Lime
World lime production, 2024–2025
Share of world lime production, 2025 · world total 420 million metric tons
- China 74%
- India 4%
- United States 3.6%
- Russia 2.8%
- Brazil 1.9%
- Japan 1.4%
- South Korea 1.2%
- Germany 1.1%
- All other countries 10%
China accounted for 74% of world lime production in 2025 (310 million metric tons). The three largest producers, China, India, and the United States, together supplied 81%. Canada supplied 76% of U.S. imports of lime in 2021–24, more than any other country. Net imports covered less than 1% of U.S. lime consumption in 2025.
Producer log
22 countries listed separately
| Country | Lime production 2024 | Lime production 2025 | Share of world 2025 | Change on 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 310,000 | 310,000 | 74% | 0% |
| India | 17,000 | 17,000 | 4% | 0% |
| United States | 15,000 | 15,000 | 3.6% | 0% |
| Russiaindustrial and construction | 11,800 | 12,000 | 2.8% | +1.7% |
| Brazil | 8,200 | 8,200 | 1.9% | 0% |
| Japanquicklime only | 5,870 | 5,900 | 1.4% | +0.5% |
| South Korea | 5,000 | 5,000 | 1.2% | 0% |
| Germany | 4,800 | 4,800 | 1.1% | 0% |
| Iran | 4,000 | 4,000 | 0.9% | 0% |
| Turkey | 4,000 | 4,000 | 0.9% | 0% |
| France | 3,500 | 3,500 | 0.8% | 0% |
| Italy | 2,500 | 2,500 | 0.6% | 0% |
| Australia | 1,890 | 1,900 | 0.5% | +0.5% |
| Spain | 1,700 | 1,700 | 0.4% | 0% |
| Canada | 1,550 | 1,600 | 0.4% | +3.2% |
| Malaysia | 1,400 | 1,400 | 0.3% | 0% |
| Bulgaria | 1,300 | 1,300 | 0.3% | 0% |
| Polandhydrated and quicklime | 1,290 | 1,300 | 0.3% | +0.8% |
| United Kingdom | 1,300 | 1,300 | 0.3% | 0% |
| Belgium | 1,100 | 1,100 | 0.3% | 0% |
| Ukraine | 1,100 | 1,100 | 0.3% | 0% |
| South Africa | 1,000 | 1,000 | 0.2% | 0% |
| Other countries | 16,200 | 16,000 | 3.8% | |
| World total | 421,000 | 420,000 | 100% | −0.2% |
United States
supply, trade and import sources
less than 1%
Net import reliance in 2025, as a percentage of apparent consumption. “E” marks years when the United States exported more than it imported.
2021E
2022<1
2023E
2024<1
2025<1
Import sources, 2021–24
- Canada 76%
- Mexico 19%
- Other countries 5%
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | 16,600 | 16,700 | 15,800 | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Imports for consumption | 323 | 354 | 343 | 362 | 360 |
| Exports | 335 | 304 | 344 | 331 | 280 |
| Consumption, apparent | 16,600 | 16,800 | 15,800 | 15,000 | 15,000 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Lime chapter (PDF page 124). How to read these figures.