Salient Magnesium Statistics

This table presents key data on magnesium production, trade, consumption, and pricing, primarily focusing on the United States alongside global primary production figures. Magnesium is a critical industrial metal used extensively in automotive, aerospace, electronics, and construction sectors due to its light weight and strength. Monitoring production levels, import-export balances, and price trends provides valuable insights into supply chain dynamics, market demand, and economic health within the magnesium industry, which in turn affects manufacturing costs and technological development.

Analysis of the data reveals that U.S. primary magnesium production was withheld for most years and reported as zero in 2023, indicating a continued absence or minimal domestic primary output. Secondary production, however, remained robust, fluctuating between 94,800 metric tons in 2020 and peaking at 115,000 metric tons in 2022 before slightly declining to 108,000 metric tons in 2023. Imports for consumption showed significant volatility, rising sharply from 50,100 metric tons in 2021 to 107,000 metric tons in 2022, then decreasing to 87,900 metric tons in 2023. Exports steadily declined over the period, dropping from 14,900 metric tons in 2020 to 4,870 metric tons in 2023. The annual average price of magnesium in the U.S. market experienced notable fluctuations, rising from $2.26 per pound in 2020 to a peak of $7.59 in 2022 before falling to $4.99 in 2023. Globally, primary magnesium production decreased from 1,080,000 metric tons in 2019 and 2020 to 900,000 metric tons in 2023, reflecting broader market adjustments. These trends highlight the U.S.’s reliance on secondary production and imports to meet demand amid shifting global supply and price conditions.