How Indium Is Mined and Processed
Facts checked against sources on . How we check facts.
Indium is recovered mostly from the zinc ore mineral sphalerite, and indium tin oxide coatings on flat-panel displays account for most of its consumption. In 2025 China produced an estimated 760 t, 69% of world refinery production (USGS world total: 1,100 t), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
69%
of world refinery production came from China in 2025
$370/kg
US warehouse, free on board in 2025 (+22% on 2024)
Which countries produce indium?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 760 | 760 | 69% |
| Korea, Republic of | 180 | 180 | 16% |
| Japan | 65 | 65 | 5.9% |
| Canada | 40 | 40 | 3.6% |
| France | 21 | 21 | 1.9% |
| Belgium | 19 | 19 | 1.7% |
| Russia | 5 | 5 | 0.5% |
| Uzbekistan | 1 | 1 | <0.1% |
| United States | None | None | - |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 1,090 | 1,100 | 100% |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Indium. 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 indium mined and processed?
- Indium is most commonly recovered from the zinc-sulfide ore mineral sphalerite. The indium content of the zinc deposits it is recovered from ranges from less than 1 part per million to 100 parts per million.
- It occurs in trace amounts in chalcopyrite and stannite, but recovery from most deposits of those minerals was not economic.
- Indium was not recovered from ores in the United States in 2025. Several US companies make alloys, compounds, high-purity metal and solders from imported indium metal.
- USGS puts world refinery capacity at 1,700 tons in 2025: China 1,100, the Republic of Korea 310, and Canada, France and Japan 70 each.
- Indium is most commonly recovered from indium tin oxide scrap in Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Resources. The indium content of the zinc deposits from which it is recovered ranges from less than 1 part per million to 100 parts per million. It also occurs in trace amounts in chalcopyrite and stannite, but recovery from most of those deposits is not economic.
Frequently asked questions
Which country produces the most indium?
China produces the most indium: an estimated 760 t, or 69% of the world total, in 2025, according to the USGS refinery production figures.
What is indium used for?
Indium is used in indium tin oxide (ITO) coatings, alloys, solders and compounds and electrical components and semiconductors. Indium tin oxide (ITO) coatings: most global consumption; electrically conductive thin films in flat-panel displays, most commonly liquid crystal displays.
Is indium a critical mineral?
Yes. Indium is on the US, Australian and Canadian critical minerals lists. Indium was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for indium in 2025 was 100%.
Can indium be recycled?
Indium is most commonly recovered from ITO scrap in Japan and the Republic of Korea. Indium-containing scrap is recycled in the United States, but USGS has no data on the quantity.
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: Indium. 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
- 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
- EarthRarest price list. Dealer list price, read October 14, 2026; our sister business
- Yunnan Tin Company: 2025 annual report, in Chinese (30 March 2026)
- Korea Zinc: product information
- Teck: other metals (indium and germanium)
- Nyrstar: Auby smelter
- Indium Corporation: company website
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