Global mica production 2023, by country

The world's largest mica producer in 2023 was China, with an estimated output of 85,000 metric tons of mica. This was followed by Finland, which produced 60,000 metric tons that year.

Mica and its uses

Mica is the name given to a group of silicate minerals with similar physical and chemical characteristics. These minerals form sheets, therefore giving mica its distinctive layered texture. Due to its translucent, optically flat, and elastic properties, mica has a variety of applications. It can be found in a wide range of consumer goods, from cosmetics to electronic appliances. It is also added to rubber products such as tires to prevent sticking, or to paints in order to improve their pigmentation. In 2023, the price of mica in the United States was estimated at 350 U.S. dollars per metric ton for wet ground mica, while one ton of dry ground mica stood at 300 U.S. dollars.

How is mica produced?

Mica is mainly produced from mining. The mica industry comprises two interdependent sectors: one dedicated to producing sheet mica, and the other focused on flake mica production. Sheet mica is typically mined through a process called strip mining or quarrying, which involves manually or mechanically removing the layers of mica from the host rock. Meanwhile, flake mica is commonly mined through open-pit methods or underground mining, in which miners extract the flake mica ore using machinery and explosives and then separating it from the other minerals. Altogether, the mine production of mica worldwide came to 330,000 metric tons in 2023, most of which was derived from flake mine production.