Europe’s Supply

Europe depends on external sources

The European Union currently relies entirely on imports for its supply of antimony ore and minerals. A 2025 analysis by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre reported no antimony extraction within the EU and estimated average imports of approximately 1,600 tonnes of antimony ore per year.

Türkiye supplied approximately 77% of those ore imports during the period analysed, with most EU imports directed to Italy.

Reliance extends beyond ore imports

European industry also depends heavily on imported antimony metal. The Joint Research Centre estimated that the EU imported an average of approximately 19,000 tonnes of antimony metal annually between 2019 and 2023.

Supplier diversification has changed the composition of those imports. In 2023, Tajikistan supplied approximately 52% of EU antimony metal imports, while China’s share had fallen from 40% in 2020 to 18% in 2023.

European processing capacity

Although Europe depends on imported ore and metal, it has established antimony-processing capacity. The EU produces approximately 28,000 tonnes of antimony oxides per year and is a net exporter of these products.

This processing industry still requires a reliable supply of antimony metal. Securing raw material inputs therefore remains important even where later stages of the value chain operate within Europe.

The European Policy

Antimony is included on the EU’s list of critical raw materials under the European Critical Raw Materials Act. The Act establishes a framework intended to support secure, resilient and sustainable access to critical raw materials. Its measures include reducing supply-disruption risks, diversifying imports, encouraging domestic capacity, supporting recycling and improving resource efficiency.

The role of European exploration

European mineral exploration may help identify potential future sources of critical raw materials closer to European manufacturers and processors. Any contribution depends on successful exploration, technical and economic assessment, permitting, financing and project development.

Europa Metals’ Austrian portfolio includes three priority exploration projects in the Kreuzeck-Goldeck gold-antimony corridor. The projects contain historical antimony workings and reported mineralisation, but they remain at the exploration stage.

Contact

Tel: +61 8 9486 4036

Email: info@europametals.com

Email Alerts

Subscribe ↗︎

Europa Metals has not declared a current Mineral Resource or Ore Reserve for the project discussed here. Historical information is not reported in accordance with the JORC Code and has not been independently verified to the standard required for a modern resource statement. Exploration success, metallurgical recovery, environmental acceptability, title, permitting, financing, project development and commercial sales are uncertain. References to EU or Austrian critical-raw-material policy do not imply Strategic Project status, funding, approval or endorsement.

Scope: EU-27 unless stated otherwise. Legal status and project status at 28 July 2024.