# Mercury: Overview

Where mercury still hides in products, from switches to fillings

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/overview/

What this tab covers What the commodity is used for, why, in what volumes and with what alternatives, and its chain from mine or field to end user. Also the latest price moves, top recent news, three things to know, and buttons into each tab.

#### Key uses

| Use | Share | Annual volume | Why this commodity | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (amalgamation)** | n/a | about 2,060 t a year (range 990-3,130 t)basis | Small-scale miners mix mercury with crushed ore to bind fine gold into an amalgam, then burn off the mercury. It is cheap, works without electricity and needs no training, so about 15 million people in at least 70 countries use it (UNEP). It is the largest use and the largest source of mercury emissions, 838 t in UNEP's 2018 assessment (USGS). Indonesia used 427 t (2014), Peru 327 t (2017) and Colombia 175 t (2014). USGS MCS 2026; UNEP trading-mercury feature; J. Material Cycles and Waste Management (2023) | Gravity concentration (sluices, shaking tables, centrifuges) Direct smelting with borax Cyanide leaching in formal plants |
| **Catalyst for vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) made from coal-based acetylene in China** | n/a | about 900 t a year at the 2014 peak (903 +/- 115 t), declining sincebasis | China makes much of its PVC from coal via acetylene, and mercuric chloride on carbon is the standard catalyst for turning acetylene into vinyl chloride. Coal is cheap in China, so the route persists, but the Minamata Convention requires mercury use per unit to fall. China recovered 654 t of mercury from spent VCM catalyst in 2011. USGS MCS 2026; J. Material Cycles and Waste Management (2023) | Mercury-free gold-based catalysts Ethylene-based (oil and gas) PVC route |
| **Measuring instruments, switches, relays and valves** | n/a | about 390 t in 2015 (up from 267 t in 2010)basis | Mercury is a liquid metal that conducts electricity and expands evenly with temperature, so it was used in thermometers, barometers, blood-pressure meters, tilt switches and relays. Minamata phase-out dates of 2020 for many mercury-added products are shrinking this market. J. Material Cycles and Waste Management (2023); USGS MCS 2026 | Digital and electronic sensors Galinstan (gallium-indium-tin) thermometers |
| **Dental amalgam** | n/a | n/a basis | Silver-mercury amalgam fillings are durable, cheap and easy to place, so they remain common where cost matters. The Minamata Convention requires a phase-down. USGS MCS 2026 | Ceramic and resin composite fillings |
| **Lamps (fluorescent and compact fluorescent)** | n/a | about 170 t in 2015 (up from 112 t in 2010)basis | A few milligrams of mercury vapour in each tube emit the ultraviolet light that phosphors turn into visible light. LEDs are replacing fluorescent lamps quickly, which also raises the amount of mercury collected for recycling (USGS 2026). J. Material Cycles and Waste Management (2023); USGS MCS 2026 | LED lighting (contains indium, no mercury) |
| **Chlor-alkali production (mercury-cell process)** | n/a | about 94 t in 2016basis | Old chlor-alkali plants used a flowing mercury cathode to make chlorine and caustic soda; almost all the mercury is reused in the process. Membrane cells use less energy and no mercury, so plants are converting, and closures release stocks to recycling or storage. Only one US mercury-cell plant operated in 2025 (USGS). USGS MCS 2026; J. Material Cycles and Waste Management (2023) | Membrane-cell and diaphragm-cell chlor-alkali technology |

 No consistent global percentage split exists in the sources used. Figures are tonnes for different years (ASGM from UNEP's 2018 assessment; VCM 2014; products 2015; chlor-alkali 2016). ASGM alone is larger than all other uses combined. US shares (USGS 2026) cover only mercury in products.

#### From mine to user

1. **1. Primary mining** Cinnabar (mercury sulphide) is mined in China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Mexico. The Minamata Convention bans new primary mines and requires existing ones to close 15 years after a country joins (IPEN 2017).
2. **2. Retorting** Ore is roasted; mercury vapour is condensed to liquid metal and bottled in 76-lb (34.5 kg) flasks.
3. **3. By-product recovery** Mercury is also captured from gold-silver ore processing in Nevada and from non-ferrous smelter sludge; 70.8% of Japan's 65 t of recovered mercury in 2016 came from smelter sludge (JMCWM 2023).
4. **4. Recycling and decommissioning** Lamps, dental amalgam, switches, chlor-alkali cells and contaminated soils are retorted. Eight US facilities run by six companies produce most US secondary mercury (USGS 2026).
5. **5. Trade** Legal trade fell from about 4,040 t worth $210 million in 2012 (UNEP) to 504 t of exports in 2020 (JMCWM 2023). Export bans in the EU and US remove their stocks from the market.
6. **6. Users** Artisanal gold miners, Chinese VCM plants, remaining chlor-alkali plants, dentists and product makers.
7. **7. Long-term storage** Surplus mercury from bans and closures goes to permanent storage; the US DOE contracted a Texas facility for up to 7,000 t in 2024 (USGS).

#### Price movement snapshot 2026-10-25

No public daily or monthly benchmark price for this commodity in the datasets used.
 World production 1,202 tonnes, 2024 Largest producer China 58.24% of world

#### Three things to know

- Artisanal and small-scale gold mining emitted about 838 t of mercury, the largest human source in UNEP's 2018 assessment (USGS).
- A US storage facility contracted in 2024 will hold up to 7,000 t of elemental mercury (USGS).
- A world mercury cartel operated from 1928 to 1972 (Tilton & Guzmán).

#### Top recent news snapshot 2026-10-25, last 30 days

- [A California mercury mine left 2.5 million tons of waste beside Clear Lake; a new cleanup will remove and](https://news.google.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?oc=5)The Times of India · 2026-10-04
- [Marathon Fusion claims it can turn mercury into gold: Could it crash gold prices?](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0gFBVV95cUxNVTlBaE9xc3F1bDNjcHJfdkcxSjh3N3JScjlkMmRQWmdwNkUzQkJVSE10ckJXVjk1ZHF1Z0hvMWxOVHZjZF9nSGFYOWRZUjNrVk9yY2g3NWZURmVTU1NHSThlaE9DTGQ3UjRpRGJRZVRRQm4yOVQ1VExOMnJUVk1lYUlPa3VIRHB6M2k4UjZWN0tYcExYbUUtVUJ3Vmg4MHh1eVlBUGlxaGxPdmN2N2F0WlJvSFpUbkFLX1JMbzlIQUR4SGZVOU9fMFFVM0R3QkR1VnfSAdcBQVVfeXFMTTVTak9OVFh5TlRodGNrdnF5b2FkNTNrdXVfUmd6X19xYmNDNXVGazBzYy1sWTFmU3ZrSmdfaVZWT0JsOGFGdnJLc1V4UTdGLU9QaWwzbzRZOG9VTlRLSmpZZHVRMWZNUFFVclFIUkFzME1rd0ptaGlDZDA4Mm8zQWJTX1FvRFotNzRBOGFXTTkzTGpIaW5mUWx1dDZBNC14SUNHcWVoVjAxcVZZQW9JbXVFMjE3SUV0Z0kwaFA2YzYyZTRtZ1JDWVBUZTlwQ2tEQnVvdjhYVGs?oc=5)CNBC TV18 · 2026-10-22
- [Lab-grown gold to crash prices? San Francisco’s Marathon Fusion just turned mercury into yellow metal](https://news.google.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?oc=5)The Economic Times · 2026-10-23
- [Chill intensifies in HP as mercury plummets](https://news.google.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?oc=5)The Times of India · 2026-10-12
- [Mercury dips 6.4°C after Sunday showers](https://news.google.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?oc=5)The Times of India · 2026-10-12

#### Read the tabs
[Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/extraction/)[Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/production/)[Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/stocks/)[Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/cycles/)[Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/trading/)[Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/movement/)[Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/criticality/)[Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/characteristics/)[Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/mercury/emissions/)

## Other sections

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