# Strontium: Production

How Iran came to mine over half the world's celestite

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

How Iran came to mine over half the world's celestite 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.

USGS reports output in tonnes of celestite. World output rose from 400,000 t in 2024 to 450,000 t in 2025. Iran supplied 250,000 t, over half. Spain followed with 100,000 t, China 80,000 t and Mexico 20,000 t. With one country above half, concentration is high. Strontium carbonate is a separate bottleneck. In 2025 its supply was disrupted by lower Chinese output, a port explosion in Iran and a fire at a Mexican plant.

#### USGS estimate
 World, 2024 400,000 metric tons, celestite gross weight (mine) World, 2025e 450,000 metric tons, celestite gross weight (mine)

#### Largest producers by company, global

- **Kandelium (ex-Solvay barium and strontium business)**: 40,000 t/yr strontium carbonate capacity at the Mexican plant damaged by fire in 2025 (2025)
- **Hebei Xinji Chemical**: 60,000 t/yr capacity (28.84% of China's capacity) (2024)
- **Iranian celestite miners**: 250,000 t celestite (Iran national output) (2025e)

#### Largest producers by company, India

India has no reported celestite production (USGS 2026) and relies on imports of strontium carbonate and nitrate for ferrites, fireworks (notably the Sivakasi industry) and glass. Strontium is on India's 2023 list of critical minerals. No Indian producer volumes were found.

## Other sections

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