# Vermiculite: Production How South Africa leads a small, spread-out market Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/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. The USGS estimates world production at 470,000 t in 2024 and 460,000 t in 2025. South Africa led with 160,000 t, about 35%, followed by the United States at about 100,000 t and Brazil at 50,000 t. World Mining Data shows a higher 524,000 t for 2024, with South Africa at 31%. Its HHI of 1,754 indicates moderate concentration. WMD output grew from 428,000 t in 2020. Zimbabwe, Uganda, China and Russia supply most of the rest. #### Vermiculite ยท WMD 2020 428k 2021 471k 2022 504k 2023 469k 2024 524k World production, tonnes (World Mining Data 2026). #### Top producers 2024 South Africa 31.1% United States 19.1% Brazil 10.5% Zimbabwe 10.3% Uganda 9.3% China 7.4% Russia 7.1% Turkey 2.5% Concentration: HHI 1,754, moderately concentrated. #### USGS estimate World, 2024 470 thousand metric tons (mine) World, 2025e 460 thousand metric tons (mine) #### Largest producers by company, global - **Palabora Mining Company**: 155 kt vermiculite (2019) - **Two US producers (South Carolina and Virginia)**: 100 kt concentrate (combined, rounded) (2025) #### Largest producers by company, India India mined about 2,000 t in 2025 and has 1.6 Mt of reserves (USGS); no producer volumes were found. India imported 80,000 t under HS 253010 (vermiculite, perlite and chlorites) worth $11.6 million in 2024, 5.0% of world import value (UN Comtrade). ## Other sections - [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/index.md) - [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/overview/index.md) - [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/correlation/index.md) - [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/extraction/index.md) - [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/stocks/index.md) - [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/cycles/index.md) - [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/trading/index.md) - [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/movement/index.md) - [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/criticality/index.md) - [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/characteristics/index.md) - [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/emissions/index.md) - [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/vermiculite/links/index.md)