Indium Statistics and Information

Indium is produced mainly from residues generated during zinc ore processing.   It was named after the indigo line in its atomic spectrum.  The first large-scale application for indium was as a coating for bearings in high-performance aircraft engines during World War II.  Afterwards, production gradually increased as new uses were found in fusible alloys, solders, and electronics.  In the middle and late 1980's, the development of indium phosphide semiconductors and indium-tin-oxide thin films for Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) aroused much interest.  By 1992, the thin-film application had become the largest end use.  The amount of indium consumed is largely a function of worldwide LCD production.  Increased manufacturing efficiency and recycling (especially in Japan) maintain a balance between demand and supply.  The average indium price for 2000 was $188 per kilogram.

Subscribe to receive an email notification when a new publication is added to this page. On the Questions tab of the subscriber preferences page, select "Indium" and any other options in which you may be interested. Please see the list services page for more information.

Annual Publications

Mineral Commodity Summaries

• Indium
    PDF Format:
       | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |2012 |2013 |2014 |2015 |2016 |2017 |2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
• Appendixes

Minerals Yearbook

• Indium
    PDF Format:
       | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
    XLS Format:
       | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 tables-only release | 2021 tables-only release | 2022 tables-only release | 2023 tables-only release |
• Archive
       | 1932-1993 |
• Recycling-Metals

Special Publications

• Byproduct mineral commodities used for the production of photovoltaic cells
  Circular 1365
• Critical Mineral Resources of the United States--Economic and Environmental Geology and Prospects for Future Supply
  Professional Paper 1802
  • Indium
• Critical Minerals Review 2021
• Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States
  Data Series 140
  • Indium
• Materials Flow of Indium in the United States in 2008 and 2009
  Circular 1377
• Metal Prices in the United States through 2010
  Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5188
• Mineral Commodity Profiles: Indium
  OF-2004-1300
• U.S. Mineral Dependence - Statistical Compilation of U.S. and World Mineral Production, Consumption, and Trade, 1990-2010
  Open-File Report 2013-1184