Language

         

 Advertising by Adpathway

Top Nickel Importers by Country Plus Average Prices

1 month ago 4

PROTECT YOUR DNA WITH QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY

Orgo-Life the new way to the future

  Advertising by Adpathway

by

Nickels, pennies (courtesy of Pixabay.com)Nickels, pennies (Pixabay)

Nickel exports from all countries totaled US$3.64 billion worth of international nickel sales for 2024.

Globally exported nickel increased by 5.7% for all shippers of nickel over the 5-year period starting from $3.44 billion in 2020.

Year over year, the value of nickel exported worldwide fell by an average -12.1% compared to $4.14 billion during 2023.

Resistant to corrosion, nickel is used in stainless steel, magnets, coins, rechargeable batteries as well as plating on plumbing fixtures including faucets and a green tint in glass.

By value, the world’s 5 biggest nickel exporters are the Philippines, Finland, New Caledonia, Russia and Zambia. Collectively, those 5 international suppliers generated just over two-thirds (67.8%) of the overall dollar spend on exported nickel ores or concentrates during 2024.

Among continents, nickel suppliers located in Asian countries exported the highest dollar worth of shiny metal during 2024 with shipments valued at $1.12 billion or 32.8% of the worldwide total. In second place were nickel exporters in Europe at 22%, trailed by suppliers in Africa at another 16.7%.

Smaller percentages came from Oceania’s New Caledonia, Australia and Solomon Islands (13.7%), North America (8.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Latin America (6.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.

For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2604 for nickel ores and concentrates.

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of nickel during 2024.

  1. Philippines: US$1 billion (28.7% of total nickel exports)
  2. Finland: $424.6 million (11.7%)
  3. New Caledonia: $340.7 million (9.4%)
  4. Russia: $333.4 million (9.2%)
  5. Zambia: $323.7 million (8.9%)
  6. Brazil: $231.6 million (6.4%)
  7. Namibia: $207.8 million (5.7%)
  8. Canada: $155.3 million (4.3%)
  9. United States: $138.2 million (3.8%)
  10. Australia: $119.9 million (3.3%)
  11. Vietnam: $70.5 million (1.9%)
  12. Ivory Coast: $58.2 million (1.6%)
  13. Taiwan: $51.9 million (1.4%)
  14. Solomon Islands: $38.4 million (1.1%)
  15. Belgium: $30.1 million (0.83%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 98.1% of globally exported nickel in 2024.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing nickel exporters since 2023 were: Taiwan (up 3,971%), Namibia (up 1043.7%), Solomon Islands (up 613.1%) and Belgium (up 393%).

Those countries that posted declines in their exported nickel sales were led by: United States of America (down -62.5%), New Caledonia (down -50.6%), Ivory Coast (down -31.8%), Russia (down -13.8%) and Brazil (down -5.3%).

The 45 countries showcased in the automated database below sold 100% of globally exported nickel ores or concentrates during 2024.

RankExporterNickel Exports (US$)2023-4
1.Philippines$1,044,854,000-3.3%
2.Finland$424,633,000+49.2%
3.New Caledonia$340,695,000-50.6%
4.Russia$333,374,000-13.8%
5.Zambia$323,702,000+141.5%
6.Brazil$231,574,000-5.3%
7.Namibia$207,821,000+1044%
8.Canada$155,275,000+67%
9.United States$138,239,000-62.5%
10.Australia$119,949,0000%
11.Vietnam$70,470,000+103.8%
12.Ivory Coast$58,167,000-31.8%
13.Taiwan$51,899,000+3971%
14.Solomon Islands$38,415,000+613.1%
15.Belgium$30,097,000+393%
16.Malaysia$25,353,0000%
17.Guatemala$13,506,000-53.6%
18.Tanzania$12,435,000-38.5%
19.Netherlands$7,553,000+16684%
20.Democratic Republic Congo$2,029,0000%
21.Zimbabwe$1,738,000-99.7%
22.Botswana$1,435,000+105.6%
23.Norway$1,407,000-41.8%
24.France$1,098,000-26.2%
25.Slovakia$731,000-48%
26.Germany$516,000-57.2%
27.South Africa$456,000+73.4%
28.South Korea$319,000-69%
29.Thailand$298,000-38.3%
30.Hungary$290,0000%
31.Singapore$164,000-87.7%
32.Saudi Arabia$106,0000%
33.Spain$55,000+71.9%
34.Kazakhstan$54,000-78.3%
35.Türkiye$54,000-76%
36.Italy$42,000+950%
37.United Kingdom$40,000+42.9%
38.India$35,0000%
39.Mexico$35,0000%
40.Japan$27,0000%
41.Ireland$24,0000%
42.Indonesia$15,0000%
43.mainland China$15,000+400%
44.Austria$6,0000%
45.Papua New Guinea$3,0000%

You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the columns.

An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that 2023 data was unavailable.

Average Unit Prices for Nickel Exports

The world’s average price per ton of exported nickel was $60 in 2024 same as in 2020. The price in 2024 fell -14.8% compared to $81 per ton during 2023.

Focusing on the 15 main countries that export nickel based on total sales revenues, the costliest suppliers are Canada, Finland and the United States of America.

The major nickel suppliers listed below are sorted in descending order based on the highest to lowest nickel sales on international markets during 2024.

  1. Philippines: US$23 per ton of nickel (down -14.8% from 2023)
  2. Finland: $6,957 per ton (up 6.7%)
  3. New Caledonia: $80 per ton (down -22.3%)
  4. Russia: $1,412 per ton (down -25.1%)
  5. Zambia: $2,019 per ton (down -8.8%)
  6. Brazil: $1,865 per ton (down -15.1%)
  7. Namibia: $1,620 per ton (up 15.3%)
  8. Canada: $13,974 per ton (down -12%)
  9. United States: $4,115 per ton (down -17.2%)
  10. Australia: $1,812 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
  11. Vietnam: $1,409 per ton (down -39.8%)
  12. Ivory Coast: $42 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
  13. Taiwan: $1,246 per ton (down -70.7%)
  14. Solomon Islands: $78 per ton (down -47.3%)
  15. Belgium: $1,430 per ton (down -19%)
  16. Malaysia: $1,507 per ton (2023 data unavailable)

Four major suppliers from which to buy the least expensive nickel on international markets are the Philippines, Ivory Coast, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia.

Two countries that increased the average prices from 2023 to 2024 were Namibia (up 15.3%) and Finland (up 6.7%).

The strongest decliners in terms of average prices year over year were providers in Taiwan (down -70.7% from 2023), Solomon Islands (down -47.3%), Vietnam (down -39.8%) and Russia (down -25.1%).

Major Exporters by Greatest Volume of Nickel Shipments by Weight

The following ranking reveals which counties exported the biggest volumes of nickel during 2024 in terms of shipment tonnage.

All told, these 15 major suppliers generated 99.9% of the total 49.3 million tons of globally exported nickel in 2024.

  1. Philippines: 44,970,940 tons of nickel (85.5% of the world’s total)
  2. New Caledonia: 4,247,831 tons (8.1%)
  3. Ivory Coast: 1,387,893 tons (2.6%)
  4. Solomon Islands: 494,701 tons (0.9%)
  5. Guatemala: 478,891 tons (0.9%)
  6. Russia: 236,048 tons (0.4%)
  7. Zambia: 160,314 tons (0.3%)
  8. Namibia: 128,295 tons (0.2%)
  9. Brazil: 124,166 tons (0.2%)
  10. Australia: 66,211 tons (0.1%)
  11. Finland: 61,039 tons (0.1%)
  12. Vietnam: 50,011 tons (0.1%)
  13. Taiwan: 41,651 tons (0.08%)
  14. United States: 33,594 tons (0.06%)
  15. Tanzania: 22,356 tons (0.04%)

Fastest-growing nickel shippers as measured by weight are Taiwan (up 13,784% from 2023), Solomon Islands (up 1,256%), Namibia (up 892.2%), Vietnam (up 238.6%) then Zambia (up 164.7%).

Declining by double-digit percentages compared to 2023 were suppliers in the United States of America (down -54.7% in 2023), Guatemala (down -48.1%), New Caledonia (down -36.4%), Tanzania (down -33.8%) and Ivory Coast (down -31.1%).

Countries Generating Greatest Surpluses from Global Nickel Trade

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for nickel during 2024. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported nickel and its import purchases for that same commodity.

  1. Philippines: US$1 billion (down -3.3% since 2023)
  2. New Caledonia: $340.7 million (down -50.6%)
  3. Russia: $333.4 million (down -13.8%)
  4. Zambia: $323.7 million (up 141.5%)
  5. Brazil: $229.1 million (down -5.7%)
  6. United States: $137.8 million (down -62.6%)
  7. Finland: $119.3 million (up 177.4%)
  8. Australia: $116.7 million (reversing a -$4.6 million deficit)
  9. Vietnam: $69.8 million (up 103.8%)
  10. Ivory Coast: $58.2 million (down -31.8%)
  11. Solomon Islands: $38.4 million (up 613.1%)
  12. Belgium: $23.8 million (reversing a -$194,000 deficit)
  13. Guatemala: $13.5 million (down -53.6%)
  14. Tanzania: $12.4 million (down -38.5%)
  15. Netherlands: $7 million (reversing a -$21,000 deficit)

World-leading nickel exporter Philippines generated the highest surplus in the international trade of nickel. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms the strong Filipino competitive advantage for this specific product category.

Countries Incurring Worst Deficits from Global Nickel Trade

The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for nickel during 2024. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported nickel purchases and its exports for that same commodity.

  1. mainland China: -US$2.7 billion (down -23.4% since 2023)
  2. Indonesia: -$460.2 million (up 2766.1%)
  3. South Korea: -$208.9 million (down -35.5%)
  4. Canada: -$187 million (down -75%)
  5. Japan: -$38.6 million (down -64%)
  6. Namibia: -$32.6 million (up 15.7%)
  7. Spain: -$5 million (up 89.4%)
  8. Morocco: -$4.9 million (2023 data unavailable)
  9. Colombia: -$3.1 million (up 61980%)
  10. Germany: -$3.1 million (down -53.1%)
  11. Albania: -$2 million (2023 data unavailable)
  12. South Africa: -$1.5 million (down -9.6%)
  13. Malaysia: -$937,000 (up 13285.7%)
  14. Taiwan: -$597,000 (down -146.8%)
  15. Cambodia: -$513,000 (2023 data unavailable)

The People’s Republic of China incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of nickel. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights China’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for nickel-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.

Major Nickel Producing Companies

Below are 10 of the largest nickel producers that represent established players engaged in the international trade of nickel. Their home country for each company’s headquarters is shown within parenthesis.

  • Anglo American (UK/South Africa)
  • BHP Billiton (Australia)
  • Eramet (France)
  • Glencore (Switzerland)
  • Jinchuan Group (China)
  • Minara Resources (Australia)
  • Norilsk Nickel (Russia)
  • Sherritt International (Canada)
  • Sumitomo Metal Mining (Japan)
  • Vale (Brazil)

According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are also examples of nickel ore exporters. The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses.

  • Cornerstone (Indonesia)
  • FENI Industries (Macedonia)
  • Metores Oy (Finland)
  • Osho Metal Ve Madencilik (Turkey)
  • Philminerals Inc (Philippines)
  • Zeil Global Enterprises (United States)

See also Iron Ore Exports by Country, Top Stainless Steel Exporters by Country and Copper Ore Exports by Country

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for nickel. Accessed on June 11, 2025

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 11, 2025

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 11, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 11, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 11, 2025

The Balance, The 10 Biggest Nickel Producers of 2013. Accessed on June 11, 2025

Wikipedia, Nickel. Accessed on June 11, 2025

Read Entire Article

         

        

HOW TO FIGHT BACK WITH THE 5G  

Protect your whole family with Quantum Orgo-Life® devices

  Advertising by Adpathway