Supply chain footprint — snapshot year 2025
| Element | Share % | Quantity | Global rank | Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K potassium |
6.3% | 3.0 million tonnes per year | 5th | high | Germany — USGS 2024 estimate: 3,000 thousand metric tons K2O equivalent. K+S AG is the primary European potash producer,… |
| Na sodium |
5.7% | 16.0 million tonnes per year | 4th | high | USGS MCS 2025 table: Germany 2024e = 16,000 thousand metric tons. |
| Ca calcium |
1.4% | 5.7 million tonnes per year | 7th | high | USGS MCS 2025 table: Germany 2024e = 5,700 thousand metric tons. |
| Si silicon |
1.3% | 60,000 tonnes per year | 13th | high | USGS 2024e: 60 kt. |
| B boron |
0.9% | 40,000 tonnes per year | 8th | high | Germany 2024e: 40 thousand metric tons boron compounds (40,000 tonnes), up from 38 thousand metric tons in 2023. Reserve… |
| Element | Share % | Quantity | Global rank | Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hf hafnium |
25.0% | — | 2nd | low | Germany is named by USGS MCS 2025 as one of the leading global exporters of unwrought hafnium in 2024 and was the top US… byproduct of Zr |
| Rh rhodium |
8.0% | — | 4th | low | Germany is included as a low-confidence estimate for secondary rhodium refining and salt fabrication serving European au… byproduct of Ni, Pt |
| Ti titanium |
3.5% | 339,000 tonnes per year | 9th | high | |
| O oxygen |
3.0% | 3.2 million tonnes per year | 6th | low | Germany remains a major BF-BOF producer while also investing in DRI transition. |
| Y yttrium |
3.0% | — | 2nd | high | Germany accounts for approximately 3% of US yttrium compound imports (2020–23) per USGS. German yttrium processing invol… |
| Cl chlorine |
2.7% | 2.0 million tonnes per year | 5th | high | Germany's share estimated from Euro Chlor European total of 8.04 Mt (2024). Individual European country breakdown not pu… |
| Cu copper |
2.3% | 0.6 million tonnes per year | 7th | high | |
| Fe iron |
1.9% | 35.0 million tonnes per year | 7th | high | |
| Se selenium |
1.0% | 50.0 tonnes per year | 9th | high | USGS MCS 2025 p.159: "Germany … 50" metric tons 2024e (unchanged from 2023). Share = 50/3700 = 1.4%. byproduct of Cu, Pb, Zn |
| Cd cadmium |
0.7% | 170 tonnes per year | 16th | high | Germany 2024e: 170 metric tons (zero in 2023). byproduct of Zn |
| Al aluminum |
0.7% | 1.0 million tonnes per year | 26th | high |
| Element | Share % | Quantity | Global rank | Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K potassium |
3.1% | 150,000,000 tonnes | 7th | high | Germany — USGS: 150,000 thousand metric tons K2O equivalent. |