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Where does China get its platinum-group metals? Import sources 2024

In 2024, China imported $5.5 billion of platinum-group metals (152 tonnes), 12% of the world total. Its main sources were South Africa (49%), Russia (16%) and Hong Kong (14%). China was the world’s 2nd-largest importer of platinum-group metals.

Summary

Value
$5.5billion
Tonnes
152tonnes
Share of world total
12%
World rank
2nd
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 20 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD billions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
South Africa2.7Tonnes: 67USD per tonne: $40,570,62049.4%Air
Russia0.9Tonnes: 24USD per tonne: $37,413,10016.4%Land
Hong Kong re-exports0.76Tonnes: 19USD per tonne: $40,741,05313.8%Land
Japan0.35Tonnes: 14USD per tonne: $24,506,7316.4%Air
United Kingdom0.26Tonnes: 9USD per tonne: $27,445,0494.7%Air
Switzerland0.14Tonnes: 5USD per tonne: $29,921,9282.5%Air
United States0.1Tonnes: 3USD per tonne: $34,456,7421.8%Air
Germany0.06Tonnes: 3USD per tonne: $22,452,9091.2%Air
Taiwan0.05Tonnes: 4USD per tonne: $11,619,6870.88%Air
Italy0.04Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $34,701,0700.65%Air
Belgium re-exports0.03Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $56,478,2440.54%Air
France0.02Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $92,396,7300.44%Air
Singapore re-exports0.02Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $18,587,3200.38%Air
Myanmar0.02Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $48,062,1990.29%Land
Norway0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $31,938,2780.22%Air
Australia0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $43,087,0760.14%Air
Armenia0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $49,724,1130.12%Air
South Korea< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $20,856,7970.09%Air
India< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $30,487,3130.02%Land
Ireland< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $8,377,4140.01%Air

Trend

Who it buys from

South Africa has been its main source since 2014

Value in USD billions. The five largest sources in 2024.

  • South Africa 2.7
  • Russia 0.9
  • Hong Kong 0.76
  • Japan 0.35
  • United Kingdom 0.26

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
South Africa< 0.012.7
Russia< 0.010.9
Hong Kong< 0.010.76
Japan< 0.010.35
United Kingdom< 0.010.26

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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