Industrial minerals market analysis
Industrial minerals / non-metals
From bauxite and natural graphite to potash, fluorine, and borates, these non-metallic resources underpin aluminium smelters, crop yields, glass strength, and battery performance. Yet their specialised supply routes remain opaque, with availability shaped by geology, energy costs, and shifting trade policies. Our industrial minerals market analysis explains how production trends, logistics constraints, and new technologies are reshaping global supply chains.
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Why industrial minerals matter
Aluminium cans start with bauxite, crop yields rise with potash, and Li-ion batteries rely on graphite and fluorine chemistry. Demand is expanding with urbanisation, electrification, and sustainable agriculture, yet supply chains remain fragmented and opaque. Clear insight is essential for resilient sourcing and sound capital allocation.
Typical end-uses
Infrastructure and construction
- Bauxite-based alumina in cement and refractories
- Magnesite bricks lining steel converters
Energy and mobility
- Natural graphite anodes in EV batteries
- Fluorine derivatives in battery electrolytes and solar panels
Food and agriculture
- Potash fertilisers boosting crop quality
- Borates improving micronutrient balance in soils
Energy-cost squeeze
High electricity prices are forcing several European alumina calciners and fluorochemical plants to curtail output, and some facilities have closed entirely. Production is shifting toward the Middle East and Southeast Asia, regions with lower energy tariffs, so trade flows of alumina, hydrofluoric acid, and related intermediates are changing contract terms and freight routes. Monitoring these shifts is essential for any up-to-date industrial minerals market analysis.
Geopolitical realignment
China’s new fluorspar export quotas, combined with Indonesia’s ban on bauxite ore exports, are prompting processors in Europe and North America to diversify raw-material sourcing. Exploration and downstream investment are accelerating in Brazil, Guinea, Kenya, and Mexico, which creates fresh supply options but also new logistics and ESG challenges. Understanding this evolving supplier map is a core objective of our industrial minerals market analysis..
Circular-economy gains
Scrap recovery is advancing quickly: graphite fines from anode-manufacturing offcuts, borate cullet from flat-glass recycling, and potash streams from brine re-processing are all moving from pilot to commercial scale. These secondary flows reduce pressure on primary mining, lower carbon intensity, and, in some cases, stabilise prices. Factoring recycling momentum into forecasts is therefore critical to a forward-looking industrial minerals market analysis.
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Critical Minerals Data Procurement Advisory
Smart procurement of critical minerals data. We help you choose, compare, and integrate datasets to improve investments, reduce risk, and avoid overspend.
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Supply Chain Assessment
Map and assess critical mineral supply chains to uncover risk, improve investment outcomes, and support resilient sourcing strategies.
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Critical Minerals Strategy
Tailored strategic support to identify risk, guide investment, and build resilient mineral supply solutions backed by deep data and global insight.
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Market Assessments
Asset-level supply, demand, and cost modelling for critical minerals market. Tailored insights to guide investment, negotiation, and strategic planning.
Learn MoreIndustrial minerals / non-metals
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