# Bismuth

A dense, low-toxicity metal that replaces lead in plumbing and solders and soothes stomachs, refined overwhelmingly in China.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/

Tech & minor metals · No. 37

- EU strategic
- EU critical 2023
- US critical 2025
- India critical 2023
- HHI 6,764 · highly concentrated
 Tech & minor metals · Foundation · Matter

Bismuth soothes stomachs and replaces lead in taps, yet China refines most of it and its price nearly quadrupled in 2025.

Chart: Illustration: Bismuth

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Bismuth is almost never mined for itself: only two mines have made it their main product, one idle since 1996. It collects in residues from lead, tungsten and zinc smelting.

##### Three things to know

1. Since 2014, US 'lead-free' plumbing may contain no more than 0.25% lead, down from 8%, which pushed bismuth into brass fittings.
2. It melts at a very low temperature and swells as it freezes, ideal for the fusible alloys that set off fire sprinklers.
3. With companionality near 95%, bismuth supply cannot rise unless the world processes more lead or tungsten.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Base-metal ore**Lead, tungsten or zinc ores
2. 2 **Smelting**Concentrate goes to base-metal smelters
3. 3 **Residues**Bismuth gathers in drosses and residues
4. 4 **Refining**Purified to 99.99% metal
5. 5 **End uses**Medicines, pigments, lead-free brass and solders
 Covered in [What makes something a commodityCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/what-is-a-commodity/)[Criticality and geopoliticsCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/criticality-and-geopolitics/)

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/links/index.md)