Infographic

Silicon in numbers

Silicon (Si) drawn as one poster: 8.8 Mt of world metal production in 2022, China the largest producer, 8 critical mineral lists. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2022SiliconSiAlloying metal · symbol SiSilicon metal is used in aluminium alloys, silicones and polysilicon for solar panels and chips;ferrosilicon is used in steelmaking.WORLD METAL PRODUCTION 20228.8 MtSi content, ferrosilicon + silicon metal. USGS MineralCommodity Summaries.TOP PRODUCER: CHINA68%6.0 Mt of the world total in 2022.CRITICAL MINERAL LISTS8Current government critical or strategic lists namingsilicon, across 7 jurisdictions.TOP 3 PRODUCERS80%US NET IMPORT RELIANCE 202550%PRICE 20253,090 $/tTOP PRODUCERS 2022Where silicon comes fromChina6.0 Mt68%Russia640 kt7.3%Brazil400 kt4.5%Norway360 kt4.1%United States310 kt3.5%France120 kt1.4%Kazakhstan120 kt1.4%Iceland110 kt1.2%Germany63 kt0.7%Spain57 kt0.6%Metal production, Si content, ferrosilicon + silicon metal. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, estimates.China produced about 4.0 of 4.6 Mt of silicon metal in 2025 and about 3.5 of 5.0 Mt of ferrosilicon(Si content).1964–2022A century of silicon production0.00 t2.4 Mt4.8 Mt7.1 Mt9.5 Mt196419721981198919972005201420222022: 9.4 Mt1964: 1.1 MtWorld production, USGS column 'World production'. Source: USGS Data Series 140, historical statistics.PRODUCING COUNTRIES12 countries reported silicon output in 2022Filled countries produce it; brighter is larger. Outline map simplified from Natural Earth.TRADE FLOWS 2024Biggest silicon trade routesChina → Thailand$265 mNorway → Germany$261 mChina → Japan$255 mBrazil → United States$227 mChina → India$165 mHS 280469: Silicon containing <99.99% silicon (metallurgical grade). World trade $4.0 bn in 2024. Source: CEPII BACI(HS22).POLICYOn the critical listsUnited States (USGS): critical 2025European Union: strategic 2024United Kingdom (BGS): critical 2024Australia: critical 2024Canada: critical 2024United States (DOE): critical 2023India: critical 2023South Korea: critical 2023prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Silicon infographic: world production, top producers, a century of output, producing countries on a map, trade routes, critical lists. Data year 2022.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production and reserves are USGS estimates, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data, demand is the IEA's outlook.

World metal production, 2022
8.8 Mt (Si content, ferrosilicon + silicon metal) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest producer
China, 6.0 Mt (68% of world) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Top three producers' share
80% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Critical mineral lists
8 current lists in 7 jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, European Union, United Kingdom, India, South Korea, United States) government critical mineral lists
US net import reliance, 2025
50% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Price, 2025
3,090 $/t (Price, average, cents per pound of silicon: Ferrosilicon, 75% silicon) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World production, 1964
1.1 Mt (USGS historical series, as reported) USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
World production, 2022 (historical series)
9.4 Mt USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
Largest trade flow, 2024
China → Thailand, $265 m (HS 280469, Silicon containing <99.99% silicon); world trade $4.0 bn CEPII BACI trade database

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics) · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded; country names follow our atlas.

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