From 2020 to 2021, global palladium exports appreciated by 9.9% from 2020 to 2021.
Palladium is a silvery-white rare metal used to make vehicle catalytic converters, jewelry, timepieces, electrical contacts, surgical instruments, spark plugs and blood sugar test strips. Like gold, silver and platinum, palladium is also reported as bullion with its own currency codes.
Major Suppliers of Palladium on Global Markets
The top 5 exporters of palladium are Russia, South Africa, United States of America, United Kingdom and Italy. By value, that quintet of leading palladium suppliers dominate more than three-quarters (76.7%) of globally exported palladium during 2021.
From a continental perspective, shippers in Europe sold the highest dollar worth of palladium exports during 2021 with shipments valued at $20.3 billion or 59.5% of the global subtotal. In second place were North American exporters at 18.7% ahead of the 17.4% of palladium shipments originated from Africa.
Tinier percentages came from exporters in Asia (4.4%), Latin America (0.02%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Australia and New Zealand in Oceania (0.03%).
In international trade classifications, there are two major subcategories of platinum. For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 711021 for palladium in either unwrought or powder form. Code prefix 711029 represents semi-manufactured palladium.
Unwrought or powdered palladium is the major form of palladium amounting to 81.1% of global palladium exports during 2021. Semi-manufactured palladium reflects a much smaller portion at 18.9%.
Overall Palladium Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of palladium in all forms during 2021.
- Russia: US$6.5 billion (19.2% of total palladium exports)
- South Africa: $5.9 billion (17.4%)
- United States of America: $5.9 billion (17.2%)
- United Kingdom: $5.1 billion (14.8%)
- Italy: $2.7 billion (8%)
- Belgium: $1.92 billion (5.6%)
- Germany: $1.88 billion (5.5%)
- Switzerland: $1.1 billion (3.3%)
- Korea, Republic of: $555.5 million (1.6%)
- Japan: $515.1 million (1.5%)
- Canada: $489.5 million (1.4%)
- Hong Kong: $298.6 million (0.88%)
- Netherlands: $141.5 million (0.41%)
- Austria: $103.9 million (0.30%)
- France: $98.4 million (0.4%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 97.6% of all palladium exported in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing palladium exporters since 2017 were: South Korea (up 5,207%), Austria (up 1,285%), Belgium (up 353.6%), United States (up 293.2%) and Italy (up 283.1%).
Top 15 Exporters of Raw Aluminum
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of unprocessed or powder palladium during 2021.
- Russia: US$6.5 billion (23.6% of globally exported raw palladium)
- United States of America: $4.5 billion (16.4%)
- South Africa: $4.1 billion (14.7%)
- United Kingdom: $3.3 billion (11.9%)
- Italy: $2.7 billion (9.7%)
- Belgium: $1.9 billion (6.9%)
- Germany: $1.6 billion (5.8%)
- Switzerland: $835.4 million (3%)
- South Korea: $536.7 million (1.9%)
- Norway: $511.6 million (1.8%)
- Japan: $414.7 million (1.5%)
- Hong Kong: $262.5 million (0.9%)
- Netherlands: $141.2 million (0.5%)
- Austria: $103.9 million (0.4%)
- France: $81.8 million (0.3%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.5% of all raw palladium including powdered versions exported in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of raw palladium since 2017 were: South Korea (up 25,714%), Netherlands (up 2,043%), Austria (up 1,285%), Belgium (up 357.5%), Italy (up 287.5%), Japan (up 275.5%) and the United States of America (up 257.4%).
Top 15 Exporters of Semi-Manufactured Aluminum
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of semi-manufactured palladium during 2021.
- South Africa: US$1.85 billion (28.7% of exported semi-manufactured palladium)
- United Kingdom: $1.77 billion (27.4%)
- United States of America: $1.3 billion (20.9%)
- Canada: $485.9 million (7.6%)
- Switzerland: $305 million (4.7%)
- Germany: $275.6 million (4.3%)
- Japan: $100.4 million (1.6%)
- Italy: $49.3 million (0.8%)
- Singapore: $43.4 million (0.68%)
- Spain: $43.1 million (0.67%)
- Hong Kong: $36.1 million (0.56%)
- Poland: $28.6 million (0.44%)
- South Korea: $18.8 million (0.29%)
- France: $16.6 million (0.26%)
- Ukraine: $15 million (0.23%)
By value, the listed top 15 countries shipped 99.1% of all semi-manufactured palladium exported in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of semi-manufactured palladium since 2017 were: Singapore (up 23,861%), South Africa (up 1,082%), United States of America (up 493.9%), Poland (up 262.3%), Hong Kong (up 195.1%), Canada (up 165.1%) and Italy (up 135.9%).
Two leading suppliers posted declines in their exported semi-manufactured palladium sales over the 5-year period, namely Ukraine (down -46.5%) and France (down -24.8%).
Global Palladium Miners
According to MiningFeeds.com, the following mining companies represent established players engaged in the international palladium trade. Their home country is shown within parenthesis.
- Eastern Platinum Limited (Canada)
- Lonmin plc (United Kingdom)
- North American Palladium Ltd (Canada)
- Resource and Investment NL (Australia)
- Solitario Exploration & Royalty (United Kingdom)
- Stillwater Mining Co. (United States)
- Thundelarra Exploration Ltd (Australia)
- Zimplats Holdings Ltd (Australia)
See also Gold Exports by Country, Silver Exports by Country, Platinum Exports by Country and Uranium Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 23, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 23, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 23, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 23, 2022
Mining Feeds, Palladium Mining Companies Listed in All Countries. Accessed on May 23, 2022
Wikipedia, Palladium. Accessed on May 23, 2022
