W
Critical Metals
Tungsten · titanium · magnesium · helium
64fragility index
63 records36 critical1st : China (37%)
View on the map →IF method →Read from surface (top) to matter (bottom). Hover a node to reveal what it depends on.
0Strategic applications2
−ICritical components1
−IIAdvanced materials & separation4
■Spherical graphite, Jixi, Heilongjiang
>99% of world graphite spheronisation in China; licences since Dec. 2023
Critical node· BTR New Material (Shenzhen)
■High-purity manganese sulphate, Guangxi
China ≈95% of world HPMSM refining (battery grade)
Critical node· CITIC Dameng (Nanning)
●Framatome zirconium-hafnium, Jarrie, Isère
France ≈49% of world hafnium production (2024)
Critical node· Framatome (Jarrie / Ugine)↑ Airbus Toulouse
■Cliffside Helium Reserve, Amarillo
≈6 billion cu ft stored; sold to Messer (2024)
Dependency· Messer
−IIISmelting, refining & metallurgy19
■Magnesium metal, Yulin, Shaanxi
China ≈90% of world primary magnesium; Yulin ≈60% of Chinese production
Critical node· Yulin smelters (Shaanxi)↑ Aluminium China
■Aluminium smelting, Binzhou, Shandong
China ≈56-60% of world smelting capacity; national cap 45 Mt/year
Critical node· China Hongqiao / Weiqiao (Binzhou)↑ Airbus Toulouse
■Helium, Ras Laffan, Qatar
≈25-33% of world helium supply from a single complex
Critical node· QatarEnergy (Ras Laffan)↑ MRI magnets Eynsham, MRI, hospitals
■Titanium sponge, China
China #1 world titanium sponge producer (~68%)
Critical node· Chinese producers
■Cobalt refining, China
China ~75-80% of world refined cobalt
Critical node· Huayou Cobalt
■Nickel refining, China & Indonesia
China + Indonesia dominate battery-nickel refining
Critical node· Jinchuan
■Ferrochrome, South Africa
South Africa world's #1 chromite producer (~45%)
Critical node· Glencore-Merafe
■Ferroalloys, China (ferrosilicon, silicomanganese)
China ~60% of world ferroalloys
Critical node· Chinese producers (Inner Mongolia, Ningxia)
■Silicon metal, China
China ~80% of world silicon (silicon materials)
Critical node· Hoshine Silicon
■Gallium, China
China ≈99% of world primary gallium production (USGS 2024)
Critical node· China
■Germanium, China
China leading world producer and exporter of germanium (limited global data, USGS 2024)
Critical node· China (Yunnan Chihong, Yunnan Lincang Xinyuan)
■Bismuth, China
China ≈81% of world refinery bismuth production (USGS 2024)
Critical node· China
●Crude steel, China (China Baowu)
≈1,005 Mt of crude steel in 2024, ≈53% of the world total (1,882 Mt); China Baowu is the top steelmaker (≈130 Mt)
Critical node· China Baowu Steel Group (Shanghai)
■Gold refining, Ticino (Switzerland)
≈65-70% of the world's gold refined (estimate; ≈2,372 t imported in 2023)
Critical node· Valcambi (Balerna)
●VSMPO-AVISMA, Verkhnyaya Salda, Urals
world's leading producer of aerospace titanium; Airbus dependence cut to ≈20%
Dependency· VSMPO-AVISMA (Verkhnyaya Salda)↑ Airbus Toulouse
■Alumina (refined bauxite), Australia & China
China ~60% of world alumina; Australia top exporter
Dependency· Rio Tinto
■Tin smelting, Yunnan (China)
China #1 world refined-tin producer (Yunnan Tin)
Dependency· Yunnan Tin
■Refined lead, China
China #1 refined lead producer (~40%+)
Dependency· Chinese producers
●Gazprom Amur GPP, Svobodny, Russian Far East
target 60 Mm³/year (≈+11% of world supply); still below capacity in 2026
Redundancy· Gazprom (Svobodny)↑ MRI magnets Eynsham
−IVMining & primary resources27
▲Tungsten, Ganzhou, Jiangxi
≈80% of world extraction; export controls since February 2025
Critical node· China Minmetals (Beijing)
▲Antimony, Lengshuijiang, Hunan
price ×3 in 2024 (≈$13,000 → ≈$40,000/t); Chinese exports −97%
Critical node· Hsikwangshan Twinkling Star (Lengshuijiang)
●CBMM, Araxá, Minas Gerais
≈80% of world niobium supply from a single company
Critical node· CBMM (Araxá)↑ Airbus Toulouse, MRI magnets Eynsham
▲Boké bauxite
Guinea ~1st bauxite exporter in the world; ~65% of Chinese imports
Critical node· CBG↑ Aluminium China
▲Indonesian nickel, Morowali
Indonesia ~50% of world nickel production (2023)
Critical node· IMIP
●Norilsk Nickel
~40% of world palladium; leading producer of class-1 nickel
Critical node· Nornickel (Norilsk)↑ Platinum South Africa
▲Fluorspar, Quzhou, Zhejiang
China ≈40-60% of world fluorspar production (sources diverge)
Critical node· Zhejiang Juhua (Quzhou)↑ Aluminium China
●Comilog, Moanda (Gabon)
≈25% of global production (4.6 Mt, 2024); 2nd producer
Critical node· Comilog / Eramet (Moanda)
▲Chromite, eastern Bushveld (South Africa)
≈48% of global chrome ore (21 Mt, 2024); >72% of reserves
Critical node· Glencore-Merafe (Johannesburg)
▲Coltan, Rubaya, North Kivu (DR Congo)
DRC ≈42-51% of global tantalum (2024); DRC + Rwanda ≈58%
Critical node· Local cooperatives and militias (North Kivu)
●Silver, Fresnillo & Zacatecas (Mexico)
Mexico leading world silver producer (≈6,300 t, 2024); ≈25% of supply
Critical node· Fresnillo plc (Mexico City)
▲Tin, Bangka-Belitung (PT Timah)
Indonesia 2nd global tin producer, 1st exporter; ≈90% of supply from Bangka
Critical node· PT Timah (Pangkalpinang)
▲Weipa, bauxite (Queensland, Australia)
Largest bauxite mine in the world; ≈20% of world production (Rio Tinto, 2023)
Critical node· Rio Tinto (Weipa, Gove)
▲Kiruna iron ore, LKAB
≈80% of the EU's iron ore; ≈22.7 Mt produced in 2024 (−13%)
Critical node· LKAB (Luleå)↑ GOES
▲Iodine, Chile (Atacama, SQM)
Chile ~2/3 of world iodine (Atacama desert nitrates)
Critical node· SQM
●Alrosa & De Beers, rough diamonds
Russia ≈ 37.3 Mct produced in 2023 (33 % of the world's 111.5 Mct) ; Alrosa ≈ 34.6 Mct, ≈ 31 % of output
Critical node· Alrosa
▲Platinum, Bushveld Complex, Rustenburg
≈70% of world platinum; production constrained by Eskom
Dependency· Anglo American Platinum (Rustenburg)
●GEMCO, Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory
Cyclone Megan (March 2024): exports suspended ≈14 months, high-grade price ×2
Dependency· South32 (Perth, 60%)↑ High-purity Mn China
▲Carajás, Vale
Highest-grade iron ore in the world; Brazil ~2nd largest exporter
Dependency· Vale
▲Nickel, New Caledonia
≈6% of world production (2023); up to ≈10% of reserves; historic 3rd producer
Dependency· SLN / Eramet (Nouméa)
▲Gold, Obuasi & Tarkwa (Ghana)
≈127 t (2024); Africa's leading gold producer; gold ≈57% of export earnings
Dependency· AngloGold Ashanti (Obuasi)
▲Mica, India & Madagascar
India & Madagascar main sheet-mica suppliers
Dependency· informal mines (India)
▲Boron and borates, Turkey
Turkey leading world borate producer and holder of most world reserves (USGS 2024)
Dependency· Turkey (Eti Maden)
▲Barite, India and China
India ≈32% and China ≈26% of world barite production excluding the US (USGS 2024)
Dependency· India (APMDC, Mangampeta)
▲Strontium (celestite), Spain and Iran
Spain and Iran ≈39% each of world celestite production (USGS 2024)
Dependency· Spain
▲Zircon and hafnium, Australia
Australia ≈33% and South Africa ≈20% of world mined zircon production (USGS 2024)
Dependency· Australia (Iluka Resources)
●Syrah Resources Balama, Cabo Delgado
≈40% of natural graphite supply outside China; force majeure Dec. 2024 – June 2025
Redundancy· Syrah Resources (Melbourne)↑ Spherical graphite