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Where does the United Kingdom get its platinum-group metals? Import sources 2024

In 2024, the United Kingdom imported $4.9 billion of platinum-group metals (132 tonnes), 10.8% of the world total. Its main sources were South Africa (45%), Belgium (10%) and Italy (8%). The United Kingdom was the world’s 4th-largest importer of platinum-group metals.

Summary

Value
$4.9billion
Tonnes
132tonnes
Share of world total
10.8%
World rank
4th
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 Africa2.2Tonnes: 59USD per tonne: $37,506,12644.8%Air
Belgium re-exports0.47Tonnes: 9USD per tonne: $51,650,1499.6%Air
Italy0.39Tonnes: 11USD per tonne: $36,858,1617.9%Air
Hong Kong re-exports0.34Tonnes: 11USD per tonne: $31,450,8276.9%Air
Switzerland0.29Tonnes: 7USD per tonne: $41,568,2915.9%Air
Japan0.2Tonnes: 6USD per tonne: $36,063,6154.1%Air
Germany0.19Tonnes: 4USD per tonne: $42,050,7203.8%Air
Norway0.18Tonnes: 6USD per tonne: $31,429,4293.7%Air
Russia0.17Tonnes: 6USD per tonne: $30,824,3333.5%Air
China0.15Tonnes: 5USD per tonne: $33,470,4743.1%Air
United States0.1Tonnes: 3USD per tonne: $33,246,3652.1%Air
South Korea0.07Tonnes: 2USD per tonne: $33,910,8861.4%Air
India0.06Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $77,776,2861.2%Air
Spain0.04Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $30,427,5660.84%Air
Singapore re-exports0.03Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $58,279,7980.69%Air
Ireland0.01Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $9,269,4540.17%Land
Taiwan0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $18,261,1480.14%Air
France0.01Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $10,936,7090.14%Air
Netherlands re-exports< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $22,347,3530.06%Air
Thailand< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $25,517,8820.03%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 2.2
  • Belgium 0.47
  • Italy 0.39
  • Hong Kong 0.34
  • Switzerland 0.29

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
South Africa0.062.2
Belgium0.030.47
Italy0.040.39
Hong Kong< 0.010.34
Switzerland0.040.29

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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