Iron oxide pigments
World mine production and reserves, 2024–2025
Mine production, 2025 (metric tons), bars relative to the largest; no shares because USGS publishes no world total
India was the largest producer with a published figure in 2025 (3.4 million metric tons); USGS gives no world total for this table. Net imports covered 84% of U.S. iron oxide pigments consumption in 2025. Cyprus supplied 51% of U.S. imports of natural in 2021–24, more than any other country.
Producer log
8 countries listed separately
| Country | Mine production 2024 | Mine production 2025 | Change on 2024 | Reserves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiaocher | 3,300,000 | 3,400,000 | +3% | 37,000,000 |
| Germany | 276,000 | 280,000 | +1.4% | moderate |
| Pakistanocher | 79,000 | 80,000 | +1.3% | large |
| Italy | 31,000 | 32,000 | +3.2% | not available |
| Cyprus | 21,000 | 22,000 | +4.8% | moderate |
| Spainocher and red iron oxide | 18,000 | 19,000 | +5.6% | large |
| France | 12,000 | 13,000 | +8.3% | not available |
| United States | withheld | withheld | moderate | |
| World total | not available | not available | large |
United States
supply, trade and import sources
84%
Net import reliance in 2025, as a percentage of apparent consumption.
202187
202285
202380
202482
202584
Import sources of natural, 2021–24
- Cyprus 51%
- France 23%
- Austria 18%
- Belgium 3%
- Other countries 5%
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mine production, crude | W | W | W | W | W |
| Sold or used, finished natural and synthetic IOPs | 26,900 | 38,200 | 25,100 | 34,400 | 32,000 |
| Imports for consumption | 189,000 | 225,000 | 114,000 | 162,000 | 180,000 |
| Exports, pigment grade | 12,300 | 13,800 | 13,000 | 8,150 | 10,000 |
| Consumption, apparent | 203,000 | 249,000 | 126,000 | 189,000 | 200,000 |
| Employment, mine and mill, number | 43 | 45 | 44 | 37 | 38 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Iron oxide pigments chapter (PDF page 118). How to read these figures.