Salient Selenium And Tellurium Statistics

This table presents key statistics on selenium and tellurium, two critical minor metals used extensively in electronics, photovoltaics, glass manufacturing, and metallurgy. It includes data on U.S. production, exports, imports, average prices in the United States and Europe, and global refinery production over the five-year period from 2019 through 2023. Monitoring these metrics is essential for understanding supply chain dynamics, market trends, and economic factors influencing the availability and cost of these metals, which are vital for emerging technologies such as solar cells and advanced semiconductors.

Analysis of the data reveals that U.S. production figures for both selenium and tellurium remain withheld to protect proprietary information, but trade flows and pricing provide insight into market conditions. Selenium exports from the U.S. declined sharply from 361,000 kilograms in 2019 to 94,000 kilograms in 2023, while imports for consumption also decreased from 470,000 to 277,000 kilograms over the same period. Despite reduced trade volumes, selenium prices in the U.S. rose from $20.17 per kilogram in 2019 to $23.11 in 2023, indicating tightening supply or increased demand. Globally, selenium refinery production showed a steady increase, reaching 3.53 million kilograms in 2023. Tellurium exports from the U.S. surged dramatically from 827 kilograms in 2019 to 14,900 kilograms in 2023, even as imports fell from 59,300 to 8,310 kilograms, suggesting a shift toward greater domestic supply or export orientation. Tellurium prices also increased notably, with U.S. prices rising from $68.11 per kilogram in 2019 to $79.09 in 2023, reflecting strong market demand. World refinery production of tellurium grew consistently, reaching 944,000 kilograms in 2023, underscoring the expanding role of tellurium in global industrial applications.