Indium
About Indium
Indium is a soft, silvery technology metal primarily used as indium tin oxide, the transparent conductive coating essential for virtually all touchscreens, flat panel displays, and thin-film solar cells. It is produced almost entirely as a byproduct of zinc refining. Supply is highly concentrated in China, and there are currently no effective substitutes for ITO in display applications.
Primary Uses
Top Producing Countries
Quick Facts
- Symbol
- In
- Atomic Number
- 49
- Category
- Technology Metal
- Criticality Level
- High
- Supply Risk
- High
- Top Producer
- China
- USGS Critical List
- Listed
- EU CRM List
- Listed
Explore Indium In Depth
Dive into detailed analysis across 11 key topics covering every aspect of the Indium value chain.
Uses & Applications
Discover the primary industrial, technological, and commercial applications of Indium across key sectors.
Supply Chain
Trace the Indium supply chain from mine to market, including key intermediaries, processing hubs, and trade flows.
Mining & Processing
Learn how Indium is extracted, concentrated, and processed into usable forms for downstream industries.
Refining & Grade Specs
Explore the refining methods, purity grades, and technical specifications that define Indium products.
Recycling
Assess the recycling potential, current recovery rates, and circular economy opportunities for Indium.
Substitutes
Evaluate possible substitutes and alternative materials that could reduce dependence on Indium.
Investing
Understand the investment landscape for Indium, including equities, ETFs, futures, and direct exposure strategies.
Price
Analyze Indium pricing mechanisms, historical trends, benchmarks, and the factors that drive market volatility.
Companies
Identify the major miners, processors, and technology companies involved in the Indium value chain.
Projects
Review the significant mining and processing projects shaping the future supply of Indium worldwide.
Risks
Examine the supply risks, geopolitical vulnerabilities, and strategic concerns associated with Indium.
Return to the full Mineral Library to explore other critical and strategic minerals.