Zirconium (Zr): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
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Zirconium is recovered mainly as zircon, a coproduct of heavy-mineral-sand mining, and ceramics are the leading end use of zircon. In 2025 Australia produced an estimated 400 kt, 32% of world mine production (USGS world total: 1,200 kt), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). US net import reliance for zirconium in 2025 was less than 25%. Zirconium is on the US and Australian critical minerals lists.
32%
of world mine production came from Australia in 2025
$1,800/t
zircon, premium grade, cost, insurance and freight, China in 2025 (-8% on 2024)
Which countries produce zirconium?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world | Reserves (kt, ZrO2 content) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 400 | 400 | 32% | 55,000 |
| South Africa | 290 | 270 | 22% | 5,900 |
| Mozambique | 124 | 160 | 13% | 1,500 |
| United States | 100 | 100 | 8% | 500 |
| China | 100 | 100 | 8% | 500 |
| Senegal | 68 | 70 | 5.6% | 2,600 |
| Indonesia | 81 | 52 | 4.2% | 3,400 |
| Madagascar | 31 | 26 | 2.1% | 2,100 |
| All other countries | 96 | 65 | 5.2% | 5,990 |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 1,300 | 1,200 | 100% | >70,000 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zirconium and hafnium. 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.
What is zirconium used for?
- Ceramics: the leading end use of zircon
- Foundry sand, refractories and zirconium chemicals: other primary uses of zircon
- Zirconium metal: produced from zirconium chemical intermediates by one producer in Oregon and one in Utah
How much does zirconium cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of zirconium at $1,800/t (zircon, premium grade, cost, insurance and freight, China; -8% on 2024). Full zirconium price page.
Is zirconium a critical mineral?
Zirconium is on the US and Australian critical minerals lists. 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 | Not listed |
| Australia | Critical minerals list |
| Canada | Not listed |
Lists last checked against the primary publications on October 12, 2026. See the comparison of all four lists.
What are the substitutes for zirconium?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| Foundry applications | Chromite and olivine can substitute for zircon for some uses |
| High-temperature refractories | Dolomite and spinel refractories |
| Nuclear applications | Niobium, stainless steel and tantalum provide some substitution |
| Chemical processing plants | Titanium and synthetic materials in some applications |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zirconium and hafnium. USGS says substitutes often cost performance or money; the table gives its wording for each application.
Can zirconium be recycled?
Companies in Oregon and Utah recycled zirconium from new scrap generated during metal production and fabrication and from post-commercial old scrap. Zircon foundry mold cores and spent or rejected zirconia refractories are often recycled but could not be quantified.
What are the supply risks and recent events for zirconium?
- 2025. Several companies continued exploration and development with planned production of zirconium mineral concentrates in Australia, Mozambique, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. Australia and South Africa were the leading global exporters and China the leading importer of zirconium mineral concentrates.
- 2025. USGS revised its 2024 production figures for Australia and Mozambique, and revised zirconium reserves for Australia, China, Indonesia and South Africa, based on company and government reports. The United States was a net exporter of zirconium metal.
US import sources, 2021 to 2024. Zirconium ores and concentrates: South Africa, 48%; Australia, 35%; Senegal, 15%; and other, 2%. (USGS)
Resources. Resources of zircon in the United States include about 14 million tons associated with titanium resources in heavy-mineral-sand deposits. Phosphate rock and sand and gravel deposits could potentially yield substantial amounts of zircon as a byproduct.
Which companies produce or process zirconium?
| Company | Country | Role | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iluka Resources | Australia | Zircon producer (ASX: ILU) | Its August 2026 half-year presentation gives first-half 2026 production of 36.2 thousand tonnes of zircon sand and 43.7 thousand tonnes of zircon-in-concentrate, sales of 110 thousand tonnes of zircon sand and 53 thousand of zircon-in-concentrate, and full-year zircon production guidance of about 180 thousand tonnes. Iluka Resources: 2026 half year results presentation (19 August 2026) |
| Tronox | Australia and South Africa (mines) | Zircon producer and TiO2 pigment maker (NYSE: TROX) | Its 2025 10-K says it generated $274 million of revenue from zircon in 2025 and has the capability to produce about 297,000 metric tons of zircon a year. Tronox, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 20 February 2026) |
| Kenmare Resources | Ireland (Moma mine in Mozambique) | Mineral sands miner | Its Moma mine page gives zircon production of 50,000 tonnes in 2025, 50,500 in 2024 and 56,300 in 2021, and says the heavy mineral concentrate is separated into ilmenite, zircon, rutile and mineral sands concentrate. Kenmare Resources: The Moma Mine page |
| ATI | United States (Millersburg, Oregon and Huntsville, Alabama) | Producer of zirconium and hafnium alloys (NYSE: ATI) | Its 2025 10-K says it makes reactor-grade zirconium and hafnium alloys for nuclear plants, that zirconium and related alloys were 9% of its total revenue in both 2025 and 2024, and that its zirconium is sourced from the United States and China. ATI Inc., Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 20 February 2026) |
| Westinghouse Electric Company (Western Zirconium plant) | United States (Ogden, Utah) | Maker of zirconium-based alloy products for nuclear fuel | Its ISO 9001 certificate includes finished and semi-finished zirconium-based alloy products, including zirconium-based tubing, in the company scope, and its Ogden plant entry excludes the extraction process that makes zirconium and hafnium sponge. It gives no volume. Westinghouse Electric Company: ISO 9001 certificate of approval (issued 13 March 2024, expires 30 November 2026) |
Each row links to the document that supports it. The list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
Frequently asked questions
What is zirconium used for?
Zirconium is used in ceramics, foundry sand, refractories and zirconium chemicals and zirconium metal. Ceramics: the leading end use of zircon.
Which country produces the most zirconium?
Australia produces the most zirconium: an estimated 400 kt, or 32% of the world total, in 2025, according to the USGS mine production figures.
Is zirconium a critical mineral?
Yes. Zirconium is on the US and Australian critical minerals lists. Zirconium was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for zirconium in 2025 was less than 25%.
How much does zirconium cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of zirconium at $1,800/t (zircon, premium grade, cost, insurance and freight, China; -8% on 2024).
Sources
Read on October 14, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zirconium and hafnium. 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
- Iluka Resources: 2026 half year results presentation (19 August 2026)
- Tronox, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 20 February 2026)
- Kenmare Resources: The Moma Mine page
- ATI Inc., Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 20 February 2026)
- Westinghouse Electric Company: ISO 9001 certificate of approval (issued 13 March 2024, expires 30 November 2026)
