# Bismuth: Production

How China came to make four-fifths of the supply

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

What this tab covers Who produces it and how much: world output over recent years, the top producing countries with their shares, USGS world figures for 2024 and 2025, and the largest producing companies globally and in India.

World Mining Data shows 7,349 t in 2024, down from 11,116 t in 2021. China supplied 81.6%, Vietnam 6.7% and Japan 6.1%. An HHI of 6,764 is very high. USGS reports refinery output on a different basis: about 16,300 t in 2024 and 16,000 t in 2025, with China at 14,000 t, or 88%. The gap suggests the two series count different stages or sources. Either way, China dominates. The United States stopped refining primary bismuth in 1997.

#### Bismuth · WMD
 2020 9,513 2021 11k 2022 10k 2023 10k 2024 7,349 World production, tonnes (World Mining Data 2026).

#### Top producers 2024
 China 81.6% Vietnam 6.7% Japan 6.1% Peru 3.6% Kazakhstan 1.8% Bolivia 0.2% Concentration: HHI 6,764, highly concentrated.

#### USGS estimate
 World, 2024 16,300 metric tons (refinery production) World, 2025e 16,000 metric tons (refinery production)

#### Largest producers by company, global

- **Chinese lead and tungsten smelters (Hunan and others)**: 14,000 t Bi (China total) (2025)
- **Japanese zinc and lead smelters**: 500 t Bi (Japan total) (2025)
- **Lao producers**: 500 t Bi (Laos total, reported) (2025)

#### Largest producers by company, India

India has no primary bismuth production (USGS). It imported about 475 t of HS 8106 bismuth worth $5.6 million in 2024, 6.6% of world imports by value, with negligible exports (Comtrade). Bismuth is on India's 2023 critical list.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/bismuth/index.md)
- [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)
- [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)