Zirconium Price: Range, Benchmarks and Drivers
Facts checked against sources on . How we check facts.
USGS reports the average 2025 price of zirconium at $1,800/t (zircon, premium grade, cost, insurance and freight, China; -8% on 2024). The price has changed by an average of -3% a year since 2021. The table gives the annual averages for each year available, and the sections after it give the dealer price where one is listed and the recent events the sources report.
$1,800/t
zircon, premium grade, cost, insurance and freight, China, 2025 estimate
-8%
change in the 2025 average price from 2024
-3%
average annual change in price from 2021 to 2025
Zirconium price: what the sources report
| Price | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zircon, premium grade, cost, insurance and freight, China | dollars per metric ton (gross weight) | 1,530 | 2,300 | 2,160 | 2,000 | 1,800 |
| Zircon, imported | dollars per metric ton (gross weight) | 1,450 | 2,130 | 1,980 | 2,080 | 1,900 |
| Zirconium sponge, ex-works China | dollars per kilogram | 25 | 30 | 28 | 24 | 22 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zirconium and hafnium. The 2025 figures are USGS estimates. Prices are annual averages of the series named in each row, so they are not live quotes.
What recent events affect the zirconium market?
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
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).
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%.
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.
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)
Related topics
Zirconium: full profile
Uses, producers, price, substitutes and critical list status for zirconium.
Australia profile
Production, policy and projects in Australia.
Critical Minerals Lists Compared
The US, EU, Australian and Canadian lists side by side.
Chromium
Profile of chromium.
Hafnium
Profile of hafnium.
Niobium
Profile of niobium.
