Misc
Ranked: The Top Countries Relying on Mining Exports
See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.
Ranked: The Top Countries Relying on Mining Exports
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
This graphic ranks the countries where mining exports (minerals, ores, and metals) are more than 60% of their total exports. Data is from sourced from UN Trade and Development, based on 2019–2021 averaged figures
This sort of resource dependency can make a country vulnerable to economic shocks via price fluctuations.
Diamonds, Gold, and Copper: Key Exports for Many Countries
Around 90% of Botswana’s exports are concentrated in mining, making it the most mineral resource dependent country in the world. Within the sector, diamonds alone account for 80% of all exports.
As a result, Botswana is the top producer of raw, uncut diamonds in the world. The IMF estimates that 25% of the country’s $20 billion GDP is from diamond mining.
| Rank | Country | % of Exports from Mining | Top Mineral/Metal Export (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 92% | 💎 Diamonds |
| 2 | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 87% | 🏅 Gold |
| 3 | 🇲🇱 Mali | 85% | 🏅 Gold |
| 4 | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 84% | 🏅 Gold |
| 5 | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 83% | 🏅 Gold |
| 6 | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 79% | 🪨 Copper |
| 7 | 🇨🇩 DRC | 77% | 🪨 Copper |
| 8 | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 66% | 🏅 Gold |
| 9 | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 64% | 🏅 Gold |
| 10 | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 62% | 🏅 Gold |
| 11 | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 61% | 💎 Diamonds |
| 12 | 🇵🇪 Peru | 61% | 🪨 Copper |
Figures rounded. The top mining export per country sourced from The Observatory of Economic Complexity.
Meanwhile, in Mali (#3), Burkina Faso (#4), and Suriname (#5) gold is responsible for most of the mining export dependency. However, Guinea (#2) also exports a significant amount of aluminum ore as well.
In Zambia (#6) and the DRC (#7) where more than 70% of their exports are from mining, copper plays a crucial role. However Zambia also exports a significant amount of gold, and the DRC is a major cobalt exporter.
Of the top 10 countries whose exports are predominantly mining-based, seven are from Africa.
It’s also apparent that this kind of commodity dependence is more common in developing economies (wealthy oil nations are exceptions to the rule). And as commodity demand tends to run in boom-bust cycles, it leaves these less-wealthy countries particularly susceptible to price shocks.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
Resource dependency comes in many flavors. Check out Ranked: The Countries Most Dependent on Agricultural Exports for the economies where food products take center stage.
Misc
Charted: The End-of-Life Recycling Rates of Select Metals
End-of-life recycling rates measure the percentage of a material that is recovered at the end of its useful life, rather than being disposed of or incinerated.
Charted: The End-of-Life Recycling Rates of Select Metals
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on Apple or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
We visualize the end-of-life recycling rates (EOL-RR) of commonly used metals in the economy. Data is sourced from the International Energy Agency, last updated in 2021.
Tracking recycling rates helps manage resources better and make smarter policies, guiding efforts to cut down on waste.
Ranked: The End of Life Recycling Rates of Select Metals
Gold has an 86% recycling rate according to the latest available data. Per the Boston Consulting Group, one-third of total gold supply was met through recycling between 1995–2014.
| Metal | End-of-life recycling rate (2021) | 🔍 Used In |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 86% | 💍 Jewelry / Electronics |
| Platinum/Palladium | 60% | 🔬 Optical fibers / Dental fillings |
| Nickel | 60% | 🔋 Batteries / Turbine blades |
| Silver | 50% | 💍 Jewelry / Mirrors |
| Copper | 46% | 🔌 Electrical wiring / Industrial equipment |
| Aluminum | 42% | ✈️ Aeroplane parts / Cans |
| Chromium | 34% | 🍽️ Stainless steel / Leather tanning |
| Zinc | 33% | 🔗 Galvanizing metal / Making rubber |
| Cobalt | 32% | 🔋 Batteries / Turbine engines |
| Lithium | 0.5% | 🔋 Batteries / Pacemakers |
| REEs | 0.2% | 📱 Mobile phones / Hard drives |
Note: Figures are rounded.
Several factors can influence metal recycling rates. According to this International Resource Panel report, metals that are used in large quantities (steel) or have a high value (gold) tend to have higher recycling rates.
However, for materials used in small quantities in complex products (rare earth elements in electronics), recycling becomes far more challenging.
Finally, a metal’s EOL-RR is strongly influenced by the least efficient link in the recycling chain, which is typically how it’s initially collected.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed this post, check out Critical Materials: Where China, the EU, and the U.S. Overlap which shows how critical materials are classified within different jurisdictions.
Misc
Companies with the Most Fossil Fuel and Cement CO2 Emissions
Half of the world’s total fossil fuel and cement carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 came from just 36 companies.
Companies with the Most Fossil Fuel and Cement CO2 Emissions
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- Half of the world’s fossil fuel and cement carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 came from just 36 entities, according to a report by the Carbon Majors Project
- If Saudi Aramco were a country, it would be the fourth-largest polluter in the world, after China, the U.S., and India.
- Five publicly traded oil companies—ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, TotalEnergies, and BP—together accounted for 5% of global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
Chinese Companies Dominate the List
This graphic is based on Carbon Majors, a database of historical production data from 180 of the world’s largest oil, gas, coal, and cement producers representing 169 active and 11 inactive entities.
In 2023, the top 20 highest carbon-producing entities were responsible for 17.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO₂e) in emissions, accounting for 40.8% of global fossil fuel and cement CO₂ emissions. The list is largely dominated by state-owned companies, with 16 of the top 20 being state-controlled. Notably, eight Chinese entities contributed to 17.3% of global fossil fuel and cement CO₂ emissions in 2023.
| Entity | Total emissions (MtCO2e) | Global CO2 emissions (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Aramco | 4.4% |
| 2 | Coal India | 3.7% |
| 3 | CHN Energy | 3.7% |
| 4 | Jinneng Group | 2.9% |
| 5 | Cement industry of China | 2.8% |
| 6 | National Iranian Oil Company | 2.8% |
| 7 | Gazprom | 2.3% |
| 8 | Rosneft | 1.9% |
| 9 | Shandong Energy | 1.7% |
| 10 | China National Coal Group | 1.7% |
| 11 | Abu Dhabi National Oil Company | 1.6% |
| 12 | CNPC | 1.6% |
| 13 | Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group | 1.6% |
| 14 | Iraq National Oil Company | 1.3% |
| 15 | Shanxi Coking Coal Group | 1.3% |
| 16 | ExxonMobil | 1.3% |
| 17 | Sonatrach | 1.2% |
| 18 | Chevron | 1.1% |
| 19 | Kuwait Petroleum Corp. | 1.0% |
| 20 | Petrobras | 1.0% |
| 21 | Shell | 0.9% |
| 22 | Pemex | 0.9% |
| 23 | TotalEnergies | 0.8% |
| 24 | QatarEnergy | 0.8% |
| 25 | Lukoil | 0.8% |
| 26 | BP | 0.8% |
| 27 | Glencore | 0.7% |
| 28 | China Huaneng Group | 0.7% |
| 29 | Luan Chemical Group | 0.7% |
| 30 | Equinor | 0.7% |
| 31 | Peabody Energy | 0.7% |
| 32 | Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. | 0.6% |
| 33 | CNOOC | 0.6% |
| 34 | ConocoPhillips | 0.6% |
| 35 | Eni | 0.6% |
| 36 | Petronas | 0.5% |
Coal continued to be the largest source of emissions in 2023, representing 41.1% of emissions in the database and continuing a steady upward trend since 2016. Coal emissions grew by 1.9% (258 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent – MtCO₂e) from 2022, while cement saw the largest relative increase at 6.5% (82 MtCO₂e), driven by expanding production.
In contrast, natural gas emissions fell by 3.7% (164 MtCO₂e), and oil emissions remained stable with only a slight increase of 0.3% (73 MtCO₂e).
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic that shows greenhouse gas emissions by sector in 2023, according to data was compiled by the United Nations. The power sector remains the largest emissions contributor.
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