- Summary
- Table Of Content
- Methodology
Chelating Resins Market Size:
The chelating resins market size is growing with a CAGR of 4.8% during the forecast period (2025-2032), and the market is projected to be valued at USD 752.48 Million by 2032 from USD 520.21 Million in 2024. Additionally, the market value for the 2025 attributes to USD 543.16 Million.
Chelating Resins Market Scope & Overview:
Chelating resins are a type of ion exchange resin that utilize chelating agents to bind to specific metal ions through chelation. They consist of a polymer matrix to which chelating ligands are attached via covalent bonds. Key characteristics include higher selectivity and stronger bonding with metal ions. Based on functional group, these resins are classified into iminodiacetate, polyamine, glucamine, thiourea, and others. They offer various advantages such as water purification, brine decalcification, and efficient metal separation. Due to these advantages, these resins are used in various applications such as wastewater treatment, chemical processing, metal extraction & recovery, and others. Additionally, the adoption of wastewater treatment is growing to reduce water pollution, further driving the market growth.
Chelating Resins Market Dynamics - (DRO):
Key Drivers:
Rising Demand in Wastewater Treatment is Driving Chelating Resins Market Growth
Wastewater treatment is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater to make it safe for reuse. In this process, chelating resins are used to remove toxic heavy metals such as copper, nickel, zinc, lead, and mercury from wastewater. The countries are investing in wastewater treatment supported by growing water scarcity and government support further driving the market.
- In 2022, European Investment Bank invested USD 54 million in wastewater treatment in Europe. This high investment is leading to increased wastewater treatment thereby driving the use of chelating resins for heavy metal removal from wastewater.
Hence, rising demand in wastewater treatment is leading to chelating resins market expansion.
Rising Adoption in Chemical Sector is Creating Chelating Resins Market Demand
In the chemical sector, chelating resins are used to remove calcium and magnesium ions from the brine. They are also used in chemical production to remove impurities, ensuring high purity chemicals for various applications. Chemical production is expressing growth due to rising adoption across various sectors such as automotive and agriculture along with technological advancements in chemical processing.
- According to BASF, the global chemical production is increased by 1.7% in 2023 as compared to the year 2022. This rise in chemical production is driving the use of chelating resins to ensure high purity chemicals.
Hence, rising adoption in the chemical sector is creating chelating resins market demand.
Key Restraints:
Growing Commercialization of Alternatives is Constraining Chelating Resins Market
The commercialization of alternatives such as solvent-impregnated resins, green polyampholytic ionic scavengers is growing. They provide similar advantages to that of chelating resins. The solvent-impregnated resins are widely incorporated in wastewater treatment due to simple preparation methods and exclusive properties. Furthermore, green polyampholytic ionic scavengers are preferred due to sustainability concerns for heavy metal removal from aqueous solutions. Additionally, adoption of other ion exchange materials such as strong acid cation exchange resins, strong base anion exchange resins, and activated carbon is growing to remove contaminants from wastewater. Hence, growing commercialization of alternatives is constraining chelating resins market growth due to low cost and sustainability.
Future Opportunities:
Expanding Mining Sector is expected to Create Chelating Resins Market Opportunities
Mining sector involves the extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the earth. In this sector, chelating resins are used in heap leaching process to increase metal recovery rates for uranium, aluminum, and copper. They are also utilized to prevent scale build-up in the equipment ensuring efficient mining operations. The mining sector is expanding due to rising minerals adoption in infrastructure along with government support.
- According to Ministry of Mines, government invested USD 3.96 Billion in mining sector in India in 2025. This will lead to creation of create market opportunities to enhance metal recovery for uranium, aluminum, and copper in heap leaching process.
Thus, expanding the mining sector is expected to create chelating resins market opportunities.
Chelating Resins Market Segmental Analysis :
By Functional Group:
Based on functional group, the market is categorized into iminodiacetate, polyamine, glucamine, thiourea, and others.
Trends in Functional Group:
- As per chelating resins market trends, iminodiacetate resins are extensively used in hydrometallurgy for the selective removal of metal ions.
- Adoption of polyamine resins is growing in mercury removal and brine decalcification as per market trends.
The iminodiacetate segment accounted for the largest market share in the year 2024.
- Iminodiacetate chelating resins contain iminodiacetic acid as a functional group to form strong complexes with specific metal ions.
- They are used to pre-concentrate metal ions in dilute solutions for analysis in analytical chemistry.
- These resins are also utilized for the selective removal and pre-concentration of metal ions from aqueous solutions in hydrometallurgy.
- Furthermore, the adoption of lithium-ion batteries and emphasis on low-carbon metal production is growing. To cater this, companies are investing in hydrometallurgy.
- For instance, in 2024, Aurubis launched a new hydrometallurgy plant in Belgium. This is further driving the use of iminodiacetate chelating resins for the selective removal of metal ions from aqueous solutions.
- Hence, as investment in hydrometallurgy is growing, the need for these resins is also increasing, in turn driving the segment share.
The polyamine segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period.
- Polyamine chelating resins uses polyamine functional groups to form strong complexes with specific metal ions.
- They are used in brine decalcification in the chlor-alkali industry to protect the ion exchange membranes used in electrolysis.
- These resins also effectively remove mercury from aqueous solutions by forming stable complexes with the metal ions through their nitrogen-containing functional groups.
- Furthermore, the need for mercury removal is growing due to environmental concerns and water contamination in power plants and chemical processing. To cater for this, companies are increasingly adopting polyamine chelating resins to effectively remove mercury from aqueous solutions.
- Thus, as the demand for mercury removal is growing, the demand for these resins is also increasing. This will drive the segment for the forecasted years as per trends.
By Application:
Based on application, the market is categorized into wastewater treatment, chemical processing, metal extraction and recovery, and others.
Trends in Application:
- According to chelating resins market trends, these resins are extensively used in wastewater treatment to remove contaminants.
- Adoption of chelating resins is growing in metal extraction and recovery for efficient metal extraction as per market trends.
The wastewater treatment segment accounted for the largest market share of 39.21% in the year 2024.
- In wastewater treatment, chelating resins are used to remove organic pollutants, dyes, and other contaminants from wastewater.
- They are also utilized to remove ammonia and nitrogen-based compounds to reduce pollution associated with wastewater treatment.
- Furthermore, the need for wastewater treatment is growing due to increasing water pollution, stringent environmental regulations and industrialization. To address this, countries are investing in wastewater facilities.
- For instance, in 2023, Serbia launched wastewater treatment plant in Novi Sad. It is further facilitating wastewater treatment thereby driving the use chelating resins to remove organic pollutants from wastewater.
- Hence, as investment in wastewater treatment is growing, the need for these resins for removal of ammonia from wastewater is also increasing, in turn driving the segment.
The metal extraction and recovery segment are expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period.
- The metal extraction and recovery involve separating metals from their ores or other sources, followed by purifying and concentrating them for further use.
- In this process, chelating resins are increasingly used for efficient extraction and concentration of target metals from solutions.
- They are used to recover precious metals such as gold, platinum, and palladium from various sources, including electronic scrap, industrial solutions, and mine tailings.
- Furthermore, the adoption of platinum in jewelry, catalytic converters, and hydrogen fuel cells is expanding. To cater this, mining companies are increasingly adopting chelating resins for effective recovery of platinum from mine tailings.
- Hence, as demand for metal extraction and recovery is growing, the need for these resins efficient metal extraction is also increasing. This will drive the segment for the forecasted years as per trends.
Regional Analysis:
The regional segment includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America.
In 2024, Asia Pacific accounted for the highest market share at 41.38% and was valued at USD 215.21 Million and is expected to reach USD 300.01 Million in 2032. In Asia-Pacific, the China accounted for the highest chelating resins market share of 34.61% during the base year of 2024. As per analysis, Asia Pacific region holds a dominant position in the market due to growing investment in wastewater treatment process. In this process, chelating resins are used to remove phosphorous ions to reduce environmental damage. They also reduce water hardness and prevent calcium buildup in wastewater. Countries such as China, India, and South Korea are major contributors in the region due to expanding wastewater treatment facilities.
- In 2024, Thermax launched wastewater treatment plant in India. This is facilitating the use of chelating resins for the phosphorous ion’s removal from wastewater.
Therefore, due to the above-mentioned factors, the Asia Pacific region is dominating in the market as per analysis.
Europe is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 5.7% over the forecast period of 2025-2032. According to chelating resins market analysis, Europe region is growing considerably in the market driven by stringent environmental regulations. These regulations are encouraging the use of effective exchange materials such as chelating resins in chemical processing and wastewater treatment. Additionally, countries such as Germany, France, and United Kingdom are major contributors in the market due to strong research and development in non-toxic and eco-friendly ion exchange materials. Hence, the chelating resins market share of Europe is expected to emerge rapidly through stringent environmental regulations as per analysis.
As per chelating resins market analysis, the North America region is growing rapidly driven by advancements in technology. Advancement in polymerization and functionalization processes have enhanced the efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness of the chelating resins. Innovations in automation and artificial intelligence driven process control are optimizing production and ensuring high-performance resins for various applications such as chemical processing and metal extraction. This is further fueling the market in the region.
The Middle East & Africa region is experiencing moderate growth in the market driven by growth in mining sector. In this sector, chelating resins are used in acid mine drainage treatment to prevent environmental contamination. It is also used in the processing of low-grade ores for effective metal extraction. Additionally, countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Iran are major contributors in the market due to growing investment in mining industry.
As per market analysis, Latin America is experiencing steady growth in the market driven by the expanding chemical sector. In this sector, chelating resins are used in the purification of rare earth elements, essential in electronics and nuclear sectors. They are also utilized in the catalysts recovery and recycling to enhance cost efficiency in chemical analysis. Further, in countries such as Brazil and Argentina chemical manufacturing plants are expanding. This is leading to chelating resins market expansion across the region.
Top Key Players & Market Share Insights:
The chelating resins industry is highly competitive with major players providing products to the national and international markets. Key players are adopting several strategies in research and development (R&D) and product innovation to hold a strong position in the global chelating resins market. Key players in the chelating resins industry include-
- Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation (Japan)
- Ecolab (United States)
- Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc (United States)
- Aldex Chemical Company, Ltd. (Canada)
- Thermax Limited (India)
- Sunresin New Materials Co.Ltd (China)
- DuPont (United States)
- Merck KGaA (Germany)
- Lanxess (Germany)
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (United States)
Chelating Resins Market Report Insights:
| Report Attributes | Report Details |
| Study Timeline | 2019-2032 |
| Market Size in 2032 | USD 752.48 Million |
| CAGR (2025-2032) | 4.8% |
| By Functional Group |
|
| By Application |
|
| By Region |
|
| Key Players |
|
| North America | U.S. Canada Mexico |
| Europe | U.K. Germany France Spain Italy Russia Benelux Rest of Europe |
| APAC | China South Korea Japan India Australia ASEAN Rest of Asia-Pacific |
| Middle East and Africa | GCC Turkey South Africa Rest of MEA |
| LATAM | Brazil Argentina Chile Rest of LATAM |
| Report Coverage |
|
Key Questions Answered in the Report
How big is the chelating resins market? +
In 2024, the chelating resins market is USD 520.21 million.
Which is the fastest-growing region in the chelating resins market? +
Europe is the fastest-growing region in the chelating resins market.
What specific segmentation details are covered in the chelating resins market? +
Functional Group and Application are covered in the chelating resins market.
Who are the major players in the chelating resins market? +
Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation (Japan), Ecolab (United States), and Sunresin New Materials Co.Ltd (China) are some of the major players in the market.
