Antimony (Sb): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
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Antimony is a metal used mainly in flame retardants, in antimonial lead for batteries and ammunition, and in ceramics and glass. In 2025 China produced an estimated 40,000 t, 36% of world mine production (USGS world total: 110,000 t), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). US net import reliance for antimony in 2025 was 91%. Antimony is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian.
$25/lb
antimony metal, average in 2025 (+144% on 2024)
Which countries produce antimony?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world | Reserves (t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 40,000 | 40,000 | 36% | 830,000 |
| Russia | 40,000 | 32,000 | 29% | 350,000 |
| Tajikistan | 22,000 | 22,000 | 20% | 60,000 |
| Bolivia | 5,300 | 5,000 | 4.5% | 310,000 |
| Burma | 4,500 | 4,500 | 4.1% | 140,000 |
| Turkey | 3,000 | 3,000 | 2.7% | 99,000 |
| Australia | 1,270 | 1,300 | 1.2% | 110,000 |
| Kazakhstan | 800 | 800 | 0.7% | NA |
| United States | None | Withheld | - | 60,000 |
| All other countries | 2,120 | 2,120 | 1.9% | NA |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 119,000 | 110,000 | 100% | >2,000,000 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Antimony. Shares are calculated from the country figures and can differ by a point or two from percentages USGS states in its text, because USGS rounds its figures. NA means not available; Withheld means USGS withheld the figure to avoid disclosing company data.
What is antimony used for?
- Metal products, including flame retardants: 49% of US consumption
- Antimonial lead and ammunition: 40%
- Nonmetal products, including ceramics, glass and rubber: 11%
How much does antimony cost?
| Price | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antimony metal, average | dollars per pound | 5.31 | 6.18 | 5.49 | 10.24 | 25 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Antimony. The 2025 figures are USGS estimates. Prices are annual averages of the series named in each row, so they are not live quotes.
Is antimony a critical mineral?
Antimony is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Each government builds its list with its own method, so a mineral can be critical in one place and not in another.
| Jurisdiction | Status |
|---|---|
| United States | Critical mineral (final 2025 list) |
| European Union | Critical |
| Australia | Critical minerals list |
| Canada | Critical |
Lists last checked against the primary publications on October 12, 2026. See the comparison of all four lists.
Export controls and trade measures
- China has required export licenses for antimony since 2024 (USGS Table 4).
See the export controls tracker for dates and current status.
What are the substitutes for antimony?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| Flame retardants | Selected organic compounds and hydrated aluminum oxide |
| Enamels, paint and pigments | Chromium, tin, titanium, zinc and zirconium compounds |
| Alloys in lead-acid batteries | Combinations of calcium, copper, selenium, sulfur and tin |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Antimony. USGS says substitutes often cost performance or money; the table gives its wording for each application.
Can antimony be recycled?
Most secondary antimony is recovered at secondary lead smelters as antimonial lead, generated and then consumed mainly by the lead-acid battery industry. Recycling supplied 12% of US apparent consumption in 2025.
What are the supply risks and recent events for antimony?
- August 2024. China announced export restrictions on antimony. The average monthly price rose from $9.80 per pound in August to $18.10 in December 2024.
- December 2024. China banned all antimony exports to the United States.
- June 2025. The price reached $27.50 per pound, 52% above December 2024, then fell to $20.30 in November. The 2025 average of $25 per pound was more than double that of 2024.
- October to November 2025. A mining company in Idaho broke ground on an antimony mine and was conditionally awarded $80 million by the US Department of War; another company announced mining had started at the Stibnite Hill Mine in Montana.
US import sources, 2021 to 2024. Total metal and oxide: China, 55%; Belgium, 12%; Thailand, 8%; India, 6%; and other, 19%. (USGS)
Resources. US antimony resources are mainly in Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Nevada. Principal identified world resources are in Australia, Bolivia, Burma, China, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Tajikistan.
Which antimony projects are on official lists?
| Project | State | Expected products | List |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antimony Ridge | Idaho | Antimony (bulk sample program) | Transparency |
Source: Permitting Council, current covered projects and current transparency projects, last updated 2 April 2026.
Which companies produce or process antimony?
3 companies are profiled, including United States Antimony Corporation, Perpetua Resources, Korea Zinc. Full antimony companies page.
Frequently asked questions
What is antimony used for?
Antimony is used in metal products, including flame retardants, antimonial lead and ammunition and nonmetal products, including ceramics, glass and rubber. Metal products, including flame retardants: 49% of US consumption.
Which country produces the most antimony?
China produces the most antimony: an estimated 40,000 t, or 36% of the world total, in 2025, according to the USGS mine production figures.
Is antimony a critical mineral?
Yes. Antimony is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Antimony was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for antimony in 2025 was 91%.
How much does antimony cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of antimony at $25/lb (antimony metal, average; +144% on 2024).
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Antimony. Production, reserves, uses, substitutes, recycling and events
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 7 and Figures 10A and 10B). Net import reliance, leading producer and price changes for critical minerals
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 4, export controls by country)
- Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
- Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
- Permitting Council: current FAST-41 projects
- United States Antimony Corporation, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 19 March 2026)
- Perpetua Resources, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 31 March 2026)
- Korea Zinc: product information
Related topics
Antimony companies
The companies page for antimony.
China profile
Production, policy and projects in China.
Critical Minerals Lists Compared
The US, EU, Australian and Canadian lists side by side.
Export Controls and Restrictions
China, Indonesia, DR Congo and other measures with dates.
Arsenic
Profile of arsenic.
Beryllium
Profile of beryllium.
