A key focus is the concentration of production and trade of critical raw materials; extraction of raw materials occurs mainly where these materials are naturally abundant or where natural conditions and available technology make extraction economically viable. (p. 14)
Mining’s high fixed capital costs make economies of scale significant, resulting in persistent concentration of production and trade even for ubiquitous raw materials; demand is also an important factor. (p. 14, Box 1)
Global production of critical raw materials increased by 30% from 2012 to 2019 but these growth rates are low compared to the projected increase in demand related to the green transition. (p. 16, Figure 3.3)
Precious metals and ores, magnesium, lithium, platinum, and cobalt are all highly concentrated and growing in concentration; rare earth elements, natural graphite, other non-ferrous minor metals, and arsenic have relatively high but declining concentrations. (p. 17, Figure 3.4)
Production of critical raw materials is concentrated among a few countries, some account for a large share of the production of more than one critical raw materials. (p. 18, Figure 3.5)

Availability of critical raw materials may depend less on country policies and more on companies that own deposits, invest in mining and processing capacity, meet regulatory standards, and market the materials in international markets. (p. 19, Box 2)
The top 10 traded critical metals accounted for 94% of the value of global exports of critical raw materials; the trade of ores and minerals has grown faster than the trade of critical raw materials as a whole. (pp. 19-21; Figures 3.6-3.8)
Imports of products are less concentrated than exports of products generally; for critical raw materials, concentration has increased marginally but consistently for both imports and exports; distinguishing by product and sector reveals some higher concentrations among materials. (p. 22)
There is high variation in which countries account for the largest shares of global exports of critical raw materials, linked to natural endowments and production but also economies of scale, size of the national economy, and technology. (pp. 22-24, Figures 3.9 and 3.10)

For some products, imports are more concentrated than exports, suggesting significant market power of buyers; for some raw materials, major importers have similar levels of economic leverage to key exporters; import concentration, like export concentration, can be a source of disruptions in supply chains. (p. 25)
While the country concentration of imports and exports of critical raw materials has increased, trade in these materials is diversified; as such, significant disruptions in green transition trade may be limited. (pp. 26-28, Figures 3.11-12, Table 3.2)
Some importers of critical raw materials depend more significantly on specific suppliers and have fewer diversification options than suggested by average global concentration figures. (p. 28)