Iron ore: who produces it, who holds it
Mine production, usable ore by country, 2025, and reserves, from USGS (Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026)). Shares, ranks and concentration are computed from those rows.
On the map → · Download CSV · Source table ↗
Concentration of mine production, usable ore: How this is computedSum of the squares of each producer’s share of world output (0–1).Method →Code → on the Herfindahl index over the countries listed individually (a single supplier would score one). Reserves: How this is computedSum of the squares of each producer’s share of world output (0–1).Method →Code →.
| Country | Mine production, usable ore, 2025 (thousand tonnes) | 2024 | Share · rank | Reserves (iron content) (million tonnes) | Share · rank | Export restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 982,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 27,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Brazil | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 428,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 15,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| India | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 282,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 3,400 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 5 |
| China | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 293,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 3,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Iran | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 90,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 1,500 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Russia | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 91,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 14,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 1 |
| Canada | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 70,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 2,300 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| South Africa | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 64,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 680 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Ukraine | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 54,700 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 2,300 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| United States | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 45,100 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 2,700 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Kazakhstan | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 37,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 1,500 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Sweden | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 25,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 600 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Peru | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 19,800 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 1,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Chile | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 18,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 740 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Turkey | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 17,000 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 99 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Mauritania | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 14,300 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 4,400 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | — |
| Mexico | Source: USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore (2025)SourcedUSGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore · 2025Open the source → | 7,800 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 520 | How this is computedA place's annual production ÷ the published world total, same unit and year.Method →Code → How this is computedPosition of a country when the countries USGS lists individually are sorted by the same column, largest first; equal values share a rank.Method →Code → | 1 |
World total 2025: 2,600,000 thousand tonnes; reserves: 87,000 million tonnes. Countries USGS or EIA fold into “other countries” are not listed or ranked. USGS reserves: the part of an identified resource that could be economically extracted or produced at the time of determination (MCS Appendix C). Roughly proved + probable; not the broader resource. USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026): Iron ore, table “World Mine Production and Reserves”, read 2026-09-25.
Export restrictions on iron ore
OECD Inventory of Export Restrictions on Critical Raw Materials (2024 data). About 80 exporting countries. A country or resource with no row is not recorded in the inventory, which is not the same as unrestricted. OECD Data Explorer ↗
- Saudi Arabia
- Licensing requirement on ore since 2016-03-22
- Malaysia
- Licensing requirement on ore since 2013-03-01 Customs (Prohibition of Exports) Order 2023 ↗
- Mexico
- Licensing requirement on ore since 2012-12-31 Legal Library ↗
- Russia
- Export tax on ore since 2023-10-01, until 2024-12-31 On the rates of export customs duties on goods exported from the Russian Federation outside the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union, and on amendments to the rates of export customs duties on goods exported from the Russian Federation outside the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union ↗
- India
- Export tax 30% on ore since 2022-11-18 Notification No. 58/2022-Customs ↗
- Export tax 20% on ore since 2011-03-01 Notification No.27/2011-CUSTOMS ↗
- Qualified exporters list on ore since 2018-01-31 ITC(HS) Schedule 2 Export Policy 2018 ↗
- Other export measures 25% on ore since 2015-07-20 Corrigendum No. 03 RMC/Dynamic Pricing Policy/2015/0 ↗
- Other export measures 20% on ore since 2013-04-01 Corrigendum No. 03 RMC/Dynamic Pricing Policy/2015/0 ↗