Nuclear, Catalysts & Specialty Materials
Nuclear reactor fuel assemblies and control rods require separated zirconium and hafnium, while hydrogen fuel cells, chemical refining, and emission control depend on platinum-group metals (platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium), alongside boron, barite, cesium, and rubidium.
Platinum-group metals Global Production & Country Share
Measure: Mine production: Palladium (kilograms)
Nuclear & Specialty Supply & Concentration Ledger
| Specimen | 2025 World Output | 5Y Change | #1 Producer (Share) | Top-3 Share | R/P Horizon | US Import Reliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barite (BaSO₄) Mine production | 8,700 thousand metric tons | - | India (34.5%) | 71.3% | - | >75% |
| Boron (B) Salient Statistics | Salient Only | - | Not ranked | - | - | Net Exporter |
| Cesium (Cs) Salient Statistics | Salient Only | - | Not ranked | - | - | 100% |
| Platinum-group metals (PGM) Mine production: Palladium | 190,000 kilograms | - | Russia (44.2%) | 89.5% | 400 yrs | 57% |
| Rubidium (Rb) Salient Statistics | Salient Only | - | Not ranked | - | - | Not Reported |
| Zirconium & hafnium (Zr / Hf) Zirconium mineral concentrates, mine production (thousand metric tons, gross weight) | 1,200 thousand metric tons | 0.0% | Australia (33.3%) | 69.2% | 58.3 yrs | <25% |
Nuclear, Catalysts & Specialty Materials Specimen Profiles (6)
Barite
A dense barium sulfate mineral widely used as a weighting agent in drilling fluids.
Boron
An element used in glass, ceramics, fertilisers and high-performance materials.
Cesium
An alkali metal used in specialised drilling fluids and atomic timekeeping.
Platinum-group metals
A family of metals used in catalysts, electronics and specialised industrial applications.
Rubidium
An alkali metal used in specialised research, electronics and timekeeping applications.
Zirconium & hafnium
Associated metals used in ceramics, nuclear applications and specialised alloys.