Zirconium and hafnium
World mine production and reserves, 2024–2025
Share of world zirconium mineral concentrates, mine production (gross weight), 2025 · world total 1.2 million metric tons
- Australia 32%
- South Africa 22%
- Mozambique 13%
- United States 8%
- China 8%
- Senegal 5.6%
- Indonesia 4.2%
- Madagascar 2.1%
- All other countries 5.2%
Australia accounted for 32% of world zirconium mineral concentrates mine production in 2025 (400,000 metric tons). World output fell 7.7% from 2024 to 2025, the second-steepest fall among the 72 commodities with world totals for both years. Among the main producers, Indonesia changed most: −36% on 2024. The three largest producers, Australia, South Africa, and Mozambique, together supplied 67%.
Producer log
9 countries listed separately
| Country | Zirconium mineral concentrates, mine production (gross weight) 2024 | Zirconium mineral concentrates, mine production (gross weight) 2025 | Share of world 2025 | Change on 2024 | Zirconium reserves (ZrO2 content) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 400 | 400 | 32% | 0% | 55,000 |
| South Africa | 290 | 270 | 22% | −6.9% | 5,900 |
| Mozambique | 124 | 160 | 13% | +29% | 1,500 |
| United States | 100 | 100 | 8% | 0% | 500 |
| China | 100 | 100 | 8% | 0% | 500 |
| Senegal | 68 | 70 | 5.6% | +2.9% | 2,600 |
| Indonesia | 81 | 52 | 4.2% | −36% | 3,400 |
| Madagascar | 31 | 26 | 2.1% | −16% | 2,100 |
| Sierra Leone | 25 | 25 | 2% | 0% | 290 |
| Other countries | 71 | 40 | 3.3% | 5,700 | |
| World total | 1,300 | 1,200 | 100% | −7.7% | more than 70,000 |
United States
supply, trade and import sources
Import sources of zirconium ores and concentrates, 2021–24
- South Africa 48%
- Australia 35%
- Senegal 15%
- Other countries 2%
Uses named for it in the 2025 critical minerals list: heat shields and nuclear reactors.
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production, zirconium ores and concentrates [zirconium oxide (ZrO ) content] | <100,000 | <100,000 | <100,000 | <100,000 | <100,000 |
| Imports: Zirconium ores and concentrates (ZrO2 content) | 18,500 | 31,900 | 20,400 | 18,900 | 16,000 |
| Imports: Zirconium, compounds | — | — | — | — | 1,300 |
| Imports: Zirconium, unwrought, powder, and waste and scrap | 746 | 346 | 451 | 493 | 530 |
| Imports: Zirconium, wrought | 264 | 288 | 312 | 372 | 380 |
| Imports: Hafnium, unwrought | 23 | 43 | 72 | 64 | 72 |
| Imports: Hafnium, wrought | NA | 2 | 6 | 13 | 12 |
| Exports: Zirconium ores and concentrates (ZrO2 content) | 10,000 | 11,200 | 13,200 | 15,400 | 10,000 |
| Exports: Zirconium, unwrought, powder, and waste and scrap | 589 | 1,090 | 1,080 | 1,180 | 1,300 |
| Exports: Zirconium, wrought | 966 | 821 | 706 | 808 | 1,000 |
| Exports: Hafnium, unwrought | — | 15 | 58 | 12 | 15 |
| Exports: Hafnium, wrought | NA | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Consumption, apparent, zirconium ores and concentrates (ZrO2 content) | <100,000 | <100,000 | <100,000 | <100,000 | <100,000 |
Open in the producer explorerWhich mineral outputs grew or shrank in 2025 Who produces the U.S. critical minerals
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zirconium and hafnium chapter (PDF page 222). How to read these figures.