Asbestos Production by Country
Asbestos production by country measures how much asbestos each country mines, expressed in tonnes. The figures refer to mine production of asbestos (chrysotile), in line with the underlying sources. The statistics combine an Our World in Data series for 2020-2023, built from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries and the BGS World Mineral Statistics, with 2024 and 2025 estimates taken directly from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026. The table below lists 5 countries that record asbestos production in the period. 2025 figures are available individually for 4 countries, which produced a combined 960,000 tonnes in 2025, exactly matching the World total in the source. Zimbabwe keeps its earlier series, and the United States is listed in the source with no reported value.
Countries With the Largest Asbestos Production in 2025
Russia produced the most asbestos in 2025 with 310,000 tonnes. Kazakhstan ranked second with 250,000, followed by China (250,000) and Brazil (150,000).
Asbestos Production by Country
|
#
|
Country
|
Latest Data (tonnes)
|
Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Russia
RU
|
310,000 | 2025 |
| 2 |
Kazakhstan
KZ
|
250,000 | 2025 |
| 3 |
China
CN
|
250,000 | 2025 |
| 4 |
Brazil
BR
|
150,000 | 2025 |
| 5 |
Zimbabwe
ZW
|
10,000 | 2021 |
Russia alone accounted for about 32 percent of the World total in 2025, and Russia and Kazakhstan together for about 58 percent; the three largest producers accounted for about 84 percent. Russia's output was about 1.24 times that of the second-largest producer. Three countries produced at least 250,000 tonnes in 2025.
Asbestos Production Around the World
In Europe, Russia (310,000) is the largest producer. In Central Asia, Kazakhstan (250,000) follows, ahead of China (250,000) in Asia. In South America, Brazil (150,000) is the only listed producer. In Africa, Zimbabwe (10,000) reported its last figure in 2021; the United States is listed in the source with no reported value.
Largest Changes in Asbestos Production, 2024-2025
Kazakhstan recorded the largest increase, rising from 225,700 tonnes in 2024 to 250,000 in 2025 (up 24,300, about 11 percent). Russia rose from 306,900 to 310,000 (up 3,100), and China held at 250,000.
Brazil recorded the largest decline, falling from 166,890 to 150,000 tonnes (down 16,890, about 10 percent). The World total rose from 949,000 to 960,000 tonnes (up 11,000, about 1.2 percent).
The 2024 figures in this release are revised from earlier values: Russia is revised down from 600,000 to 306,900 tonnes, China up from 200,000 to 250,000, Kazakhstan up from 210,000 to 225,700, and Brazil up from 160,000 to 166,890.
Asbestos Production by Country
| # |
Country
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
720,000 | 699,000 | 750,000 | 600,000 | 306,900 | 310,000 |
| 2 |
|
- | 250,000 | 250,100 | 255,000 | 225,700 | 250,000 |
| 3 |
|
120,000 | 130,000 | 130,000 | 200,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 |
| 4 |
|
8,000 | 10,000 | - | - | - | - |
| 5 |
|
1200 | 154,000 | 197,100 | 189,000 | 166,890 | 150,000 |
Methodology
The 2020-2023 figures come from Our World in Data, which compiles national asbestos production figures from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, the USGS Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities, and the BGS World Mineral Statistics, with major processing by Our World in Data; USGS data is prioritized, with BGS data used to supplement it. The 2024 and 2025 figures are estimates from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 where available; Zimbabwe keeps its earlier Our World in Data series. Values refer to mine production of asbestos (chrysotile), in tonnes, and 2025 figures are preliminary estimates from the source. The source lists the United States with no reported value, while Zimbabwe is not reported individually in the 2024–2025 USGS data and therefore retains its earlier Our World in Data series. The sum of individually reported country estimates may differ from the reported World total because country-level estimates and the World total are subject to source-level rounding and adjustments. In the table, a zero reflects no production, while an empty cell means that no value was reported.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country produces the most asbestos in 2025?
Russia produced the most asbestos in 2025 with 310,000 tonnes, followed by Kazakhstan (250,000) and China (250,000).
How many countries are included in the dataset?
The table lists 5 countries that record asbestos mine production in the period. 2025 figures are available individually for 4 of them from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026; Zimbabwe keeps its earlier series (10,000 tonnes in 2021).
What does this indicator measure?
It measures asbestos mine production in tonnes, based on mined production (chrysotile), as in the underlying sources.
Which country produces the least asbestos among those with 2025 data?
Brazil recorded the smallest 2025 output at 150,000 tonnes.
Why does Zimbabwe show older figures?
Zimbabwe is not reported individually in the USGS 2026 data and keeps its latest available Our World in Data figure from 2021.
Why is the United States not shown?
The source lists the United States in its world production table with no reported value, which is why the cell is empty.
Why do the 2024 figures differ from earlier values?
The USGS revises its prior-year estimates in each new release; Russia is revised down (600,000 to 306,900 tonnes), while China, Kazakhstan, and Brazil are revised up.
Data Disclaimer: Projected data (future years) are estimates based on mathematical models. Actual values may differ. Learn about our methodology →
Sources
-
https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/minerals
-
Updated: 25.08.2026https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/asbestos-statistics-and-information
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