Bismuth (Bi): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
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Bismuth is a low-melting-point metal produced mostly as a byproduct of processing lead ores, and in some countries of tungsten and zinc ores. In 2025 China produced an estimated 14,000 t, 86% of world refinery production (USGS world total: 16,000 t), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). US net import reliance for bismuth in 2025 was 92%. Bismuth is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian.
86%
of world refinery production came from China in 2025
Which countries produce bismuth?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 14,000 | 14,000 | 86% |
| Korea, Republic of | 1,000 | 1,000 | 6.1% |
| Japan | 500 | 500 | 3.1% |
| Laos | 492 | 500 | 3.1% |
| Kazakhstan | 180 | 180 | 1.1% |
| Bolivia | 50 | 50 | 0.3% |
| Bulgaria | 48 | 50 | 0.3% |
| United States | None | None | - |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 16,300 | 16,000 | 100% |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Bismuth. 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.
How is bismuth mined and processed?
Bismuth minerals rarely occur in sufficient quantities to be mined as principal products. Bismuth is produced most often as a byproduct during the processing of lead ores. Full page on how bismuth is mined and processed.
What is bismuth used for?
- Chemicals and pharmaceuticals: most US consumption; bismuth subsalicylate is the active ingredient in over-the-counter stomach remedies
- Nontoxic replacement for lead: brass, free-machining aluminum alloys and steels, solders, fishing weights, hunting ammunition and lubricating greases
- Fusible alloys: fire-sprinkler triggers, plugs for abandoned oil wells, and holding devices for grinding optical lenses (melting point 271 degrees Celsius)
- Pigments and ceramics: ceramic glazes, crystalware, high-performance and pearlescent pigments
- Foundry additive and semiconductors: malleable cast iron, and bismuth-tellurium-oxide film paste in semiconductor devices
How much does bismuth cost?
| Price | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismuth, average | dollars per pound | 3.74 | 3.90 | 4.08 | 5.40 | 20 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Bismuth. The 2025 figures are USGS estimates. Prices are annual averages of the series named in each row, so they are not live quotes.
Is bismuth a critical mineral?
Bismuth 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 and strategic |
| 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 bismuth since 2025 (USGS Table 4).
See the export controls tracker for dates and current status.
What are the substitutes for bismuth?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals | Alumina, antibiotics, calcium carbonate and magnesia |
| Pigments | Titanium-dioxide-coated mica flakes and fish-scale extracts |
| Low-temperature solders | Cadmium, indium, lead and tin, partially |
| Free-machining alloys | Lead, selenium or tellurium |
| Holding devices and sprinkler triggers | Resins for holding metal shapes, and glycerin-filled glass bulbs for sprinkler triggers |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Bismuth. USGS says substitutes often cost performance or money; the table gives its wording for each application.
Can bismuth be recycled?
Recycled bismuth-containing alloy scrap was estimated to make up as much as 10% of US apparent consumption in each year from 2021 to 2025.
What are the supply risks and recent events for bismuth?
- February to March 2025. China issued export controls on bismuth in response to the United States imposing 10% import tariffs on Chinese goods in February. The monthly average price (in warehouse, Rotterdam) peaked at $34.22 per pound in March.
- 2025. The monthly average rose from $5.96 per pound in January to $17.50 in October. The 2025 annual average of $20 per pound was almost four times the 2024 price and the highest annual average on record.
- 2025. US imports of bismuth metal from China fell 40% to an estimated 460 tons from 760 tons in 2024. China accounted for 88% of world bismuth production of 16,000 tons.
US import sources, 2021 to 2024. China, 56%; Republic of Korea, 22%; Germany, 13%; and other, 9%. (USGS)
Which companies produce or process bismuth?
2 companies are profiled, including 5N Plus, Korea Zinc. Full bismuth companies page.
Frequently asked questions
What is bismuth used for?
Bismuth is used in chemicals and pharmaceuticals, nontoxic replacement for lead and fusible alloys. Chemicals and pharmaceuticals: most US consumption; bismuth subsalicylate is the active ingredient in over-the-counter stomach remedies.
Which country produces the most bismuth?
China produces the most bismuth: an estimated 14,000 t, or 86% of the world total, in 2025, according to the USGS refinery production figures.
Is bismuth a critical mineral?
Yes. Bismuth is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Bismuth was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for bismuth in 2025 was 92%.
How much does bismuth cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of bismuth at $20/lb (bismuth, average; +270% 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: Bismuth. 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
- 5N Plus: company website
- Korea Zinc: product information
Related topics
Bismuth companies
The companies page for bismuth.
How Bismuth is mined and refined
The mining and processing page for bismuth.
Bismuth supply chain and top producers
The supply chain page for bismuth.
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.
