# Abrasives: Stocks

When reserves mean furnaces, power and coke, not rock

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/stocks/

What this tab covers How much is left and how much is held. For minerals and energy: reserves, current output, years of supply and recycling for the top five countries. For farm commodities: production, ending stocks and stocks-to-use for the top five producers (USDA, October 2026). It also covers inventories and stockpiles.

#### Top five countries: reserves, output and years of supply

| Country | Reserves not applicable (manufactured product) | Current output kt fused aluminium oxide production capacity (2025e) | Years of supply | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **China** | – | 800 | – | n/a |
| **Austria** | – | 90 | – | n/a |
| **Germany** | – | 80 | – | n/a |
| **United States** | – | 60 | – | n/a |
| **Australia** | – | 50 | – | n/a |

 USGS MCS 2026, Abrasives (Manufactured) (world production capacity table). Years of supply = reserves ÷ current output; reserves grow as prices and technology change, so this is not a countdown.

#### Recycling

USGS says up to 30% of fused aluminium oxide may be recycled and about 5% of silicon carbide (US); no other country figures exist. Brazil also has 50 kt of fused alumina capacity. Silicon carbide capacity in 2025: China 450 kt, Norway 80 kt, Japan 60 kt, Mexico 45 kt, US, Brazil 40 kt each, of a 1.0 Mt world total. Raw materials (bauxite, silica sand, petroleum coke) are abundant.

Reserves are not a meaningful concept for synthetic grits, so no reserve life is given. Supply depends on furnace capacity, power and feedstocks such as bauxite, silica sand and coke. USGS says US raw materials for silicon carbide are more than adequate. For fused alumina they are limited, though the Western Hemisphere has enough. Up to 30% of fused aluminium oxide may be recycled, against about 5% of silicon carbide. Spent steel shot goes back into the scrap stream. There is no government stockpile.

Up to 30% of fused aluminium oxide may be recycled, and about 5% of silicon carbide is recycled.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/abrasives/links/index.md)