (1961), Ireland (1961), Israel (2010), Italy (1961), Japan (1964), Korea, South (1996), Latvia (2016), Lithuania (2018), Luxemburg (1961), Mexico (1994), Netherlands (1961), New Zealand (1973), Norway (1961), Poland (1996), Portugal (1961), Slovakia (2000), Slovenia (2010), Spain (1961), Sweden (1961), Switzerland (1961), Turkey (1961), United Kingdom (1961), United States of America (1961)

SADC: Southern African Development Community

Angola, Botswana, Comoros (2017), Congo D.R. (1997), Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar (2005-2009, 2014), Malawi, Mauritius (1995), Mozambique, Namibia (1990), Seychelles (1997-2004, 2008) South Africa (1994), Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

USMCA: United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (former NAFTA)

Canada, Mexico, United States of America. USMCA was established on July 1, 2020 (NAFTA: January 1, 1994 - June 30, 2020).

The worldwide Governance Indicators rely on 31 data sources, including surveys of enterprises and citizens and expert polls, gathered from 25 different organizations around the world (D. KAUFMANN, A. KRAAY & M. MASTRUZZI 2010). These provide data derived from hundreds of questions about governance. Before aggregation is carried out each question is mapped to one of six dimensions of governance: (1) Voice and Accountability; (2) Political Stability and Absence of Violence; (3) Government Effectiveness; (4) Regulatory Quality; (5) Rule of Law; (6) Control of Corruption.

Definition of political stability and absence of violence: A measure of the perception of the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including political violence and terrorism.

The values of measurement are indexed with a mean of zero and a standard deviation of one in each period. Virtually all scores lie between -2.5 and +2.5, with higher scores corresponding to better outcomes. The aggregate estimates convey no information about trends in global averages of governance but they are, of course, informative about changes in individual countries over time.

Classes of political stability used in WMD: Estimates < -1.25: extremely unstable; < 0 to -1.25: unstable; > 0 to +1.25: fair; > +1.25: stable.

More information:

Kaufmann, Daniel, Kraay, Aart and Mastruzzi, Massimo, The Worldwide Governance Indicators: Methodology and Analytical Issues (September 2010). World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 5430. Available at SSRN:

https://ssrn.com/abstract=1682130

For analytical purposes, World Bank member economies and all other economies with populations of more than 30 000 inhabitants have been grouped annually according to GNI. Economies are classified annually among income groups to gross national income (GNI) per capita, using the World Bank Atlas method of calculation.

The groups are:

low income (L), lower middle income (LM), upper middle income (UM), high income (H).

ional Income) of Producer Countries in USD

Minerals Production by GNI (Gross National Income) of Producer Countries in USD

For analytical purposes, World Bank member economies and all other economies with populations of more than 30 000 inhabitants have been grouped annually according to GNI. Economies are classified annually among income groups to gross national income (GNI) per capita, using the World Bank Atlas method of calculation.

The groups are:

low income (L), lower middle income (LM), upper middle income (UM), high income (H).

Year        L         LM          UM          H

2019  <1 035  <4 045  <12 535  >12 535

2020  <1 045  <4 095  <12 695  >12 695

2021  <1 085  <4 255  <13 205  >13 205

2022  <1 135  <4 465  <13 845  >13 845

2023  <1 145  <4 515  <14 005  >14 005

From: World Bank Analytical Classification World Development Indicators GNI per capita in USD: https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups

The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is a commonly accepted and used measure of market concentration. HHI is calculated by squaring the market share of each firm competing in the market and then summing the resulting numbers. Only one firm means 100% market share. In this case the HHI would equal 10 000 (100²), indicating a monopoly. 

A market consisting of 4 companies with shares of 50%, 30%, 15% and 5%, results in a HHI of (50² +30² +15² +5²) = 3 650. The HHI takes into account the relative size and distribution of the firms in a market and approaches zero when a market consists of a large number of firms of relatively equal size. The HHI increases both as the number of firms in the market decreases and as the disparity in size between those firms increases.

In the United States markets, in which the HHI is between 1 000 and 1 800 points, are considered to be moderately concentrated, and those in which the HHI is in excess of 1 800 points are considered to be concentrated. In the EU the threshold for concentrated markets is 2 000.

In WMD the concentration of producer countries is calculated by the HHI similarly to the firms index. To avoid misunderstandings with the "classical" HHI, the countries concentration index is named as _(mod)HHI_(ct).

The mineral materials included in World Mining Data are arranged in five groups:

• Iron and Ferro-Alloy Metals
• Non-Ferrous Metals
• Precious Metals
• Industrial Minerals
• Mineral Fuels

Iron and Ferro-Alloy Metals:
Iron, Chromium, Cobalt, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Niobium, Tantalum, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium

Non-Ferrous Metals:
Aluminium, Antimony, Arsenic, Bauxite, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cadmium, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Indium, Lead, Lithium, Mercury, Rare Earth Minerals, Rhenium, Selenium, Tellurium, Tin, Zinc

Precious Metals:
Gold, Platinum-Group Metals (Palladium, Platinum, Rhodium), Silver

Industrial Minerals:
Asbestos, Baryte, Bentonite, Boron Minerals, Diamond (Gem/Industrial), Diatomite, Feldspar, Fluorspar, Graphite, Gypsum and Anhydrite, Kaolin (China-Clay), Magnesite, Perlite, Phosphate Rock (incl. Guano), Potash, Salt, Sulfur, Talc (incl. Steatite and Pyrophyllite), Vermiculite, Zircon

Mineral Fuels:
Steam Coal (incl. Anthracite and Sub-Bituminous Coal), Coking Coal, Lignite, Natural Gas, Petroleum (incl. Natural Gas Liquids), Oil Sands, Oil Shales, Uranium

Mineral Raw Materials are mineral constituents of the earth's crust which are of economic value. In the most comprehensive sense this includes the so-called "mine output" as well as the output from processing at or near the mines (for instance, the up-grading of ores to concentrates).

Primary Materials are marketable products obtained by processing crude minerals (usually up to the first processing stage only).

Contents of output are mostly calculated empirically.

Weights and Measures:

1 metric ton (metr. t) = 1 000 kg
1 short ton (short t) = 907.2 kg
1 long ton (long t) = 1 016.047 kg
1 pound (lb) = 0.4536 kg
1 troy ounce (oz) = 31.1035 g
1 carat (ct) = 200 mg

Conversion table:

Volume units:

1 cubic foot (ft³) = cubic meter (m³) x 0.028317
1 cubic meter (m³) = cubic foot (ft³) x 35.31467
1 US (=petroleum) barrel (bbl) = 42 liquid US gallons = 158.98 l
1 flask Mercury = 76 lb = 34.5 kg

Conversion for salt brine:

1 m³ x 0.3 = 1 metr. t

Conversion factor for natural gas (approximate method):

1 m³ = 0.8 kg = 0.0008 metr. t

Conversion for crude petroleum (approximate method):

7.33 bbl (barrel) = 1 metr. t
1 bbl = 0.1364 metr. t
1 bbl/d = 49.8 metr. t/a 

Conversion factor for lignite (metr. t to TCE = ton coal equivalents):

0.19 Greece, North Macedonia

0.30 Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belarus, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Falkland/Malvinas Islands, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Korea North, Korea South, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Niger, Norway, Oman, Poland, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent/Grenadine, Sweden, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Remaining Eastern Asia (SWL), Remaining Eastern Europe, former USSR/CIS, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe

0.32 Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, former Yugoslavia

0.33 Australia, Cambodia, Denmark, India, Japan, Laos, Madagascar, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

0.36 Italy

0.40 China, France, Hungary

0.45 Russia

0.50 Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, New Zealand, United States of America

0.58 Portugal

Conversion factor for steam coal, coking coal (metr. t to TCE = ton coal equivalents):

0.60 Czech Republic, Albania

0.65 Indonesia

0.66 Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

0.70 Cameroon, Chile, Ecuador, Pakistan, St. Vincent/Grenadines, Sweden

0.71 India

0.72 China, Remaining Eastern Asia

0.76 Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, former Yugoslavia

0.77 Spain

0.78 Japan, Nigeria

0.80 Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Falkland/Malvinas Islands, Finland, Greece, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Korea North, Korea South, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Remaining Asia, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe

0.82 United Kingdom

0.85 France, Poland, Remaining Africa, South Africa

0.86 Belgium, United States of America

0.90 Australia

0.91 Turkey

0.94 Germany, Colombia

0.95 Canada

Mineral raw materials and ore bodies with significant variations in valuable mineral content have been calculated to obtain the actually useable mineral content, e.g. highly variable Fe-contents of iron carbonates and iron oxides. Production figures throughout this report do not (unless otherwise specified) refer to crude ore (ROM/run of mine) or concentrate produced from it, but indicate the content of recoverable valuable elements and compounds.

Total world production figures do not include Bauxite production as Bauxite is the base raw material in Aluminium production. Production figures for Bauxite can be found in commodity and country statistics.

Iron and Ferro-Alloy Metals:

Iron (Fe) in metr. t
Chromium (Cr₂O₃) in metr. t
Cobalt (Co) in metr. t
Manganese (Mn) in metr. t
Molybdenum (Mo) in metr. t
Nickel (Ni) in metr. t
Niobium (Nb₂O₅) in metr. t
Tantalum (Ta₂O₅) in metr. t
Titanium (TiO₂) in metr. t
Tungsten (W) in metr. t
Vanadium (V) in metr. t

Non-Ferrous Metals:

Aluminium (Al, primary) in metr. t
Antimony (Sb) in metr. t
Arsenic (As₂O₃) in metr. t
Bauxite (crude ore) in metr. t
Beryllium (concentrate) in metr. t
Bismuth (Bi) in metr. t
Cadmium (Cd) in metr. t
Copper (Cu) in metr. t
Gallium (Ga) in metr. t
Germanium (Ge) in metr. t
Indium (In) in metr. t
Lead (Pb) in metr. t
Lithium (Li₂O) in metr. t
Mercury (Hg) in metr. t
Rare Earth Minerals (REO) in metr. t
Rhenium (Re) in kg
Selenium (Se) in metr. t
Tellurium (Te) in metr. t
Tin (Sn) in metr. t
Zinc (Zn) in metr. t

Precious Metals:

Gold (Au) in kg
Palladium (Pd) in kg
Platinum (Pt) in kg
Rhodium (Rh) in kg
Silver (Ag) in kg

Industrial Minerals:

Asbestos in metr. t
Baryte in metr. t
Bentonite in metr. t
Boron Minerals in metr. t
Diamonds (Gem) in ct
Diamonds (Industrial) in ct
Diatomite in metr. t
Feldspar in metr. t
Fluorspar in metr. t
Graphite in metr. t
Gypsum and Anhydrite in metr. t
Kaolin (China-Clay) in metr. t
Magnesite in metr. t
Perlite in metr. t
Phosphate Rock (P₂O₅) in metr. t
Potash (K₂O) in metr. t
Salt (Rock Salt, Brines, Marine Salt) in metr. t
Sulfur (elementar and industrial Sulfur) in metr. t
Talc, Steatite and Pyrophyllite in metr. t
Vermiculite in metr. t
Zircon (concentrate) in metr. t

Mineral Fuels:

Steam Coal (incl. Anthracite, bituminous and sub-bituminous Coal) in metr. t
Coking Coal in metr. t
Lignite in metr. t
Natural Gas (marketed production) in Mio m³
Oil Sands (gross production) in metr. t
Oil Shales in metr. t
Petroleum (incl. Natural Gas Liquids) (gross production) in metr. t
Uranium (U₃O₈) in metr. t

Commodity Prices:

Sources of annual averages:

• Fastmarkets Metal Bulletin
• Fastmarkets Industrial Minerals
• BGR-Rohstoffdatenbank, 2024;
  Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe, Deutschland
• U.S. Geological Survey
• Kitco Metals Inc.
• Metal-Pages
• Cameco Corporation
• International Energy Agency (IEA)
• U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)