New сriteria used by european mining companies when selecting grinding ball suppliers
07.09.2026
The mining industry is the primary area of application for steel grinding balls, which is why we continuously monitor its development trends. An analysis of the available statistical data provides insight into overall extraction volumes and the changing geography of Europe’s mining industry.
Copper ore mining has remained one of the most stable segments in recent years. Sweden continues to strengthen its position, having increased its output by almost a quarter compared with 2016. Bulgaria has also demonstrated steady growth, while Poland has maintained a high level of output despite minor fluctuations. Serbia deserves particular attention, as it has significantly increased its extraction volumes in recent years and is attracting growing interest from market participants (see Chart 1).
Equally noteworthy changes are taking place in the zinc ore segment. While Spain has nearly doubled its extraction volumes compared with the beginning of the period under review, Ireland and Poland have recorded substantial declines. This indicates a gradual shift in the geography of European mining, with part of the output becoming concentrated in other countries (see Chart 2).
A similar trend can be observed in lead ore mining. Portugal and Spain have gradually increased their output, while Poland and Ireland have lost some of their positions. Meanwhile, extraction volumes in Sweden and North Macedonia have remained relatively stable (see Chart 3).
Sweden, Poland and Finland remain the leading countries in the precious metal ore segment. Between 2016 and 2024, Poland maintained relatively stable extraction volumes, Finland increased its output after some fluctuations, while Sweden recorded a slight decline. At the same time, the group of key countries engaged in precious metal ore mining remained largely unchanged (see Chart 4).
Overall, the available statistics indicate that it is not so much Europe’s total extraction volume that is changing, but rather its structure and geographical distribution. Some countries are strengthening their positions, others are gradually reducing output, while certain regions are emerging as new centres of mining industry development.
For companies working with mining enterprises, these changes serve as an important indicator of market development. This is why we regularly analyse the available statistical data to better understand the trends shaping Europe’s mining sector.