Nickel exports from all countries totaled US$4.15 billion worth of international nickel sales for 2023.

Globally exported nickel increased by 5.7% for all shippers of nickel over the 5-year period starting from $3.93 billion in 2019.

Year over year, the value of nickel exported worldwide fell by an average -24% compared to $5.46 billion during 2022.

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, New Caledonia, Zimbabwe, Russia and the United States of America. Collectively, those 5 international suppliers generated over three-quarters (76.4%) of the overall dollar spend on exported nickel ores or concentrates during 2023.

Among continents, nickel suppliers located in Asian countries exported the highest dollar worth of shiny metal during 2023 with shipments valued at $1.12 billion or 27.1% of the worldwide total. In second place were nickel exporters in Africa at 21.8%, trailed by suppliers in Oceania’s New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea at another 16.8%.

Smaller percentages came from Europe (16.6%), North America (11.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Latin America (6.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.

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

Top Nickel Exporters by Country

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of nickel during 2023.

1. Philippines: US$1.1 billion (26% of total nickel exports)
2. New Caledonia: $690.3 million (16.6%)
3. Zimbabwe: $647.1 million (15.6%)
4. Russia: $386.5 million (9.3%)
5. United States: $368.5 million (8.9%)
6. Finland: $284.6 million (6.9%)
7. Brazil: $244.5 million (5.9%)
8. Zambia: $134 million (3.2%)
9. Canada: $93 million (2.2%)
10. Ivory Coast: $85.3 million (2.1%)
11. Vietnam: $38.8 million (0.9%)
12. Guatemala: $29.1 million (0.7%)
13. Tanzania: $20.2 million (0.5%)
14. Namibia: $18.1 million (0.4%)
15. Belgium: $6.1 million (0.15%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.4% of globally exported nickel in 2023.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing nickel exporters since 2022 were: Vietnam (up 215,622%), Tanzania (up 120.2%), Zambia (up 12.4%) and the United States of America (up 12.1%).

Those countries that posted declines in their exported nickel sales were led by: Canada (down -52.8% from 2022), Guatemala (down -50.8%), Zimbabwe (down -41.3%), New Caledonia (down -23.9%) and Brazil (also down -23.9%).

Searchable List of Nickel Exporting Countries in 2023

The 44 countries showcased in the automated database below sold 100% of globally exported nickel ores or concentrates during 2023.

Rank	Exporter	Nickel Exports	2022-3
1.	Philippines	$1,080,375,000	-14.2%
2.	New Caledonia	$690,300,000	-23.9%
3.	Zimbabwe	$647,074,000	-41.3%
4.	Russia	$386,521,000	-13.2%
5.	United States	$368,453,000	+12.1%
6.	Finland	$284,596,000	-20.4%
7.	Brazil	$244,454,000	-23.9%
8.	Zambia	$134,043,000	+12.4%
9.	Canada	$92,978,000	-52.8%
10.	Ivory Coast	$85,267,000	-3.5%
11.	Vietnam	$38,830,000	+215622%
12.	Guatemala	$29,090,000	-50.8%
13.	Tanzania	$20,216,000	+120.2%
14.	Namibia	$18,067,000	0%
15.	Belgium	$6,105,000	+7.1%
16.	Solomon Islands	$5,387,000	0%
17.	Cyprus	$3,758,000	+599.8%
18.	Germany	$2,713,000	-57.8%
19.	Norway	$2,418,000	-9%
20.	France	$1,487,000	+15.3%
21.	Slovakia	$1,406,000	+304%
22.	Singapore	$1,335,000	+215.6%
23.	Taiwan	$1,275,000	+628.6%
24.	South Korea	$1,028,000	+399%
25.	Albania	$883,000	0%
26.	Botswana	$698,000	-51.2%
27.	Thailand	$483,000	+12.6%
28.	South Africa	$263,000	+25.8%
29.	Kazakhstan	$249,000	+24800%
30.	Türkiye	$225,000	-98%
31.	Netherlands	$45,000	-97.2%
32.	Ethiopia	$32,000	-47.5%
33.	Spain	$32,000	0%
34.	United Kingdom	$28,000	-63.2%
35.	Sweden	$17,000	+240%
36.	Papua New Guinea	$12,000	0%
37.	Montenegro	$12,000	0%
38.	United Arab Emirates	$11,000	-71.8%
39.	Poland	$8,000	-93.2%
40.	Lithuania	$4,000	0%
41.	Italy	$4,000	-81.8%
42.	China	$3,000	-66.7%
43.	Greece	$2,000	0%
44.	Iran	$1,000	0%

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 2022 data was unavailable.

Average Unit Prices for Nickel Exports

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 2023.

1. Philippines: US$27 per ton of nickel (down -18.2% from 2022)
2. New Caledonia: $103 per ton (down -25.4%)
3. Zimbabwe: $3,594 per ton (down -38.4%)
4. Russia: $1,885 per ton (up 0.2%)
5. United States: $4,968 per ton (down -35.8%)
6. Finland: $6,521 per ton (up 29.2%)
7. Brazil: $2,196 per ton (down -13.6%)
8. Zambia: $2,214 per ton (down -31.9%)
9. Canada: $15,880 per ton (down -22.2%)
10. Ivory Coast: $42 per ton (down -10.6%)
11. Vietnam: $1,476 per ton (down -67.2%)
12. Guatemala: $32 per ton (down -5.9%)
13. Tanzania: $599 per ton (up 64.6%)
14. Namibia: $1,401 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
15. Belgium: $1,765 per ton (down -18.1%)
16. Solomon Islands: $148 per ton (2022 data unavailable)

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

The highest levels of inflation calculated for greater average prices per ton of exported nickel belong to suppliers in Tanzania (up 64.6% from 2022) and Finland (up 29.2%).

The strongest decliners in terms of average prices year over year were providers in Vietnam (down -67.2% from 2022), Zimbabwe (down -38.4%) and the United States of America (down -35.8%).

Major Exporters by Greatest Volume of Nickel Shipments by Weight

The following ranking reveals which counties exported the biggest volumes of nickel during 2023 in terms of shipment tonnage.

All told, these 15 major suppliers generated 99.98% of the total 49.3 million tons of globally exported nickel in 2023.

1. Philippines: 40,441,578 tons of nickel (79.4% of world’s total)
2. New Caledonia: 6,674,830 tons (13.1%)
3. Ivory Coast: 2,015,507 tons (4%)
4. Guatemala: 921,976 tons (1.8%)
5. Russia: 205,098 tons (0.4%)
6. Zimbabwe: 180,020 tons (0.4%)
7. Brazil: 111,306 tons (0.2%)
8. United States: 74,169 tons (0.1%)
9. Zambia: 60,554 tons (0.1%)
10. Finland: 43,641 tons (0.1%)
11. Cyprus: 42,000 tons (0.1%)
12. Solomon Islands: 36,475 tons (0.1%)
13. Tanzania: 33,762 tons (0.07%)
14. Albania: 31,549 tons (0.06%)
15. Vietnam: 26,306 tons (0.05%)

Fastest-growing nickel shippers as measured by weight are Vietnam (up 657,550% from 2022), Cyprus (up 10,725%), United States of America (up 74.6%) then Zambia (up 65.2%).

Declining by double-digit percentages compared to 2022 were suppliers in Guatemala (down -47%), Finland (down -38.4%), Russia (down -13.4%) and Brazil (down -11.9%).

Countries Generating Greatest Surpluses from Global Nickel Trade

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for nickel during 2023. 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: $1.1 billion (down -14.2% since 2022)
2. New Caledonia: $690.3 million (down -23.9%)
3. Zimbabwe: $647.1 million (down -41.3%)
4. Russia: $386.5 million (down -13.2%)
5. United States of America: $368.3 million (up 12.1%)
6. Brazil: $242.9 million (down -23.4%)
7. Zambia: $134 million (up 12.4%)
8. Ivory Coast: $85.3 million (down -3.5%)
9. Vietnam: $38.6 million (reversing a -$569,000 deficit)
10. Guatemala: $29.1 million (down -50.8%)
11. Finland: $26.3 million (down -13.8%)
12. Tanzania: $20.2 million (up 120.2%)
13. Solomon Islands: $5.4 million (2022 data unavailable)
14. Norway: $1.8 million (down -33.9%)
15. France: $1.5 million (up 15.4%)

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 2023. 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$3.5 billion (down -22.1% since 2022)
2. Canada: -$748.5 million (up 143.9%)
3. South Korea: -$323.8 million (down -15.3%)
4. Japan: -$107.4 million (down -62.4%)
5. Namibia: -$27.8 million (2022 data unavailable)
6. North Macedonia: -$23.9 million (down -59%)
7. Indonesia: -$16.1 million (up 592.7%)
8. Dominican Republic: -$11.5 million (up 196.9%)
9. Germany: -$5 million (reversing a $2 million surplus)
10. Australia: -$4.6 million (reversing a $225.8 million surplus)
11. Spain: -$2.7 million (up 33137.5%)
12. Cyprus: -$2.5 million (down -76.1%)
13. South Africa: -$1.6 million (down -8.2%)
14. Albania: -$729,000 (2022 data unavailable)
15. Greece: -$702,000 (up 55.3%)

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 August 16, 2024

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on August 16, 2024

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on August 16, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 16, 2024

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 16, 2024

The Balance, The 10 Biggest Nickel Producers of 2013. Accessed on August 16, 2024

Wikipedia, Nickel. Accessed on August 16, 2024