Prices
No single exchange-settled price exists for bismuth. Trade settles over-the-counter against benchmarks published by independent price-reporting agencies. We do not republish those numbers — consult the publishers directly:
Asian Metal ↗
Daily benchmark quotations for bismuth from Asian producers (subscription).
Fastmarkets ↗
Industry benchmark prices, market reports, and price discovery for bismuth.
Shanghai Metals Market ↗
Real-time and historical Chinese spot prices for bismuth.
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 ↗
Annual U.S. Geological Survey reference — production, reserves, prices, and trade statistics for bismuth.
About Bismuth
Editorial overviewWhat is bismuth?
Bismuth (Bi, atomic number 83) is a heavy post-transition metal. It is valued for low-toxicity uses in alloys, chemicals, and specialty materials, and is usually produced as a byproduct rather than mined as a primary metal. USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth
How bismuth is priced
Bismuth has no regulated futures contract. Two parallel reference markets exist: the European 99.99% bismuth ingot in-warehouse Rotterdam price assessed daily by Fastmarkets and the Chinese domestic 99.99% bismuth ingot price published by SMM. Both are tracked in USGS MCS. Most physical sales settle against Fastmarkets European low/high.
Where bismuth comes from
USGS estimated world bismuth production at 16,000 tons in 2025, with China accounting for 88% of world output. The USGS also notes bismuth is additionally produced as a byproduct or coproduct in Vietnam, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, but China dominates supply. USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth Full breakdown in the production and reserves sections.
Who produces bismuth
USGS says bismuth is produced mostly as a byproduct of lead ore processing, with additional coproduct output in China, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea; it also notes only one mine in China and the inactive Tasna Mine in Bolivia have produced bismuth as a primary product. Public company-specific production reporting is limited, so the most defensible producer attribution from the primary source is country/state production rather than named corporate operators. USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth Full list of producers below.
What bismuth is used for
Most domestic bismuth consumption is for chemicals used in cosmetic, industrial, laboratory, and pharmaceutical applications, and bismuth subsalicylate is a key over-the-counter stomach remedy ingredient. The USGS also lists ceramic glazes, crystalware, high-performance pigments, pearlescent pigments, lead-free alloys and solders, fusible alloys, and semiconductor-device film paste as major uses. USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth
Key facts about bismuth supply
- USGS MCS 2026: world bismuth production was 16,000 tons in 2025, and China supplied 88% of that total. USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth
- USGS MCS 2026: U.S. net import reliance for bismuth was 92% in 2021, 97% in 2022, 94% in 2023, 90% in 2024, and 92% in 2025e. USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth
- USGS MCS 2026: recycled bismuth-containing alloy scrap was estimated to supply up to 10% of U.S. bismuth apparent consumption in 2021–25. USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth
- USGS MCS 2026: reserves and resources were generally not reported at a mine or country level, so a reserve-to-production cover ratio is not published for bismuth. USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth
- USGS MCS 2026: bismuth is most often a byproduct of lead ore processing, with additional byproduct or coproduct output from tungsten and zinc ore processing in some countries. USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth
Sources: USGS MCS 2026 Bismuth
Mine Production by Country
Source: USGS MCS 2026| Country | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| United States | — | — |
| Bolivia | 50 | 50 |
| Bulgaria | 48 | 50 |
| China | 14,000 | 14,000 |
| Japan | 500 | 500 |
| Kazakhstan | 180 | 180 |
| Korea, Republic of | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Laos | 492 | 500 |
| World total (rounded) | 16,300 | 16,000 |
Unit: metric tons. "e" = estimated, "W" = withheld, "NA" = not available. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Major Producers (0)
No producer data available for this metal.
Latest News
All metals news →No recent news for this metal. Visit the Hub news section for all metals news.
Frequently Asked Questions
Auto-generated from primary-source dataWhich countries produce the most bismuth?
The largest bismuth producing countries are China (14,000 metric tons), Korea, Republic of (1,000 metric tons), Japan (500 metric tons). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
What is the primary source for bismuth production and reserves data?
Country-level bismuth production and reserves figures on TSM Hub are sourced directly from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, the U.S. Geological Survey's authoritative annual reference. Company-level production figures come from each producer's official annual report, production report, or regulated exchange filing.