Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of nickel during 2017.

1. Philippines: US$685.3 million (32.1% of total nickel exports)
2. New Caledonia: $341.8 million (16%)
3. United States: $241.7 million (11.3%)
4. Australia: $213.4 million (10%)
5. Finland: $175.8 million (8.2%)
6. Indonesia: $155.2 million (7.3%)
7. Canada: $104.9 million (4.9%)
8. Guatemala: $66.2 million (3.1%)
9. Belgium: $58.3 million (2.7%)
10. Zimbabwe: $35.1 million (1.6%)
11. Russia: $28.5 million (1.3%)
12. Turkey: $9.2 million (0.4%)
13. Germany: $9 million (0.4%)
14. Netherlands: $7.2 million (0.3%)
15. Macedonia: $1.8 million (0.1%)

The listed 15 countries shipped 99.8% of all nickel exports in 2017 by value.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing nickel exporters since 2013 were: Netherlands (up 143,600%), Belgium (up 18,104%), Germany (up 8,232%) and Canada (up 6,011%).

Those countries that posted declines in their exported nickel sales were led by: Indonesia (down -90.8%), Zimbabwe (down -89.3%), Australia (down -76.5%), Philippines (down -32.7%) and Finland (down 26.6%).

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for nickel during 2017. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported nickel and its import purchases for that same commodity.

1. Philippines: US$685.3 million (net export surplus down -32.7% since 2013)
2. New Caledonia: $341.8 million (up 75%)
3. United States: $241.3 million (up 4,463%)
4. Australia: $206.5 million (down -77.2%)
5. Indonesia: $155.2 million (down -90.8%)
6. Guatemala: $66.2 million (up 129.6%)
7. Finland: $46.1 million (reversing a -$217.4 million deficit)
8. Zimbabwe: $35.1 million (down -89.3%)
9. Belgium: $23.5 million (reversing a -$1.6 million deficit)
10. Russia: $18.7 million (reversing a -$46.4 million deficit)
11. Turkey: $9.2 million (up 107.3%)
12. Germany: $6.2 million (reversing a -$2.8 million deficit)
13. Singapore: $665,000 (down -21.6%)
14. Norway: $446,000 (down -76%)
15. Spain: $422,000 (down -99.5%)

The Philippines had the highest surplus in the international trade of nickel. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms strong Filipino competitive advantage for this specific product category.

The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for nickel during 2017. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported nickel purchases and its exports for that same commodity.

1. China: -US$2.1 billion (net export deficit down -59.2% since 2013)
2. South Korea: -$194.4 million (up 25%)
3. Japan: -$189.2 million (down -40.9%)
4. Canada: -$96.6 million (down -46.3%)
5. Ukraine: -$64.2 million (down -51%)
6. Macedonia: -$29.2 million (down -70.7%)
7. India: -$2.9 million (down -87.1%)
8. British Virgin Islands: -$1.8 million (no 2013 data)
9. Madagascar: -$1.4 million (no 2013 data)
10. France: -$362,000 (down -83.4%)
11. United Kingdom: -$201,000 (down -98.3%)
12. Austria: -$57,000 (down -29.6%)
13. Portugal: -$47,000 (reversing a -$1,000 deficit)
14. Montenegro: -$23,000 (no 2013 data)
15. Romania: -$17,000 (no 2013 data)

China incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of nickel. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights China’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for nickel-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.

Nickel Producing Companies

Below are 10 of the largest nickel producers that represent established players engaged in the international trade of nickel. Their home country for each company’s headquarters is shown within parenthesis.

• Norilsk Nickel (Russia)
• Vale (Brazil)
• BHP Billiton (Australia)
• Jinchuan Group (China)
• Glencore (Switzerland)
• Sherritt International (Canada)
• Eramet (France)
• Sumitomo Metal Mining (Japan)
• Anglo American (UK/South Africa)
• Minara Resources (Australia)

According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are also examples of nickel ore exporters. The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses:

• Philminerals Inc (Philippines)
• Zeil Global Enterprises (United States)
• Metores Oy (Finland)
• Cornerstone (Indonesia)
• Osho Metal Ve Madencilik (Turkey)
• FENI Industries (Macedonia)