Prices
No single exchange-settled price exists for mercury. 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 mercury from Asian producers (subscription).
Fastmarkets ↗
Industry benchmark prices, market reports, and price discovery for mercury.
Shanghai Metals Market ↗
Real-time and historical Chinese spot prices for mercury.
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 ↗
Annual U.S. Geological Survey reference — production, reserves, prices, and trade statistics for mercury.
About Mercury
Editorial overviewWhat is mercury?
Mercury (Hg, atomic number 80) is a toxic heavy metal and the only metal that is liquid at room temperature. It is used mainly in small specialty and industrial applications today, with overall use declining because of health and environmental concerns (USGS MCS 2026).
How mercury is priced
Mercury supply is restricted under the Minamata Convention on Mercury (UN Environment, in force since 2017): primary mercury mining is being phased out and most international trade in mercury is now prohibited or under licence. Historical reference prices were the 99.99% mercury 34.5-kg flask price in-warehouse Rotterdam, assessed by Fastmarkets; that assessment is now thinly traded and quoted on a best-effort basis. Global by-product mercury (from gold mining and natural-gas processing) is recovered and stored as required by the Convention rather than sold on a market.
Where mercury comes from
According to USGS MCS 2026, the top mercury-producing countries in 2025 were China (200 t), Kyrgyzstan (5 t), Tajikistan (4 t), Morocco (2 t), and Norway (1 t). USGS also notes that Peru exported mercury and that world mine production totaled 210 t in 2025 (USGS MCS 2026). Full breakdown in the production and reserves sections.
Who produces mercury
USGS says mercury in the United States has not been produced as a principal mineral commodity since 1992, with 2025 output only as byproduct recovery from gold-silver ore in Nevada (USGS MCS 2026). The same USGS review identifies China, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Norway, and Tajikistan as the main producing countries, while secondary U.S. mercury production in 2025 came from six companies operating eight facilities under DOE authorization (USGS MCS 2026). Full list of producers below.
What mercury is used for
In the United States, mercury use in 2025 was concentrated in relays, sensors, switches, and valves (65%), dental amalgam (27%), formulated products (7%), and bulbs/lamps/lighting (1%) (USGS MCS 2026). USGS also notes that mercury-cell chloralkali plants remain a key industrial use, but global use continues to decline as mercury-cell technology is replaced by diaphragm and membrane-cell processes (USGS MCS 2026).
Key facts about mercury supply
- USGS MCS 2026: world mine production was 210 t in 2025, down from 212 t in 2024, and China supplied 200 t of that total (USGS MCS 2026).
- USGS MCS 2026: quantitative reserve estimates were not available, but estimated world mercury resources were 600,000 t (USGS MCS 2026).
- USGS MCS 2026: the United States has not produced mercury as a principal mineral commodity since 1992, and 2025 output was only byproduct recovery from gold-silver ore in Nevada (USGS MCS 2026).
- USGS MCS 2026: U.S. import sources for 2021-24 were Canada at 69%, China at 31%, and other countries at less than 1% (USGS MCS 2026).
- UNEP cited by USGS: the largest anthropogenic mercury-emission source was artisanal and small-scale gold mining at 838 t, followed by stationary coal combustion at 474 t (USGS MCS 2026).
Sources: USGS MCS 2026 Mercury, UNEP Global Mercury Assessment 2018
Mine Production by Country
Source: USGS MCS 2026| Country | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| United States | NA | NA |
| China | 200 | 200 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 5 | 5 |
| Morocco | 2 | 2 |
| Norway | 1 | 1 |
| Peru (exports) | NA | NA |
| Tajikistan | 4 | 4 |
| World total (rounded) | 212 | 210 |
Unit: metric tons. "e" = estimated, "W" = withheld, "NA" = not available. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
On reserves: USGS: Quantitative estimates of reserves were not available. China, Kyrgyzstan, and Peru have the largest reserves.
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 mercury?
The largest mercury producing countries are China (200 metric tons), Kyrgyzstan (5 metric tons), Tajikistan (4 metric tons). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
What is the primary source for mercury production and reserves data?
Country-level mercury 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.