General Minerals Market Report 2026

The general minerals market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $207.38 billion in 2025 to $225.27 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of construction and manufacturing industries, availability of diverse mineral reserves, growth of industrial material demand, development of mineral processing technologies, rising use of specialty minerals.

The general minerals market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $322.65 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for battery and energy minerals, expansion of renewable energy infrastructure, rising focus on responsible sourcing, growing adoption of advanced processing techniques, increasing investments in mineral exploration. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing demand for industrial-grade minerals, rising adoption of processed mineral products, expansion of minerals in energy storage applications, growing focus on sustainable mining practices, enhanced emphasis on supply chain traceability.

The rising demand for minerals is expected to drive the growth of the general minerals market going forward. Minerals are naturally occurring substances defined by their unique chemical and physical properties, composition, and atomic structure. They serve as essential raw materials across various industries, including construction, manufacturing, electronics, and energy. Expansion of infrastructure in both developing and developed countries further boosts mineral consumption. For instance, in May 2025, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a France-based autonomous intergovernmental organization, demand for key energy transition minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and rare earths continued to grow in 2024, with lithium demand rising by nearly 30% and demand for nickel, cobalt, graphite, and rare earths increasing by 6-8%. Therefore, the growing demand for minerals is fueling the expansion of the general minerals market.

Major companies in the general minerals market are focusing on developing innovative solutions, such as advanced mineral-based functional products, to address the growing demand for specialty minerals across diverse consumer and industrial applications, driven by expanding end-use industries and sustainability requirements. Advanced mineral-based functional products are engineered or processed mineral materials with enhanced physical, chemical, or surface properties designed to provide specific performance functions beyond basic raw mineral use. For instance, in September 2024, Minerals Technologies Inc., a New York, United States-based specialty minerals company, launched SIVO, an innovative brand featuring advanced bentonite-based cat litter products that utilize the company’s mining, processing, and global supply chain expertise to deliver high-performance solutions in over 55 countries. The SIVO portfolio includes formulations designed for effective odor control, easy waste removal through clumping action, and customizable product and packaging options, offering improved user experience and environmental benefits compared with traditional non-clumping mineral litters.

In December 2025, South Africa-based mining company Sallies Holdings (Pty) Ltd acquired G & W Base and Industrial Minerals (Pty) Ltd for an undisclosed consideration. The acquisition enhances Sallies’ position as a diversified industrial minerals group in Southern Africa by increasing operational scale, strengthening supply security, and improving its ability to customize products for specific customer needs. G & W Base and Industrial Minerals (Pty) Ltd is a South Africa-based company that offers a wide range of general mineral products.

Major companies operating in the general minerals market are Alcoa Corporation, Compass Minerals International Inc., Iluka Resources Limited, Rio Tinto Inc., Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM), Aluminum Corporation of China Limited, Anglo American plc, BHP Group, China Molybdenum Co. Ltd., Eti Maden, First Quantum Minerals Ltd., Freeport-McMoRan Inc., Glencore plc, Grupo México S.A.B. de C.V., ICL Group, Imerys SA, Jiangxi Copper Company Limited, KORE Potash, Lundin Mining Corporation, Mosaic Company.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the general minerals market in 2025. North America was the second largest region in the general minerals market. The regions covered in the general minerals market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the general minerals market report are China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, New Zealand, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Turkey, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa.

The general minerals market consists of sales of mine construction sand and gravel, industrial sand, kaolin and ball clay, clay and ceramic and refractory minerals, potash, soda and borate mineral, phosphate rock, or other chemical and fertilizer minerals mining. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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