All the Metals We
Mined in One Visualization
Metals
are a big part of our daily lives, found in every
building we enter and all devices we use.
Today,
major industries that directly consume processed mineral materials contribute
14% of the United States economy.
Iron
Ore Dominance
Iron
ore dominates the metals mining landscape, comprising 93% of the total mined.
In 2022, 2.6 billion tonnes of iron ore were mined, containing about 1.6
billion tonnes of iron.
|
Metal/Ore |
Quantity Mined
in 2022 (tonnes) |
% of Total |
|
Iron ore |
2,600,000,000 |
93.3% |
|
Industrial metals |
185,111,835 |
6.6% |
|
Technology and Precious Metals |
1,500,008 |
0.05% |
|
Total |
2,786,611,843 |
100% |
Percentages may not add up to 100 due to
rounding.
Iron
ores are found in various geologic environments, such as igneous, metamorphic,
or sedimentary rocks, and can contain over 70% iron, with many falling in the
50-60% range.
Combined
with other materials like coke and limestone, iron ore is primarily used in
steel production. Today, almost all (98%) iron ore is dedicated to steelmaking.
The
ore is typically mined in about 50 countries, but Australia, Brazil, China, and
India are responsible for 75% of the production.
Because
of its essential role in infrastructure development, iron ore is one of the
most crucial materials underpinning urbanization and economic growth.
Industrial
Metals
Industrial
metals occupy the second position on our list, constituting 6.6% of all metals
mined in 2022. These metals, including copper, aluminum,
lead, and zinc, are employed in construction and industrial applications.
Aluminum constituted nearly 40% of industrial
metal production in 2022. China was responsible for 56% of all aluminum produced.
|
Industrial Metals |
2022 Mine
Production (tonnes) |
% of Total |
|
Aluminum |
69,000,000 |
37.3% |
|
Chromium |
41,000,000 |
22.1% |
|
Copper |
22,000,000 |
11.9% |
|
Manganese |
20,000,000 |
10.8% |
|
Zinc |
13,000,000 |
7.0% |
|
Titanium (mineral concentrates) |
9,500,000 |
5.1% |
|
Lead |
4,500,000 |
2.4% |
|
Nickel |
3,300,000 |
1.8% |
|
Zirconium Minerals (Zircon) |
1,400,000 |
0.8% |
|
Magnesium |
1,000,000 |
0.5% |
|
Total |
185,111,835 |
100.00% |
In the second position is chromium, which
plays a primary role in rendering stainless steel corrosion-resistant. South Africa led
chromium production, accounting for 44% of the total mined last year.
Technology and Precious Metals
Despite
representing less than 1% of all the metals mined, technology metals have been
on the news over the last few years as countries and companies seek these
materials to reduce carbon emissions and improve productivity.
|
Technology and Precious Metals |
2022 Mine
Production (tonnes) |
% of Total |
|
Tin |
310,000 |
20.7% |
|
Rare Earth Oxides |
300,000 |
20.0% |
|
Molybdenum |
250,000 |
16.7% |
|
Cobalt |
190,000 |
12.7% |
|
Lithium |
130,000 |
8.7% |
|
Vanadium |
100,000 |
6.7% |
|
Tungsten |
84,000 |
5.6% |
|
Niobium |
79,000 |
5.3% |
|
Silver |
26,000 |
1.7% |
|
Cadmium |
24,000 |
1.6% |
|
Total |
1,500,008 |
100% |
They include lithium and cobalt, used in
electric vehicles and battery
storage, and rare earths, used in magnets, metal alloys, and electronics. Many
of them are considered critical for countries’ security due to their role in
clean energy technologies and dependency on other nations to supply domestic
demand.
However,
despite increasing interest in these metals, they are still behind precious
metals such as gold and silver regarding market size.
The
gold market, for example, reached $196 billion in 2022, compared to $10.6
billion of the rare earth market.