Indium Substitutes: Alternatives and Trade-offs
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Indium can be replaced in some applications and not in others. For ITO coatings in liquid crystal displays, USGS names antimony tin oxide coatings; researchers have developed a more adhesive zinc oxide nanopowder. It names substitutes for 3 applications in all, and the table below gives its wording for each, including where a substitute costs performance or does not exist.
69%
of world refinery production came from China in 2025
$370/kg
US warehouse, free on board in 2025 (+22% on 2024)
What is indium used for?
- Indium tin oxide (ITO) coatings: most global consumption; electrically conductive thin films in flat-panel displays, most commonly liquid crystal displays
- Alloys, solders and compounds: including indium-based solder alloys used in some data-center electrical components
- Electrical components and semiconductors: indium phosphide (InP) substrates for lasers and receivers in 5G fiber-optic networks, and for photodetectors and laser diodes
- Research: listed by USGS as an end use
Which materials can replace indium?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| ITO coatings in liquid crystal displays | Antimony tin oxide coatings; researchers have developed a more adhesive zinc oxide nanopowder |
| Flexible displays, solar cells and touch screens | Carbon nanotube coatings, PEDOT, copper or silver nanowires and graphene |
| Nuclear reactor control rod alloys | Hafnium |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Indium. USGS says substitutes often cost performance or money; the table gives its wording for each application.
Frequently asked questions
What can replace indium?
ITO coatings in liquid crystal displays: antimony tin oxide coatings; researchers have developed a more adhesive zinc oxide nanopowder; Flexible displays, solar cells and touch screens: carbon nanotube coatings, PEDOT, copper or silver nanowires and graphene; Nuclear reactor control rod alloys: hafnium.
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.
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.
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%.
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
Related topics
Indium: full profile
Uses, producers, price, substitutes and critical list status for indium.
Indium companies
The companies page for indium.
Investing in Indium
The investing page for indium.
How Indium is mined and refined
The mining and processing page for indium.
Indium price
The price page for indium.
Indium supply chain and top producers
The supply chain page for indium.
