Salient Vermiculite Statistics

This table presents key quantitative and economic data on vermiculite production, consumption, trade, and pricing, focusing primarily on the United States with comparative global production figures. Vermiculite is a versatile mineral widely used in construction, agriculture, and industrial applications due to its lightweight, fire-resistant, and insulating properties. Tracking production volumes, export and import levels, and average unit values provides insight into market dynamics, supply chain dependencies, and economic trends that influence industries reliant on this mineral.

Analysis of the data reveals that U.S. vermiculite concentrate production has remained steady at 100 thousand metric tons annually from 2019 through 2023. However, exfoliated vermiculite quantity shows a declining trend, decreasing from 76 thousand metric tons in 2019 to an estimated 59 thousand metric tons in 2023. Despite this reduction in quantity, the average unit value increased from $803 per metric ton in 2019 to a peak of $956 in 2022 before slightly dropping to $933 in 2023, indicating possible shifts in market pricing or product quality. Exports have remained relatively stable around 8 to 10 thousand metric tons, while imports fluctuated significantly, dropping from 39 thousand metric tons in 2019 to 24 thousand in 2021 before surging to 50 thousand in 2023, suggesting changing domestic demand or supply constraints. Globally, vermiculite production rose from 418 thousand metric tons in 2019 to a peak of 493 thousand in 2022, then declined to 458 thousand in 2023, reflecting broader international market fluctuations.

TABLE 1
SALIENT VERMICULITE STATISTICS¹

(Thousand metric tons and thousand dollars unless otherwise specified)

		2019		2020		2021		2022		2023
United States:
Production, concentrate²		100		100		100		100		100
Exfoliated:
Quantity		76	e	74		68	e	67		59
Valuee		60700		59800		61800		63900		55300
Average unit valuee	dollars per metric ton	803		813		911		956		933
Exportse, 3		8		8		10		8		8
Imports for consumptione, 3		39		40		32	r	24		50
World, production⁴		418	r	414	r	458	r	493	r	458

^eEstimated. ^rRevised.

¹Table includes data available through August 4, 2024. Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits unless otherwise specified.

²Sold or used, rounded to the nearest 100,000 metric tons to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.

³Source: U.S. Census Bureau adjusted by U.S. Geological Survey. Data are for “vermiculite, perlite and chlorites, unexpanded,” Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States code and Schedule B number 2530.10.0000.

⁴May include estimated data.