Bismuth
World refinery production, 2024–2025
Share of world refinery production, 2025 · world total 16,000 metric tons
- China 86%
- South Korea 6.1%
- Japan 3.1%
- Laos 3.1%
- Kazakhstan 1.1%
- Bolivia 0.3%
- Bulgaria 0.3%
China accounted for 86% of world refinery production of bismuth in 2025 (14,000 metric tons). Only 5 of the 72 commodities with a world total had a larger single-country share. Net imports covered 92% of U.S. bismuth consumption in 2025. The three largest producers, China, South Korea, and Japan, together supplied 95%.
Producer log
8 countries listed separately
| Country | Refinery production 2024 | Refinery production 2025 | Share of world 2025 | Change on 2024 | Production capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 14,000 | 14,000 | 86% | 0% | not available |
| South Korea | 1,000 | 1,000 | 6.1% | 0% | not available |
| Japan | 500 | 500 | 3.1% | 0% | not available |
| Laos | 492 | 500 | 3.1% | +1.6% | not available |
| Kazakhstan | 180 | 180 | 1.1% | 0% | not available |
| Bolivia | 50 | 50 | 0.3% | 0% | not available |
| Bulgaria | 48 | 50 | 0.3% | +4.2% | not available |
| United States | 0 | 0 | not available | ||
| World total | 16,300 | 16,000 | 100% | −1.8% | not available |
United States
supply, trade and import sources
92%
Net import reliance in 2025, as a percentage of apparent consumption.
202192
202297
202394
202490
202592
Import sources, 2021–24
- China 56%
- South Korea 22%
- Germany 13%
- Other countries 9%
Uses named for it in the 2025 critical minerals list: medical uses, metallurgy, and atomic research.
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production: Refinery | — | — | — | — | — |
| Production: Secondary (scrap) | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| Imports for consumption, metal, alloys, and scrap: Containing more than 99.99% bismuth, by weight | NA | 740 | 731 | 626 | 650 |
| Imports for consumption, metal, alloys, and scrap: Other | NA | 2,340 | 1,110 | 1,180 | 820 |
| Imports for consumption, metal, alloys, and scrap: Total | 1,980 | 3,080 | 1,840 | 1,800 | 1,500 |
| Exports, metal, alloys, and scrap: Containing more than 99.99% bismuth, by weight | NA | 144 | 131 | 430 | 180 |
| Exports, metal, alloys, and scrap: Other | NA | 360 | 329 | 620 | 360 |
| Exports, metal, alloys, and scrap: Total | 1,010 | 503 | 460 | 1,050 | 540 |
| Consumption: Apparent | 1,030 | 2,600 | 1,450 | 830 | 1,000 |
| Consumption: Reported | 597 | 724 | 691 | 700 | NA |
| Stocks, yearend, consumer, bismuth metal | 297 | 356 | 365 | 365 | 360 |
Open in the producer explorerWhich minerals depend most on one country Who produces the U.S. critical minerals
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Bismuth chapter (PDF page 62). How to read these figures.