Prepared by Kristin N. Sheaffer [(703) 648–4954, ksheaffer@usgs.gov] 
MERCURY 
(Data in metric tons, mercury content, unless otherwise specified) 
Domestic Production and Use: Mercury has not been produced as a principal mineral commodity in the 
United States since 1992. In 2023, mercury was recovered as a byproduct from processing gold-silver ore at several 
mines in Nevada; however, production data were not reported. Secondary, or recycled, mercury was recovered from 
batteries, compact and traditional fluorescent lamps, dental amalgam, medical devices, and thermostats, as well as 
mercury-contaminated soils. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported domestic production of 45 tons of 
mercury in 2018 (the last year for which data were available), and about 82 tons of mercury was stored by 
manufacturers or producers. The reported domestic consumption of mercury and mercury in compounds in products 
was 16 tons. On December 3, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected a site near Andrews, TX, to store 
up to 6,800 tons of mercury. 
The leading domestic end uses of mercury and mercury compounds were dental amalgam, 43%; relays, sensors, 
switches, and valves, 41%; bulbs, lamps, and lighting, 8%; formulated products (buffers, catalysts, fixatives, and 
vaccination uses), 7%; and batteries and other end uses, 1%. A large quantity of mercury (about 245 tons) is used 
domestically in manufacturing processes such as catalysts or as a cathode in the chlorine-caustic soda (chloralkali) 
process. Almost all the mercury is reused in the process. The leading manufacturing processes that use mercury are 
mercury-cell chloralkali plants. In 2023, only one mercury-cell chloralkali plant operated in the United States. 
Until December 31, 2012, domestic- and foreign-sourced mercury was refined and then exported for global use, 
primarily for small-scale gold mining in many parts of the world. Beginning January 1, 2013, export of elemental 
mercury from the United States was banned, with some exceptions, under the Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008. 
Effective January 1, 2020, exports of five mercury compounds were added to that ban. 
Salient Statistics—United States: 
2019 
2020 
2021 
2022 
2023e 
Production: 
  
  
  
  
  
Mine (byproduct) 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
Secondary 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
Imports for consumption, metal (gross weight) 
9 
3 
1 
2 
4 
Exports, metal (gross weight) 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
Price, average unit value of imports, dollars per kilogram  
23 
26 
29 
33 
6 
Net import reliance1 as a percentage of apparent consumption 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
NA 
Recycling: In 2023, eight facilities operated by six companies in the United States accounted for most of the 
secondary mercury produced and were authorized by the DOE to temporarily store mercury until the DOE’s long-term 
facility opens. Mercury-containing automobile convenience switches, barometers, compact and traditional fluorescent 
bulbs, computers, dental amalgam, medical devices, and thermostats were collected by smaller companies and 
shipped to the refining companies for retorting to reclaim the mercury. In addition, many collection companies 
recovered mercury when retorting was not required. With the rapid replacement of compact and traditional fluorescent 
lighting by light-emitting-diode (LED) lighting, more mercury was being recycled. 
Import Sources (2019–22): Canada, 100%; and other, <1%. 
Tariff:      Item 
Number 
Normal Trade Relations 
12–31–23 
Mercury 
2805.40.0000 
1.7% ad valorem. 
Amalgams 
2843.90.0000 
3.7% ad valorem. 
Depletion Allowance: 22% (domestic), 14% (foreign). 
 
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MERCURY 
U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2024 
Events, Trends, and Issues: Owing to mercury toxicity and concerns for the environment and human health, overall 
mercury use has declined in the United States and worldwide. According to the United Nations Environment 
Programme (UNEP) Global Mercury Partnership 2018 report, the top five leading sources of anthropogenic mercury 
emissions were artisanal and small-scale gold mining (37.7%), stationary combustion of coal (21.3%), nonferrous-
metal production (14.7%), cement production (10.5%), and waste from products (6.6%). Mercury is no longer used in 
most batteries and paints manufactured in the United States. Some button-type batteries, cleansers, fireworks, folk 
medicines, grandfather clocks, pesticides, and skin-lightening creams and soaps may still contain mercury. Mercury 
compounds were used as catalysts in the coal-based manufacture of vinyl chloride monomer in China. In some parts 
of the world, mercury was used in the recovery of gold in artisanal and small-scale mining operations. Conversion to 
nonmercury technology for chloralkali production and the ultimate closure of the world’s mercury-cell chloralkali plants 
may release a large quantity of mercury to the global market for recycling, sale, or, owing to export bans in Europe 
and the United States, long-term storage. 
Byproduct mercury production is expected to continue from large-scale domestic and foreign gold-silver mining and 
processing, as is secondary production of mercury from an ever-diminishing supply of mercury-containing products. 
Domestic mercury consumption will continue to decline owing to increased use of LED lighting and consequent 
reduced use of conventional fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent bulbs and continued substitution of 
non-mercury-containing products in control, dental, and measuring applications. 
World Mine Production and Reserves: 
Mine productione 
2022 
2023 
United States 
NA 
NA 
China 
1,000 
1,000 
Kyrgyzstan 
6 
6 
Morocco 
2 
2 
Norway 
20 
20 
Peru (exports) 
30 
30 
Tajikistan 
   100 
 100 
World total (rounded)3 
1,160 
1,200 
World Resources:2 China, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, and Ukraine have most of the world’s 
estimated 600,000 tons of mercury resources. Mexico reclaims mercury from Spanish colonial silver-mining waste. In 
Spain, once a leading producer of mercury, mining at its centuries-old Almaden Mine stopped in 2003. In the 
United States, mercury occurrences are in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Nevada, and Texas. The declining consumption 
of mercury, except for small-scale gold mining, indicates that these resources are sufficient for centuries of use. 
Substitutes: Ceramic composites substitute for the dark-gray mercury-containing dental amalgam. “Galinstan,” an 
alloy of gallium, indium, and tin, replaces the mercury used in traditional mercury thermometers, and digital 
thermometers have replaced traditional thermometers. At chloralkali plants around the world, mercury-cell technology 
is being replaced by newer diaphragm and membrane-cell technology. LEDs that contain indium substitute for 
mercury-containing fluorescent lamps. Lithium, nickel-cadmium, and zinc-air batteries replace mercury-zinc batteries 
in the United States; indium compounds substitute for mercury in alkaline batteries; and organic compounds are being 
used instead of mercury fungicides in latex paint. 
eEstimated. NA Not available. — Zero. 
1Defined for 2019–22 as imports - exports ± adjustments for Government and industry stock changes. Beginning in 2023, Government stock 
changes no longer included. 
2See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. 
3Excludes U.S. production. 
Reserves2 
Quantitative estimates of 
reserves were not available. 
China, Kyrgyzstan, and Peru 
have the largest reserves. 
119