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

In 2024, the United States imported $7.4 billion of platinum-group metals (175 tonnes), 16.1% of the world total. South Africa sold 54% of the total, followed by Russia (12%) and Germany (11%). The United States was the world’s largest importer of platinum-group metals.

Summary

Value
$7.4billion
Tonnes
175tonnes
Share of world total
16.1%
World rank
1st
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 Africa4Tonnes: 81USD per tonne: $48,944,92554%Air
Russia0.88Tonnes: 28USD per tonne: $31,804,17411.9%Air
Germany0.78Tonnes: 14USD per tonne: $54,240,89010.6%Air
Belgium re-exports0.45Tonnes: 9USD per tonne: $51,118,9026.1%Air
Italy0.29Tonnes: 7USD per tonne: $42,495,0063.9%Air
United Kingdom0.28Tonnes: 12USD per tonne: $23,918,8953.8%Air
South Korea0.23Tonnes: 6USD per tonne: $40,834,6033.1%Air
Canada0.16Tonnes: 4USD per tonne: $38,177,3112.2%Land
Switzerland0.11Tonnes: 3USD per tonne: $31,115,3851.5%Air
Japan0.06Tonnes: 2USD per tonne: $30,270,8190.87%Air
Singapore re-exports0.06Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $41,195,6140.76%Air
Costa Rica0.04Tonnes: 3USD per tonne: $14,298,5630.55%Air
India0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $33,691,8000.16%Air
Slovakia0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $55,900,2440.13%Air
France0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $18,858,6740.13%Air
Austria0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $22,411,0130.12%Air
Colombia0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $25,811,0890.07%Air
Netherlands re-exports< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $19,324,7560.05%Air
Taiwan< 0.01Tonnes: 2USD per tonne: $1,684,9710.05%Air
Ireland< 0.01Tonnes: 1USD per tonne: $3,218,0610.04%Air

Trend

Who it buys from

South Africa has been its main source since 2001

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

  • South Africa 4
  • Russia 0.88
  • Germany 0.78
  • Belgium 0.45
  • Italy 0.29

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
South Africa0.814
Russia0.410.88
Germany0.060.78
Belgium0.060.45
Italy0.010.29

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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