Infographic

Zirconium (zircon) in numbers

Zirconium (zircon) (Zr) drawn as one poster: 1.2 Mt of world mine production in 2025, Australia the largest producer, 5 critical mineral lists. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2025Zirconium (zircon)ZrAlloying metal · symbol ZrZircon from mineral sands is used in ceramics, refractories, foundries and chemicals; zirconiummetal clads nuclear fuel.WORLD MINE PRODUCTION 20251.2 Mtzircon concentrates, gross weight. USGS Mineral CommoditySummaries.TOP PRODUCER: AUSTRALIA33%400 kt of the world total in 2025.WORLD RESERVES 202570 MtLargest in Australia (55 Mt). ZrO2 content.CRITICAL MINERAL LISTS5Current government critical or strategic lists namingzirconium (zircon), across 5 jurisdictions.TOP 3 PRODUCERS69%US NET IMPORT RELIANCE 202525%PRICE 20253,800 $/kgTOP PRODUCERS 2025Where zirconium (zircon) comes fromAustralia400 kt33%South Africa270 kt22%Mozambique160 kt13%China100 kt8.3%United States100 kt8.3%Senegal70 kt5.8%Indonesia52 kt4.3%Madagascar26 kt2.2%Sierra Leone25 kt2.1%Mine production, zircon concentrates, gross weight. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, estimates.Zircon output was about 1.2 Mt in 2025: Australia 400 kt, South Africa 270 kt, Mozambique 160 kt.1944–2021A century of zirconium (zircon) production0.00 t500 kt1.0 Mt1.5 Mt2.0 Mt194419551966197719881999201020212021: 1.4 Mt1944: 17 ktWorld production, USGS column 'World production'. Source: USGS Data Series 140, historical statistics.PRODUCING COUNTRIES9 countries reported zirconium (zircon) output in 2025Filled countries produce it; brighter is larger. Outline map simplified from Natural Earth.TRADE FLOWS 2024Biggest zirconium (zircon) trade routesSouth Africa → China$384 mMozambique → China$75 mIndonesia → China$71 mAustralia → Spain$65 mSenegal → China$56 mHS 261510: Zirconium ores and concentrates. World trade $1.7 bn in 2024. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22).POLICYOn the critical listsUnited States (USGS): critical 2025Australia: critical 2024India: critical 2023South Korea: critical 2023China: strategic 2016prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Zirconium (zircon) infographic: world production, top producers, reserves, a century of output, producing countries on a map, trade routes, critical lists. Data year 2025.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production and reserves are USGS estimates, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data, demand is the IEA's outlook.

World mine production, 2025
1.2 Mt (zircon concentrates, gross weight) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest producer
Australia, 400 kt (33% of world) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Top three producers' share
69% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World reserves, 2025
70 Mt (ZrO2 content), largest in Australia USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Critical mineral lists
5 current lists in 5 jurisdictions (Australia, China, India, South Korea, United States) government critical mineral lists
US net import reliance, 2025
25% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Price, 2025
3,800 $/kg (Price: Hafnium, unwrought, dollars per kilogram) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World production, 1944
17 kt (USGS historical series, as reported) USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
World production, 2021 (historical series)
1.4 Mt USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
Largest trade flow, 2024
South Africa → China, $384 m (HS 261510, Zirconium ores and concentrates); world trade $1.7 bn CEPII BACI trade database

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics) · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded; country names follow our atlas.

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Zirconium (zircon) storyWhere zirconium (zircon) is minedCritical mineral listsAll infographics