battery_metal · primary
Stainless-steel mainstay turned battery metal. Indonesia's RKEF + HPAL build-out has roughly tripled global mine output since 2018, making it the most concentrated supply story in critical minerals. Class 1 (battery-grade) flows through Canada, Norway, and Finland after Russian sanctions tightened in 2022.
Trade · cross-border
US import dependency
2021–2024 · USGS MCS44% of US imports from Canada · Primary nickel
Provenance
Net import reliance · 2025
41% net import reliantImport vs export balance · 2021–2025
USGS MCSLatest 2025: net importer
| Year | Imports | Exports | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 142.4K t | 55.7K t | +86.7K t |
| 2022 | 164.3K t | 70.7K t | +93.6K t |
| 2023 | 151.6K t | 78.5K t | +73.1K t |
| 2024 | 145.0K t | 68.4K t | +76.6K t |
| 2025 | 145.0K t | 56.0K t | +89.0K t |
Top global exporters · 2024
CEPII BACI · export valueExport restrictions
10 measures · OECD| Reporter | Measure | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar | Other export measures | 180 |
| Botswana | Licensing requirement | 168 |
| Madagascar | Licensing requirement | 141 |
| Myanmar | Licensing requirement | 96 |
| China | Licensing requirement | 60 |
| Indonesia | Licensing requirement | 56 |
| Indonesia | Export prohibition | 47 |
| China | Export tax | 46 |
| Russian Federation | Export tax | 34 |
| Colombia | Fiscal tax on exports | 24 |
12 sources · click to verify
