Zeolites: Criticality

Widespread and easily replaced: the anti-critical mineral

What this tab covers How exposed economies are to a supply disruption: the EU, US and India listings, the concentration score, and a quantified exposure for the US, EU, India, China, Japan, Latin America, the Middle East and Australia. Where the EU scored it, a chart of supply risk against economic importance, with import reliance, recycling input and substitutes.

Exposure by region

Region	Exposure	Share of world output	Share of world imports	Share of world exports	Net trade (US$)	On own critical list	Position
US	n/a	–	–	–	–	No	Produced about 80,000 t in 2025 from seven mines in six States and is a net exporter; nearly all US zeolite trade is synthetic (USGS 2026).
EU	n/a	–	–	–	–	No	Slovakia (280,000 t, the largest listed producer) and Hungary (31,000 t) mined natural zeolites in 2025 (USGS); not on the EU 2023 critical list.
India	n/a	–	–	–	–	No	No natural zeolite production is listed by USGS, and India is not on any USGS list of producing countries for 2024-2025.
China	n/a	–	–	–	–	No	Mined about 150,000 t in 2025 (USGS).
Japan	n/a	–	–	–	–	No	Not listed by USGS as a 2025 producer.
Latin America	n/a	–	–	–	–	no list	Cuba mined about 15,000 t and Chile 240 t in 2025 (USGS).
Middle East	n/a	–	–	–	–	no list	Turkey mined about 58,000 t and Jordan 1,000 t in 2025, and nearby Georgia 240,000 t (USGS).
Australia	n/a	–	–	–	–	No	Not listed by USGS for 2025; New Zealand was removed as a producer in the 2026 revision.

Exposure rating: High when the region is a net importer whose import share is at least three times its share of world output (or, for farm goods, it produces under 70% of what it consumes); Medium for other net importers (or 70-95% self-sufficiency), raised to High when world supply is highly concentrated in another country; Low for net exporters or self-sufficient regions. Net importer status uses tonnage where reported, otherwise value. Output: n/a. Trade: UN Comtrade (EU = sum of member states, including intra-EU trade). Critical lists: US 2025, EU 2024/1252, India 2023, China 2016 strategic minerals, Japan METI, Australia 2024.

Natural zeolites are not on the US 2025 or India 2023 critical mineral lists. Deposits are widespread, output is spread across many countries and the US is a net exporter. Substitution is easy in almost every use. Bentonite, diatomite, fuller's earth and sepiolite compete in litter and absorbents. Activated carbon and silica sand compete in water purification, and perlite, pumice and vermiculite compete as lightweight aggregate. The commercial risk lies in losing markets to these substitutes, not in supply.

EU 2023 Not assessed US 2025 list No India 2023 list No

Substitutes

Bentonite, diatomite, fuller's earth, sepiolite (litter, absorbents); activated carbon, silica sand (water); perlite, pumice, vermiculite (aggregate)