Zirconium: Stocks
Australia's grip on the world's zircon reserves
Australia's grip on the world's zircon reserves What this tab covers How much is left and how much is held. For minerals and energy: reserves, current output, years of supply and recycling for the top five countries. For farm commodities: production, ending stocks and stocks-to-use for the top five producers (USDA, October 2026). It also covers inventories and stockpiles.Top five countries: reserves, output and years of supply
| Country | Reserves thousand t ZrO2 content | Current output thousand t ZrO2 content (2025e; USGS gross weight x 0.65, the USGS conversion) | Years of supply | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 55,000 | 260 | 212 | n/a |
| South Africa | 5,900 | 176 | 34 | n/a |
| Mozambique | 1,500 | 104 | 14 | n/a |
| China | 500 | 65 | 8 | n/a |
| United States | 500 | 65 | 8 | n/a |
Recycling
USGS reports mine output in gross weight and reserves in ZrO2 content; output here is converted at 65% ZrO2, the factor USGS uses. US output is rounded to 100 kt gross to protect company data. Recycling: EU end-of-life recycling input rate 12% (EU CRM 2023). In the US, zirconium metal is recycled from new and old scrap in Oregon and Utah, and foundry mould cores and spent zirconia refractories are often recycled but not quantified (USGS). No India, China or Japan rate was found.
World reserves exceed 70 Mt of ZrO2 content, with Australia holding 55 Mt. USGS calculates ZrO2 as 65% of zircon's gross weight. On that basis 2025 output was about 0.78 Mt ZrO2, so reserves would last roughly 90 years. The United States has about 14 Mt of zircon resources in heavy-mineral sands. Phosphate rock and sand deposits could add more as a by-product. Foundry mould cores and spent refractories are often recycled, but not quantified. The EU end-of-life recycling input rate is 12%.
Reserves
World reserves 70,000 thousand metric tons, ZrO2 content (world total given as >70,000; ZrO2 = 65% of gross weight) Australia 79% South Africa 8% Indonesia 5% Senegal 4% Madagascar 3% Largest reserve holders, share of world reserves (USGS MCS 2026). Reserves are what is economic to extract today, not what exists.Recycling
End-of-life recycling input rate in the EU: 12% of demand met from post-consumer scrap (EU CRM study 2023).Zirconium is recycled from new and old scrap in Oregon and Utah, and zircon mould cores and spent refractories are often recycled but not quantified.