South Korea
Every USGS world production table for 2025 that names South Korea: its share of each world total, its rank and its reserves.
South Korea’s share of each world total, 2025
- Cadmium2nd of 1619%
- Indium2nd of 816%
- Natural zeolites3rd of 1312%
- Bismuth2nd of 76.1%
- Diatomite7th of 144.7%
- Natural mica5th of 104.3%
- Talc and pyrophyllite5th of 144.3%
- Rhenium6th of 83.7%
- Sulfur9th of 173.7%
- Feldspar and nepheline syenite7th of 133.2%
- Iron and steelPig iron production · 5th of 113.2%
- Iron and steel6th of 113.2%
- CopperRefinery production · 8th of 172.1%
- Lime7th of 221.2%
- Cement14th of 141%
- Molybdenum15th of 150.2%
- Natural graphite15th of 18under 0.1%
South Korea’s largest world share was in cadmium: 19% in 2025. It ranked second of 16 listed producers of cadmium, second of 8 listed producers of indium, and second of 7 listed producers of bismuth. It holds the largest reserves listed for natural mica. It supplied 25% of U.S. imports of indium in 2021–24.
Production listings
ranks among countries with published figures
| Commodity | Measure | 2025 | Unit | Rank | Change on 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismuth | Refinery production | 1,000 | metric tons | 2nd of 7 | 0% |
| Cadmium | Refinery production | 4,300 | metric tons | 2nd of 16 | 0% |
| Cement | Cement production | 37,000 | thousand metric tons | 14th of 14 | −16% |
| Copper | Refinery production | 610 | thousand metric tons, copper content | 8th of 17 | +1% |
| Diatomite | Mine production | 120 | thousand metric tons | 7th of 14 | 0% |
| Feldspar and nepheline syenite | Mine production | 1,000 | thousand metric tons | 7th of 13 | +1% |
| Indium | Refinery production | 180 | metric tons | 2nd of 8 | 0% |
| Iron and steel | Pig iron production | 41 | million metric tons | 5th of 11 | −6.8% |
| Iron and steel | Raw steel production | 60 | million metric tons | 6th of 11 | −6.2% |
| Lime | Lime production | 5,000 | thousand metric tons | 7th of 22 | 0% |
| Molybdenum | Mine production | 500 | metric tons, molybdenum content | 15th of 15 | +47% |
| Natural graphite | Mine production | 500 | metric tons | 15th of 18 | −50% |
| Natural mica | Scrap and flake mica mine production | 15,000 | metric tons | 5th of 10 | −29% |
| Natural zeolites | Mine production | 160,000 | metric tons | 3rd of 13 | +14% |
| Rhenium | Mine production | 3,000 | kilograms, rhenium content | 6th of 8 | 0% |
| Sulfur | Production, all forms | 3,100 | thousand metric tons, sulfur content | 9th of 17 | 0% |
| Talc and pyrophyllite | Mine production | 300 | thousand metric tons | 5th of 14 | −6.8% |
Reserves
6 reserve figures published for South Korea
| Commodity | Measure | Reserves | Unit | Rank | World share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural mica | Scrap and flake mica reserves | 12,000,000 | metric tons | 1st of 3 | – |
| Feldspar and nepheline syenite | Reserves | 200,000 | thousand metric tons | 4th of 7 | – |
| Talc and pyrophyllite | Reserves | 81,000 | thousand metric tons | 4th of 7 | – |
| Diatomite | Reserves | 2,200 | thousand metric tons | 5th of 5 | – |
| Natural graphite | Reserves | 1,800,000 | metric tons | 13th of 15 | 0.6% |
| Molybdenum | Reserves | 8 | thousand metric tons | 14th of 15 | under 0.1% |
Supplier to the United States
share of U.S. imports, 2021–24
- Indiumall imports25%
- Bismuthall imports22%
- MolybdenumFerromolybdenum21%
- LeadRefined metal16%
- Iron and steelall imports9%
- Industrial diamondall imports8%
- ZincOres and concentrates7%
- Industrial sand and gravelall imports4%
- Yttriumall imports4%
Similar producer profiles
most shared commodities, relative to both lists
- China16 commodities in common
- United States13 commodities in common
- Russia12 commodities in common
- Japan10 commodities in common
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, world production and reserves tables. How ranks and shares are worked out.