Misc
All the World’s Metals and Minerals in One Visualization
All the World’s Metals and Minerals in One Visualization
We live in a material world, in that we rely on materials to make our lives better. Without even realizing it, humans consume enormous amounts of metals and minerals with every convenient food package, impressive building, and technological innovation.
Every year, the United States Geological Service (USGS) publishes commodity summaries outlining global mining statistics for over 90 individual minerals and materials. Today’s infographic visualizes the data to reveal the dramatic scale of 2019 non-fuel mineral production.
Read all the way to the bottom; the data will surprise you.
Non-Fuel Minerals: USGS Methodology
A wide variety of minerals can be classified as “non-fuel”, including precious metals, base metals, industrial minerals, and materials used for construction.
Non-fuel minerals are those not used for fuel, such as oil, natural gas and coal. Once non-fuel minerals are used up, there is no replacing them. However, many can be recycled continuously.
The USGS tracked both refinery and mine production of these various minerals. This means that some minerals are the essential ingredients for others on the list. For example, iron ore is critical for steel production, and bauxite ore gets refined into aluminum.
Top 10 Minerals and Metals by Production
Sand and gravel are at the top of the list of non-fuel mineral production.
As these materials are the basic components for the manufacturing of concrete, roads, and buildings, it’s not surprising they take the lead.
Rank | Metal/Mineral | 2019 Production (millions of metric tons) |
---|---|---|
#1 | Sand and Gravel | 50,000 |
#2 | Cement | 4,100 |
#3 | Iron and Steel | 3,200 |
#4 | Iron Ore | 2,500 |
#5 | Bauxite | 500 |
#6 | Lime | 430 |
#7 | Salt | 293 |
#8 | Phosphate Rock | 240 |
#9 | Nitrogen | 150 |
#10 | Gypsum | 140 |
These materials fertilize the food we eat, and they also form the structures we live in and the roads we drive on. They are the bones of the global economy.
Let’s dive into some more specific categories covered on the infographic.
Base Metals
While cement, sand, and gravel may be the bones of global infrastructure, base metals are its lifeblood. Their consumption is an important indicator of the overall health of an economy.
Base metals are non-ferrous, meaning they contain no iron. They are often more abundant in nature and sometimes easier to mine, so their prices are generally lower than precious metals.
Rank | Base Metal | 2019 Production (millions of metric tons) |
---|---|---|
#1 | Aluminum | 64.0 |
#2 | Copper | 20.0 |
#3 | Zinc | 13.0 |
#4 | Lead | 4.5 |
#5 | Nickel | 2.7 |
#6 | Tin | 0.3 |
Base metals are also the critical materials that will help to deliver a green and renewable future. The electrification of everything will require vast amounts of base metals to make everything from batteries to solar cells work.
Precious Metals
Gold and precious metals grab the headlines because of their rarity — and their production shows just how rare they are.
Rank | Precious Metal | 2019 Production (metric tons) |
---|---|---|
#1 | Silver | 27,000 |
#2 | Gold | 3,300 |
#3 | Palladium | 210 |
#4 | Platinum | 180 |
While metals form the structure and veins of the global economy, ultimately it is humans and animals that make the flesh of the world, driving consumption patterns.
A Material World: A Perspective on Scale
The global economy’s appetite for materials has quadrupled since 1970, faster than the population, which only doubled. On average, each human uses more than 13 metric tons of materials per year.
In 2017, it’s estimated that humans consumed 100.6B metric tons of material in total. Half of the total comprises sand, clay, gravel, and cement used for building, along with the other minerals mined to produce fertilizer. Coal, oil, and gas make up 15% of the total, while metal makes up 10%. The final quarter are plants and trees used for food and fuel.
Misc
The State of Copper Recycling in the U.S.
This graphic explores how recycling copper can help address the demand for the metal in the U.S.
The State of Copper Recycling in the U.S.
Copper is essential for a low-carbon economy due to its crucial role in renewable energy technologies.
As a result, many worry that a lack of the metal used in wires and batteries can hurt a transition to a green economy.
In this graphic, our sponsor, the Copper Development Association, explores how recycling can address the demand for copper.
Copper Scrap Recycled in the U.S.
In 2022, the total copper scrap recycled in the U.S. was approximately 830,000 tonnes, equivalent to 32% of the total U.S. copper supply for the same period. Around 670,000 tonnes (81%) originated from pre-consumer sources generated during manufacturing operations, while 160,000 tonnes (19%) came from post-consumer sources, such as obsolete products.
Brass and wire-rod mills accounted for the majority of the copper recycled from scrap (85%). Additionally, smelters, refiners, and ingot makers make 10% and chemical plants, foundries, and other manufacturers around 5%.
Copper from Scrap | 2022 Content (tonnes) |
---|---|
Brass and wire-rod mills | 650,000 t |
Smelters and refiners | 40,000 t |
Ingot makers | 39,500 t |
Foundries, Other | 40,000 t |
Despite the rising demand for copper, the U.S. predominantly exports its copper scrap.
In 2022, the U.S. exported half of the 1,569,000 tonnes of the copper content generated from scrap. This export trend persisted because, until recent years, the country lacked operating secondary copper smelters capable of processing complex scrap grades into furnace-ready raw materials.
However, reshoring this metal presents an opportunity for the country.
Tapping into the Urban Mine
North America currently has about 86 million tonnes (Mt) of copper in use, known as the Urban Mine. This copper will become available for recycling as aging infrastructure and products reach the end of their service lives:
- Buildings: 45.4 Mt
- Infrastructure: 16.1 Mt
- Consumer Products: 11.2 Mt
- Transport: 8.5 Mt
- Industrial Uses: 4.8 Mt
Increased secondary smelting and refining capacity is a crucial building block for a more resilient and self-sufficient U.S. copper supply chain.
In response to the growing need for copper, the U.S. plans to add over 280,000 tonnes of secondary smelting and refining capacity in the next few years. This expansion will enable the country to process more complex scrap grades domestically.
Given that copper products can last for decades, creating a lag time before the material becomes available for recycling, primary production will continue to play an important role in meeting the increasing needs in the U.S.
The Copper Development Association (CDA) brings the value of copper and its alloys to society to address the challenges of today and tomorrow. Visit www.copper.org to learn more about why copper is a critical mineral.
Misc
Why Copper Is Critical for Data Centers
Copper consumption for data centers in North America is estimated to jump from 197,000 tonnes in 2020 to 238,000 tonnes in 2030.
Why Copper Is Critical for Data Centers
Data centers are computer server hubs that collect, store, and process large amounts of data, requiring extensive network infrastructure and electric power supply.
As the North American data center market grows, copper will be a key building block in this infrastructure.
This infographic from the Copper Development Association illustrates the critical role of copper in data center development.
Copper in Technology
Much has been said about the growing demand for critical minerals like copper, nickel, and lithium for clean technologies such as batteries, EVs, solar, and wind power.
Copper, however, has a more extensive role in technology as it is used in wires that connect power grids and data centers around the planet.
As one of the best conductors of electricity, copper maximizes efficiency in the transmission and distribution of electricity. Its thermal conductivity also helps build efficient heat exchangers, which are vital for cooling in data centers.
The inherent ductility and malleability of copper make it ideal for shaping into compact system components, like electrical connectors. In addition, copper can be fully recycled without losing any beneficial properties, providing an excellent solution in a growing green economy.
Data centers use copper across various electrical applications, including:
- Power cables
- Busbars
- Electrical connectors
- Heat exchangers and sinks
- Power distribution strips
To put the demand into perspective, Microsoft’s $500 million data center in Chicago required 2,177 tonnes of copper for construction.
North America’s Growing Need for Copper
With the rise of cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoT), the North American data center market is expanding.
North American data center infrastructure is expected to grow from a $33 billion business in 2020 to $70 billion in 2030 and $185 billion in 2040.
This, in turn, will amplify the demand for copper. Copper consumption for data centers is estimated to jump from 197,000 tonnes in 2020 to 238,000 tonnes in 2030 and 293,000 tonnes in 2040.
The Copper Development Association (CDA) brings the value of copper and its alloys to society to address the challenges of today and tomorrow. Visit www.copper.org to learn more about copper’s critical role in data centers.
-
Electrification2 years ago
Ranked: The Top 10 EV Battery Manufacturers
-
Electrification2 years ago
The Key Minerals in an EV Battery
-
Real Assets2 years ago
The World’s Top 10 Gold Mining Companies
-
Misc2 years ago
All the Metals We Mined in One Visualization
-
Electrification3 years ago
The Biggest Mining Companies in the World in 2021
-
Energy Shift2 years ago
What Are the Five Major Types of Renewable Energy?
-
Electrification2 years ago
The World’s Largest Nickel Mining Companies
-
Misc2 years ago
The Largest Copper Mines in the World by Capacity