Minerals: Imports
(asked on 8th June 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of UK critical mineral imports in each of the last three years originated from a single country of origin for each listed mineral; and what assessment he has made of the risk of critical mineral supply being concentrated in a single country.
Please see table below, derived from HMRC’s Import data by preference bulk dataset, using trade codes as published in the technical annex of the UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy.
The Strategy recognises that supply chains are increasingly concentrated and sets out a clear ambition to diversify supply, including ensuring that no more than 60% of any critical mineral is sourced from a single country. This will be achieved by strengthening domestic production and recycling, building international partnerships to diversify supply, and leveraging finance and innovation to support more resilient global supply chains.
Single largest country of origin for UK imports of critical and growth minerals, by proportion of the total mass imported, 2023-2025.
Mineral | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |||
Aluminium | Germany | 18% | Germany | 16% | Germany | 16% |
Antimony | France | 46% | France | 48% | France | 48% |
Beryllium | Russia | 89% | China | 39% | United States | 100% |
Bismuth | China | 88% | China | 64% | China | 43% |
Borates | Turkey | 72% | Turkey | 67% | Turkey | 64% |
Chromium | South Africa | 39% | South Africa | 56% | South Africa | 39% |
Cobalt | Canada | 18% | China | 39% | China | 48% |
Copper | Belgium | 20% | Belgium | 15% | Germany | 17% |
Gallium | China | 70% | United States | 36% | United States | 35% |
Germanium | China | 46% | China | 85% | Belgium | 34% |
Graphite | China | 60% | China | 59% | China | 69% |
Hafnium | China | 35% | China | 42% | United States | 44% |
Helium | Canada | 30% | China | 38% | China | 38% |
Indium | Canada | 32% | Taiwan | 45% | Taiwan | 40% |
Iridium & Ruthenium | South Africa | 35% | South Africa | 35% | South Africa | 34% |
Iron | Brazil | 14% | Sweden | 12% | Sweden | 19% |
Lithium | Chile | 75% | Chile | 87% | Chile | 68% |
Magnesite | China | 31% | China | 33% | China | 31% |
Magnesium | Germany | 33% | Germany | 41% | China | 40% |
Manganese | Norway | 44% | Norway | 35% | Norway | 42% |
Nickel | Indonesia | 41% | Indonesia | 49% | Indonesia | 54% |
Niobium | Brazil | 54% | Brazil | 66% | Brazil | 55% |
Phosphates | Israel | 35% | Israel | 29% | Israel | 28% |
Platinum | Germany | 57% | Germany | 39% | Germany | 40% |
Rare Earth Elements | China | 70% | China | 72% | China | 47% |
Rhenium | Ireland | 41% | Germany | 40% | France | 74% |
Rhodium | South Africa | 62% | South Africa | 48% | South Africa | 58% |
Silicon | Brazil | 27% | China | 19% | China | 27% |
Sodium | China | 41% | China | 32% | China | 37% |
Tantalum | China | 37% | China | 61% | China | 63% |
Tellurium | Italy | 21% | Italy | 30% | Belgium | 49% |
Tin | China | 25% | China | 37% | China | 42% |
Titanium | Australia | 35% | Australia | 31% | South Africa | 32% |
Tungsten | China | 32% | China | 30% | China | 49% |
Uranium | United States | 90% | Belgium | 56% | Netherlands | 98% |
Vanadium | Germany | 50% | Germany | 55% | Germany | 44% |
Zinc | Norway | 31% | United States | 28% | Norway | 37% |