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Other critical minerals

Boron (B)

Borates for glass fibre and insulation, ceramics, detergents, fertilisers; boron in NdFeB magnets and semiconductors.

Open in the explorer
Atomic number
5
Period · group
2 · 13
Block
p-block

Why it is critical

Production and reserves are concentrated in very few countries.

Who trades boron

$1.3 bn of boron products crossed borders in 2024: chemicals $657 m · ores and concentrates $457 m · refined metal $208 m.

Largest exporters

  1. 1Türkiye$395 m30%
  2. 2United States of America$236 m18%
  3. 3Bolivia$110 m8%
  4. 4Chile$96 m7%
  5. 5China$81 m6%
  6. 6Russia$74 m6%
  7. 7Argentina$56 m4%
  8. 8Canada$43 m3%

Largest importers

  1. 1China$330 m25%
  2. 2Brazil$171 m13%
  3. 3Germany$93 m7%
  4. 4India$59 m4%
  5. 5Canada$56 m4%
  6. 6United States of America$49 m4%
  7. 7Taiwan$44 m3%
  8. 8South Korea$43 m3%

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.