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GTK Visualised the Global production of EU’s Critical Raw Materials Showing Accurate Tonnage Relations

When visualising the global production of European Union’s Critical Raw Materials (CRM), the challenge is the vast difference in production tonnages (from 127 tonnes to 1,050 million tonnes). The Mineral Intelligence Group of the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) developed a visualisation illustrating EU’s Critical Raw Material (CRM) global production volumes with accurate tonnage proportions.

Three overlapping maps of global production of critical raw materials. The maps show pie charts and circles that present production amounts and shares by country.

European Union has listed critical raw materials that have great economic importance for Europe but have a high risk of supply disruption.

GTK’s maps visualise the global production of these Critical Raw Materials in three maps. Each map highlights different tonnage ranges, to compare CRM production volumes across all countries globally. The maps make it easier to compare shares of different countries in global markets.

The 34 CRMs are represented by 31 commodities or commodity groups: phosphorus and hafnium data are unavailable, but zirconium contained in zircon serves as a proxy for hafnium; Light and Heavy Rare Earth Elements (LREE and HREE), and scandium are combined as REE oxide (REO).

CRM production in EU accounts for only a small fraction of global output

Average annual production of the 31 CRMs during this period was 1,619 million tonnes. Coking coal dominates the production at 65% of the total. China is the leading producer of 14 CRMs and dominates production across all three maps.

In the EU, CRM production accounts for only a small fraction of global output, with just two materials exceeding the 6% threshold: strontium (Spain) and feldspar (Italy). Spain is the only EU country ranking as the world’s top producer of any CRM, contributing 40% of global strontium output.

The maps and diagrams reflect a five-year average (2019–2023), primarily sourced from World Mining Data, with magnesium, strontium, helium, and silicon metal figures from the U.S. Geological Survey. Mine production figures were used where both mine and refined production data were available.

Chart of EU critical raw materials shares in global production. The image shows three pie charts that present the shares and sizes of different raw materials.

World map of EU critical raw materials production. The map shows pie charts and circles that present production amounts and shares by country.

World map of EU critical raw materials production. The map shows pie charts and circles that present production amounts and shares by country.

World map of EU critical raw materials production. The map shows pie charts and circles that present production amounts and shares by country.

More information

Explanation of the maps and downloadable versions

Report:  Pokki, J., Friedrichs, P. & Michaux, S. 2026. Global production of EU Critical Raw Materials: Visualising Accurate Tonnage Relations. Geological Survey of Finland, Open File Work Report 90/2025. 19 p., 5 app. pages.

Hannu Lahtinen, Director, Availability of Raw Materials
Geological Survey of Finland
hannu.lahtinen@gtk.fi, +358 29 503 5260