Prices
No single exchange-settled price exists for iridium. Trade settles over-the-counter against benchmarks published by independent price-reporting agencies. We do not republish those numbers — consult the publishers directly:
Johnson Matthey PGM Prices ↗
Base prices for platinum-group metals, set twice daily by Johnson Matthey traders.
LPPM — London Platinum and Palladium Market ↗
Industry body for PGM market participants — fixings via member-firm panel.
Heraeus PGM Trading Market Report ↗
Weekly PGM market commentary and fundamentals.
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 ↗
Annual U.S. Geological Survey reference — production, reserves, prices, and trade statistics for iridium.
About Iridium
Editorial overviewWhat is iridium?
Iridium (Ir, atomic number 77) is a very dense platinum-group precious metal. It is valued mainly for extreme corrosion resistance and high-temperature performance in chemical, electrical, and electrochemical applications.
How iridium is priced
No regulated futures or exchange-listed contract exists for iridium. Daily reference prices come from Johnson Matthey, Heraeus and Anglo American Platinum: Johnson Matthey iridium chart, Heraeus precious-metal prices. Fastmarkets publishes a weekly iridium price assessment.
Where iridium comes from
USGS MCS 2026 does not provide an iridium-by-country mine production table in the way it does for some other commodities, but Johnson Matthey characterizes primary supply as small and globally concentrated at about 7.1 tonnes in 2025–2026. The report says mine supply is flat, with production tied to PGM mining rather than dedicated iridium mines, so country shares are not separately stated there. Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report 2026 Full breakdown in the production and reserves sections.
Who produces iridium
Iridium comes as a byproduct from platinum-group metal operations rather than from standalone iridium mines. The leading producing regions are South Africa and Russia through major PGM miners such as Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum, Sibanye-Stillwater, and Norilsk Nickel, with supply also linked to integrated PGM refining and recycling streams. Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report 2026 Full list of producers below.
What iridium is used for
Johnson Matthey’s 2026 outlook breaks iridium demand into chemical, electrical & electronics, electrochemical, and other uses, with 2026 demand of 0.9 t, 1.0 t, 3.4 t, and 2.2 t respectively, for 7.5 t total. The report specifically highlights Cativa acetic acid catalysts, electrochemical applications, copper-foil electrodes, and first commercial-scale PEM electrolysis as key end uses. Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report 2026
Key facts about iridium supply
- Johnson Matthey 2026: iridium primary supply is 7.1 t in 2025 and 7.1 t in 2026, while total demand rises from 7.3 t to 7.5 t, implying a 2026 deficit of 0.4 t. Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report 2026
- Johnson Matthey 2026: chemical demand falls from 1.1 t in 2025 to 0.9 t in 2026, while electrochemical demand rises from 3.1 t to 3.4 t. Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report 2026
- Johnson Matthey 2026: the report says iridium is the smallest and least liquid PGM market, and that prices hit a new all-time high in early 2026 after a 2021 peak of $6,300/oz. Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report 2026
- Johnson Matthey 2026: the first significant demand for iridium in PEM electrolysis is expected in 2026, driven by large green hydrogen projects in Germany and Portugal. Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report 2026
Sources: Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report 2026, WPIC Platinum Quarterly Q1 2026
Mine Production by Country
Source: USGS MCS 2026Per-country production data not published by USGS
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 does not publish per-country production or reserves data specifically for Iridium. USGS reports only platinum and palladium broken out by country; rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium are reported only as part of the combined PGM group (six platinum-group metals). For the consolidated PGM-group table, see the PGM (Platinum Group Metals) page.
Source: USGS MCS 2026
Major Producers (10)
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 dataWho are the largest global producers of iridium?
Among 780+ producers tracked on TSM Hub, the largest disclosed iridium producers include Anglo American Platinum (Amplats / Valterra Platinum) (South Africa), Impala Platinum Holdings (Implats) (South Africa), Sibanye-Stillwater (South Africa). Full ranking with primary-source links is available in the producers section.
What is the primary source for iridium production and reserves data?
Country-level iridium 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.