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Open in the explorerOrganisations (28)Events

Production, refining and reserves

CommodityMetricValueWorld rank · shareSource
LithiumRefinery production 20252,978 t Li content—IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (Critical Minerals Dataset, July 2026)
CopperRefinery production 2025610,000 t Cu content#8 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
CopperReserves 20202 million t Cu content#13 · 0.2%USGS MCS 2021
Graphite (natural)Mine production 2025140 t natural graphite#18 · 0%USGS MCS 2026
BoronMine production 202540,000 t compounds—USGS MCS 2026
FluorsparMine production 202535,000 t fluorspar#11 · 0.4%USGS MCS 2026
BariteMine production 201355,000 t barite—USGS MCS 2014
BariteReserves 20131 million t barite#10 · 0.3%USGS MCS 2014
PlatinumRefinery production 202327,000 kg Pt content#3 · 10%USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (platinum-group metals, tables-only release), table 6
PalladiumRefinery production 202326,000 kg Pd content#4 · 8%USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (platinum-group metals, tables-only release), table 6
AluminaRefinery production 2025460,000 t alumina (calcined equivalent weight)#17 · 0.3%USGS MCS 2026
AluminiumRefinery production 2014500,000 t primary aluminium (smelter production)—USGS MCS 2015
SiliconRefinery production 202513,000 t Si content (silicon metal)—USGS MCS 2026
UraniumResources 20237,000 t U content#41 · 0.1%NEA/IAEA Red Book 2024 (Uranium 2024), Table 1.2a, <USD 260/kgU
IndiumRefinery production 201510 t In (refined)—USGS MCS 2016
SeleniumRefinery production 202547 t Se content (refined)#12 · 1%USGS MCS 2026
CadmiumRefinery production 2025220 t Cd metal#15 · 1%USGS MCS 2026
CadmiumReserves 20056,000 t Cd content#10 · 1%USGS MCS 2006
PotashMine production 20253 million t K2O equivalent#5 · 6%USGS MCS 2026
PotashReserves 2025150 million t K2O equivalent#7 · 3%USGS MCS 2026
SulfurRefinery production 2023610,000 t S content—USGS MCS 2024
LimeRefinery production 20254.8 million t lime#8 · 1%USGS MCS 2026
FeldsparMine production 2020260,000 t feldspar—USGS MCS 2021
BromineMine production 20151,500 t Br content—USGS MCS 2016
Nitrogen (ammonia)Refinery production 20252 million t N content (ammonia)#13 · 1%USGS MCS 2026
BentoniteMine production 2021350,000 t bentonite—USGS MCS 2022
Fuller's earthMine production 2005500,000 t fuller's earth#3 · 9%USGS MCS 2007
KaolinMine production 2021800,000 t kaolin—USGS MCS 2022
DiatomiteMine production 202550,000 t diatomite#10 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
GypsumMine production 20254.7 million t gypsum#10 · 3%USGS MCS 2026
Iron oxide pigmentsMine production 2025280,000 t iron oxide pigments—USGS MCS 2026
PeatMine production 2025830,000 t peat#9 · 5%USGS MCS 2026
Pumice and pumiciteMine production 2004500,000 t pumice and pumicite—USGS MCS 2005
SaltMine production 202515 million t salt#4 · 6%USGS MCS 2026
Sand and gravel (industrial)Mine production 20259.2 million t industrial sand and gravel#8 · 2%USGS MCS 2026

Policies and export measures

Policy tracker →

  • 2025-08-26 · agreement

    Canada–Germany Joint Declaration of Intent on Critical Minerals Cooperation

    Natural Resources Canada and Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy signed a non-binding declaration in Berlin to cooperate on critical mineral supply chains. It covers project financing and trade, midstream processing, refining and recycling technology, supply-chain integration and risk assessment, and ESG and traceability alignment, naming lithium, rare earths, copper, tungsten, gallium, germanium and nickel.

    Source: Natural Resources Canada

  • 2024-10-02 · incentive

    KfW Raw Materials Fund (Rohstofffonds) on behalf of the Federal Government

    KfW set up a raw materials fund on behalf of the federal government to take mainly equity stakes, with federal risk cover, in mining, processing and recycling projects for the EU's critical raw materials. Projects must contribute to long-term supply of these materials, including in processed form, to production in Germany and the EU; individual financing is typically EUR 50-150 million. Date is KfW's launch announcement.

    Source: KfW

  • 2020-01-15 · strategy

    Raw Materials Strategy of the Federal Government (Rohstoffstrategie der Bundesregierung, 2019/2020 update)

    Update of Germany's 2010 raw materials strategy for non-energy mineral raw materials. It keeps companies primarily responsible for their own supply and sets out federal support for domestic extraction, imports, recycling and resource efficiency, sustainability and transparency, and international cooperation, noting rising demand for battery and e-mobility metals. Date is the government's transmittal of the strategy to the Bundestag.

    Source: Deutscher Bundestag

  • Date n/a · strategy

    BMWK key-points paper: Pathways to a sustainable and resilient raw materials supply (Eckpunktepapier, 2023)

    Economy ministry paper updating the 2020 raw materials strategy around three priorities: circular economy and recycling, diversification of supply chains, and a fair and sustainable market framework. It proposes support for company stockholding of critical raw materials and announces a public-private raw materials fund to back extraction, processing and recycling projects in Germany, the EU and abroad.

    Source: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK)

Trade in critical minerals

Exports 2024$16 bn

  1. Copper$3.8 bnto Belgium 14%, Austria 12%, Poland 11% · 66 more
  2. Aluminium$3.5 bnto Austria 16%, Italy 11%, Poland 10% · 74 more
  3. Silicon$1.3 bnto China 40%, Vietnam 22%, Japan 8% · 62 more
  4. Platinum-group metals$1.3 bnto United States of America 43%, Japan 17%, Belgium 13% · 38 more
  5. Potash$1.1 bnto Brazil 14%, Poland 12%, Norway 8% · 124 more
  6. Palladium$931 mto Switzerland 36%, Italy 20%, Brazil 15% · 41 more
  7. Platinum$527 mto United States of America 16%, Switzerland 16%, Belgium 12% · 44 more
  8. Alumina$472 mto China 13%, Norway 13%, France 12% · 103 more

and 39 more commodities

Imports 2024$31 bn

  1. Copper$11 bnfrom Bulgaria 11%, Poland 9%, Belgium 8% · 92 more
  2. Aluminium$7.6 bnfrom Netherlands 22%, Norway 10%, United Kingdom 7% · 80 more
  3. Palladium$1.8 bnfrom South Africa 19%, United States of America 17%, United Kingdom 15% · 31 more
  4. Platinum-group metals$1.1 bnfrom Belgium 31%, South Africa 17%, Italy 17% · 25 more
  5. Platinum$1.1 bnfrom Belgium 26%, Italy 26%, South Africa 23% · 32 more
  6. Zinc$1.0 bnfrom Finland 22%, Spain 14%, Netherlands 14% · 45 more
  7. Nickel$1.0 bnfrom Norway 27%, Netherlands 13%, Russia 12% · 61 more
  8. Silicon$885 mfrom Norway 31%, France 17%, Brazil 10% · 53 more

and 38 more commodities

Trade values in current US dollars (ores, concentrates, intermediates, chemicals and refined metal), not prices. * Includes HS codes that also cover other products. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22), Etalab Open Licence 2.0 — details.

Fiscal regime for mining

InstrumentApplies toRateLegal basis
RoyaltyLithium, Copper, Nickel, Cobalt, Rare earths, Graphite (natural), Tungsten, Tin, Antimony, Manganese, Chromium, Platinum-group metals, Gold, Silver, Zinc, Lead, Molybdenum, Vanadium, Niobium, Tantalum, Gallium, Germanium, Fluorspar, Barite, Potash, Salt, UraniumFörderabgabe (production royalty) payable yearly to the Land by holders of a Bewilligung or Bergwerkseigentum on 'mining-free' minerals (bergfreie Bodenschätze, § 3(3): metals incl. Li, REE, Cu, Ni, Co, W, Sn, Sb, Mn, Cr, PGMs, Au, U; graphite; potash and other salts; fluorspar and barite). Land governments may by regulation exempt specific minerals or areas for a period, or set a different percentage or base (at most four times the statutory amount) (§ 32(2)). Landowner minerals (grundeigene Bodenschätze, e.g. bauxite, kaolin, feldspar, mica, talc) are outside the royalty; maintained old rights (§§ 149-159) can also exclude it. Exploration licence holders pay a field fee (Feldesabgabe) of EUR 5-25 per km2 per year (§ 30)10%average market value obtained in Germany for minerals of that kind during the assessment period (§ 31(2)); value fixed by the authority where there is no market valueBundesberggesetz (BBergG) of 13 Aug 1980 · § 31; § 32; § 3(3)in force 1982-01-01
Corporate income tax (mining)All mineralsCorporate income tax 15% for assessment years up to 2027, then 14% (2028), 13% (2029), 12% (2030), 11% (2031) and 10% from 2032. No mining-specific rate. Solidarity surcharge and municipal trade tax (Gewerbesteuer) are levied on top (not read)15%zu versteuerndes Einkommen (taxable income)Körperschaftsteuergesetz (KStG) · § 23(1)in force 2008-01-01

Rates and terms as set in the cited law or regulation; agreements with individual projects can differ. Not legal or tax advice.

Deals and financing (7)

  1. 2025-12-03 · Project finance · signed · EUR 250

    European Investment Bank → Vulcan Energy Resources · Phase One Lionheart

    The EIB provided EUR 250 million toward Vulcan's Phase One Lionheart project, which targets 24,000 t/y of lithium hydroxide from geothermal brine in the Upper Rhine Valley.

    official release

  2. 2025-12-03 · Equity investment · signed · EUR 150

    KfW (German Raw Materials Fund) → Vulcan Energie Ressourcen GmbH (Vulcan Energy) · Phase One Lionheart

    KfW, on behalf of Germany's Raw Materials Fund, agreed a EUR 150 million equity investment for a 14% stake in Vulcan's main German subsidiary as part of the Lionheart financing.

    official release

  3. 2025-12-03 · Project finance · signed · EUR 2200

    Lender syndicate (EIB, five ECAs, seven commercial banks) → Vulcan Energy Resources · Phase One Lionheart geothermal lithium project

    Vulcan secured a EUR 2.2 billion package to fully fund Phase One of its Lionheart geothermal lithium project in Germany - about EUR 1.18bn senior debt from 13 lenders, EUR 204m German grants, EUR 150m KfW Raw Materials Fund equity and EUR 133m from strategic investors - and took FID.

    official release

  4. 2025-10-13 · Offtake · signed

    Glencore → Vulcan Energy Resources · Phase One Lionheart

    Vulcan signed a binding take-or-pay offtake with a Glencore subsidiary for 36,000-44,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide over eight years, its final Phase One offtake alongside Stellantis, Umicore and LG Energy Solution.

    official release

  5. 2025-07-23 · Government grant · signed · EUR 104

    German Federal Government; Rhineland-Palatinate; Hesse → Vulcan Energy Resources · Li4BAT (Lionheart G-LEP Landau and CLP Frankfurt)

    German federal and state governments approved grants of up to about EUR 104 million for Vulcan's Li4BAT lithium extraction and hydroxide processing plants in Landau and Frankfurt.

    official release

  6. 2024-12-09 · Government loan · announced · EUR 120

    Export Finance Australia → Vulcan Energy Resources · Phase One Lionheart

    Export Finance Australia conditionally approved a EUR 120 million (about AUD 196 million) commitment to the debt financing of Vulcan's Lionheart geothermal lithium project in Germany.

    official release

  7. 2024-06-03 · Equity investment · completed · EUR 40

    CIMIC Group; Hancock Prospecting; Victor Smorgon Group → Vulcan Energy Resources · Phase One Lionheart

    CIMIC (EUR 25m), Hancock Prospecting (EUR 12.5m) and Victor Smorgon Group (EUR 2.5m) made EUR 40 million of strategic placements in Vulcan Energy during its project financing phase.

    official release

Mines and facilities (15)

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