Tellurium: Production
Output doubled in four years, and China leads
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 output doubling from 459 t in 2020 to 958 t in 2024. China supplied 78.3%, Japan 7.3%, Russia 5.2% and Sweden 4.8%. An HHI of 6,242 is very high. USGS estimates 981 t in 2024 and 1,000 t in 2025, excluding withheld US output, with China at 800 t. China's rise follows its copper industry. Its electrolytic refining capacity grew nearly 75% over a decade, and anode capacity more than doubled. Several countries make tellurium-bearing intermediates but do not refine tellurium.
Tellurium · WMD
2020 459 2021 742 2022 681 2023 917 2024 958 World production, tonnes (World Mining Data 2026).Top producers 2024
China 78.3% Japan 7.3% Russia 5.2% Sweden 4.8% Canada 2.8% United States 1.0% Uzbekistan 0.3% Bulgaria 0.2% Concentration: HHI 6,242, highly concentrated.USGS estimate
World, 2024 981 metric tons, tellurium content (refinery production; excludes US) World, 2025e 1,000 metric tons, tellurium content (refinery production; excludes US)Largest producers by company, global
- Rio Tinto (Kennecott, Utah): 20 t/yr capacity (2022 start)
- First Solar: 14 GW/yr expected US module capacity at full ramp-up (2026-2027)
- Chinese copper refiners (country total): 800 t Te (country refinery output) (2025)
- Boliden (Ronnskar smelter): 48 t Te (Sweden reported output, concentrate) (2025)
- Russian copper refiners (country total): 67 t Te (country refinery output) (2025)