Succinic acid acts as a leaching agent in extracting lithium, cobalt from used Li-ion batteries and magnesium from magnesite ore. It is used as a starting material in the synthesis of new elastic polyesters, fumaric acid, succinic anhydride and alkyd resins. It plays an important role as an acidity regulator in the food and beverage industry, as an excipient in pharmaceutical products and acts as a cocrystallising agent in organic synthesis.