Cadmium
World refinery production, 2024–2025
Share of world refinery production, 2025 · world total 23,000 metric tons
- China 41%
- South Korea 19%
- Canada 5.6%
- Japan 5.6%
- Kazakhstan 4.7%
- Mexico 4.3%
- Russia 4.3%
- Australia 2.6%
- All other countries 13%
China accounted for 41% of world refinery production of cadmium in 2025 (9,500 metric tons). U.S. imports of cadmium (unwrought cadmium and powders) fell from 155 metric tons in 2021 to 10 metric tons in 2025. Among the main producers, Japan changed most: −18% on 2024. The three largest producers, China, South Korea, and Canada, together supplied 65%.
Producer log
16 countries listed separately
| Country | Refinery production 2024 | Refinery production 2025 | Share of world 2025 | Change on 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 8,900 | 9,500 | 41% | +6.7% |
| South Korea | 4,300 | 4,300 | 19% | 0% |
| Canada | 1,300 | 1,300 | 5.6% | 0% |
| Japan | 1,580 | 1,300 | 5.6% | −18% |
| Kazakhstan | 1,100 | 1,100 | 4.7% | 0% |
| Mexico | 1,190 | 1,000 | 4.3% | −16% |
| Russia | 1,000 | 1,000 | 4.3% | 0% |
| Australia | 601 | 600 | 2.6% | −0.2% |
| Netherlands | 592 | 600 | 2.6% | +1.4% |
| Peru | 664 | 600 | 2.6% | −9.6% |
| Norway | 350 | 430 | 1.9% | +23% |
| Poland | 382 | 400 | 1.7% | +4.7% |
| Bulgaria | 379 | 380 | 1.6% | +0.3% |
| Uzbekistan | 170 | 230 | 1% | +35% |
| Germany | 130 | 220 | 0.9% | +69% |
| United States | 180 | 200 | 0.9% | +11% |
| World total | 22,800 | 23,000 | 100% | +0.9% |
United States
supply, trade and import sources
less than 25%
Net import reliance in 2025, as a percentage of apparent consumption. “E” marks years when the United States exported more than it imported.
2021<50
2022<25
2023E
2024E
2025<25
Import sources, 2021–24
- China 50%
- Germany 33%
- Australia 6%
- Peru 6%
- Other countries 5%
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production: Primary, refined | 241 | 212 | 375 | 180 | 200 |
| Production: Secondary | W | W | W | W | W |
| Imports for consumption: Unwrought cadmium and powders | 155 | 99 | 72 | 6 | 10 |
| Imports for consumption: Wrought cadmium and other articles | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Imports for consumption: Cadmium waste and scrap | 85 | 40 | under ½ | 40 | 30 |
| Imports for consumption: Cadmium oxide | 14 | 33 | 37 | 13 | 40 |
| Imports for consumption: Cadmium sulfide | — | under ½ | — | 41 | — |
| Imports for consumption: Cadmium pigments and preparations based on cadmium compounds | 101 | 146 | 147 | 126 | 170 |
| Exports: Unwrought cadmium and powders | 51 | 68 | 100 | 24 | 1 |
| Exports: Wrought cadmium and other articles | 217 | 60 | 21 | 33 | 30 |
| Exports: Cadmium waste and scrap | — | 2 | 15 | — | — |
| Exports: Cadmium pigments and preparations based on cadmium compounds | 550 | 747 | 947 | 471 | 760 |
| Consumption of metal, apparent | W | W | W | W | W |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Cadmium chapter (PDF page 68). How to read these figures.