Iridium Companies: Producers and Processors
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The companies below produce, process or use iridium. Each row cites the document that says what the company does with the metal; the list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
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official critical minerals lists (US, EU, Australia, Canada) that include iridium
Which companies produce or process iridium?
| Company | Country | Role | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impala Platinum (Implats) | South Africa | PGM miner and refiner (JSE: IMP) | Its annual integrated report defines the 6E platinum group metal basket it reports as platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and gold, and its FY2026 results give refined and saleable 6E production of 3.56 million ounces for the year to June 2026. Neither document gives an iridium-only figure. Impala Platinum: Annual Integrated Report for the year to 30 June 2026 Implats: FY2026 results release (3 September 2026) |
| Valterra Platinum | South Africa | PGM miner and refiner (JSE: VAL; LSE: VALT) | Its fourth-quarter 2025 production report defines PGMs as platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and iridium plus gold, and gives full-year 2025 refined PGM production of 3,412,000 ounces and metal-in-concentrate production of 3,200,600 ounces. It gives no iridium-only figure. Valterra Platinum: production report for the fourth quarter of 2025 (JSE announcement, 5 February 2026) |
| Johnson Matthey | United Kingdom | PGM refiner and publisher of the annual PGM market report (LSE: JMAT) | Its 14 May 2026 market report release says iridium demand could edge higher in 2026 as two large green hydrogen projects are completed in Europe, and that with supply expected to be stable the market will remain in a modest deficit. Its PGM Services page calls the business the number one secondary refiner of PGMs globally, which is the company's own claim. Johnson Matthey: 2026 PGM market report release (14 May 2026) Johnson Matthey: PGM Services seminar page (27 June 2024) |
| Heraeus Precious Metals | Germany | Precious metals trader, recycler and catalyst maker | Its 14 November 2023 release with Sibanye-Stillwater describes proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis as dependent on iridium, an element in extremely limited supply, and a ruthenium-based catalyst that it says can enable an 85% saving on iridium compared with an iridium oxide catalyst. Heraeus Precious Metals: release with Sibanye-Stillwater (14 November 2023) |
Each row links to the document that supports it. The list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
What do the sources say about iridium companies?
- USGS names no company that produces iridium. It names South Africa as the world leading producer of platinum-group-metal-containing mined material and Russia as the leading producer of mined palladium, and reports that one company in Montana mined and processed platinum-group metals in 2025, with palladium and platinum output down 40% because one operation remained on care-and-maintenance.
- The United States imported an estimated 2,200 kilograms of iridium in 2025, against 1,360 kilograms in 2024. USGS lists no iridium import sources.
Frequently asked questions
What is iridium used for?
Iridium is used in platinum-group metal uses and catalysts. Platinum-group metal uses: USGS does not split platinum-group metal uses by metal. The leading use is catalytic converters that cut harmful emissions from automobiles. Other uses it names are catalysts for bulk chemical production and petroleum refining, dental and medical devices, electronics (computer hard disks, hybridized integrated circuits and multilayer ceramic capacitors), glass manufacturing, investment, jewelry and laboratory equipment.
Where is iridium produced?
USGS publishes country production figures only for palladium and platinum and says information is insufficient to estimate world production of iridium, rhodium and ruthenium. It names South Africa as the world leading producer of PGM-containing mined material and Russia as the leading producer of mined palladium.
Is iridium a critical mineral?
Yes. Iridium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Iridium was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. USGS does not estimate US net import reliance for iridium.
How much does iridium cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of iridium at $4,400/oz (iridium, average; -9% 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: Platinum-group metals. 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
- Impala Platinum: Annual Integrated Report for the year to 30 June 2026
- Implats: FY2026 results release (3 September 2026)
- Valterra Platinum: production report for the fourth quarter of 2025 (JSE announcement, 5 February 2026)
- Johnson Matthey: 2026 PGM market report release (14 May 2026)
- Johnson Matthey: PGM Services seminar page (27 June 2024)
- Heraeus Precious Metals: release with Sibanye-Stillwater (14 November 2023)
Related topics
Iridium: full profile
Uses, producers, price, substitutes and critical list status for iridium.
Iridium price
The price page for iridium.
Critical Minerals Lists Compared
The US, EU, Australian and Canadian lists side by side.
Platinum Group Metals
The six platinum-group metals and their supply.
Palladium
Profile of palladium.
Platinum
Profile of platinum.
