Infographic

Mining in China in numbers

China's mining drawn as one poster: number 1 in gallium with 99% of world output, top three for 24 minerals, mineral rents 0.5% of GDP. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2025ChinaCHNMining country · ISO CHNChina is the world's number 1 producer of gallium (99% of 2025 refinery output), ranks in thetop three for 24 of the 36 minerals we track, mineral rents were 0.5% of GDP in 2021.MINERAL RENTS, % OF GDP 20210.5%Mineral rents are what the minerals earn above the cost ofproducing them. World Bank WDI.ORES AND METALS IN EXPORTS 20251.6%Share of merchandise exports that are ores and metals.World Bank WDI.MINERALS IN THE WORLD TOP 324Of the 36 minerals in our atlas, China is among the threelargest producers for 24: gallium, bismuth, magnesium,RULE OF LAW ESTIMATE 2025-0.43World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, scale −2.5(weak) to +2.5 (strong).GDP 2025$19.5 tnMINERALS PRODUCED (OF 36)32WORLD SHARE BY MINERAL 2025What China mines, by share of world outputGallium #199%900 tBismuth #188%14 ktMagnesium #186%950 ktTungsten #179%67 ktGraphite (natural) #178%1.4 MtVanadium #175%82 ktRare earths #169%270 ktIndium #169%760 tSilicon #168%6.0 MtGermanium #168%95 tFluorspar #160%6.0 MtPhosphate rock #144%110 MtBar is the share of world production; number after # is the world rank. USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, minestage where reported.GOVERNANCE 2025World Bank governance estimates−2.50+2.5Rule of law-0.43Political stability+0.02Control of corruption+0.07Regulatory quality-0.11Estimates on a −2.5 to +2.5 scale; higher is stronger. Source: World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators.2020–2025China: gallium refinery output0.00 t225 t450 t675 t900 t2020202120222023202420252025: 900 tGa (primary production). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, successive editions.2020–2025China: bismuth refinery output0.00 t5.0 kt10 kt15 kt20 kt2020202120222023202420252025: 14 ktBi (refinery, as reported). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, successive editions.ON THE MAPChina, 32 of our 36 minerals producedOutline map simplified from Natural Earth.TOP EXPORT FLOWS 2024Where China's mineral exports goGold (refined) → Hong Kong · HS 710812 2024$9.6 bnSilver (refined) → Hong Kong · HS 710691 2024$3.2 bnCopper (refined) → Other Asia · HS 740311 2024$1.8 bnSilver (refined) → United Kingdom · HS 710691 2024$1.5 bnLithium (intermediate) → South Korea · HS 282520 2024$1.4 bnLargest single exporter-to-importer flows across the HS codes we track for these minerals, by customs value. Source:CEPII BACI (HS22).POLICYOn China's critical minerals listLithiumCobaltNickelGraphite (natural)CopperAluminium and bauxiteTinTungstenRare earthsAntimonyChromiumMolybdenumZirconium (zircon)Iron oreUraniumGoldFluorsparPotashEXPORT CONTROLSGraphite (natural): licensing requirement from 2023; Tungsten: licensing requirement from 2025; Rare earths:licensing requirement from 2025; Gallium: licensing requirement from 2023; Germanium: licensing requirementfrom 2023; Indium: licensing requirement from 2025; Antimony: licensing requirement from 2024; Bismuth:licensing requirement from 2025; Molybdenum: licensing requirement from 2025. Source: OECD export restrictionsinventory and government notices, as recorded in our data.OPERATIONS IN OUR DATA36 operations across 12 minerals, including Bayan Obo, Panzhihua, Xikuangshan.prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Mining in China infographic: mineral rents, export dependence, world share and rank by mineral, governance estimates, export flows and policy. Data year 2025.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production shares are USGS estimates, economic indicators are World Bank data, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data.

Mineral rents, % of GDP, 2021
0.5% World Bank World Development Indicators
Ores and metals, % of merchandise exports, 2025
1.6% World Bank World Development Indicators
Minerals where it is a top-three producer
24: Gallium (#1), Bismuth (#1), Magnesium (#1), Tungsten (#1), Graphite (natural) (#1), Vanadium (#1), Rare earths (#1), Indium (#1), Silicon (#1), Germanium (#1), Fluorspar (#1), Phosphate rock (#1), Lead (#1), Molybdenum (#1), Antimony (#1), Titanium minerals (#1), Zinc (#1), Tin (#1), Lithium (#2), Aluminium and bauxite (#3), Beryllium (#3), Silver (#3), Potash (#3), Gold (#1) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Rule of law (WGI estimate), 2025
-0.43 on a −2.5 to +2.5 scale World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators
GDP, current US$, 2025
$19.50 trillion World Bank World Development Indicators
Largest world share
Gallium: 99% of world refinery output (#1), 900 t USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Political stability (WGI estimate), 2025
+0.02 World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators
Control of corruption (WGI estimate), 2025
+0.07 World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators
Regulatory quality (WGI estimate), 2025
-0.11 World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators
Gallium refinery output, 2020 → 2025
317 t → 900 t USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Bismuth refinery output, 2020 → 2025
16 kt → 14 kt USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest mineral export flow, 2024
Gold (refined) to Hong Kong, $9.6 bn CEPII BACI trade database
Minerals on China's own critical list
18: Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Graphite (natural), Copper, Aluminium and bauxite, Tin, Tungsten, Rare earths, Antimony, Chromium, Molybdenum, Zirconium (zircon), Iron ore, Uranium, Gold, Fluorspar, Potash government critical mineral lists
Export controls on minerals
Graphite (natural) (licensing requirement); Tungsten (licensing requirement); Rare earths (licensing requirement); Gallium (licensing requirement); Germanium (licensing requirement); Indium (licensing requirement); Antimony (licensing requirement); Bismuth (licensing requirement); Molybdenum (licensing requirement)

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · World Bank World Development Indicators · World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded.

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