Selenium

Selenium is a key component of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic cells, one of the leading alternatives to crystalline silicon solar panels. Its supply is almost entirely dependent on copper smelting byproduct recovery, making availability sensitive to copper production volumes and refinery locations rather than dedicated mining.

The Philippines is the leading supplier, followed by Mexico and Japan. China and Germany are also significant sources. The supplier profile closely tracks the global distribution of copper electrolytic refining capacity, since selenium is extracted from anode slimes during that process.