Charted: China’s Grip on Critical Mineral Refining

May 31, 2026

By Bruno Venditti – Visual Capitalist

China has become the world’s dominant processor of critical minerals, refining the materials that power everything from AI chips and data centers to electric vehicles and military hardware.

In many cases, China’s control extends far beyond mining. The country leads refined production for 19 of the 20 minerals analyzed in this visualization, including gallium, graphite, rare earths, and lithium.

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Charted: China’s Grip on Critical Mineral Refining

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