How Much Is Antimony Worth? A Look at Its Price

Antimony, a lustrous silvery-white metalloid, often remains out of the public eye despite its widespread use in numerous industrial and technological applications. This element possesses unique properties, including its ability to enhance fire resistance and harden alloys, making it an indispensable component in a variety of products. Understanding the factors that determine antimony’s market value is important for industries reliant on this material.

Current Market Value of Antimony

The market value of antimony is not a static figure; it fluctuates significantly based on its form, purity, and prevailing market conditions. Antimony is primarily traded as antimony metal or antimony trioxide, with different purity levels commanding varying prices. For instance, in July 2025, antimony ingot with 99.65% purity was priced around $31,946.55 per metric ton (MT) FOB China, while 99.85% purity was around $24,546.65 EXW China. Meanwhile, the price for antimony in the USA reached $48,615 per metric ton in June 2025.

The price of antimony trioxide, a common form, also varies, with international prices surging to between $57,000 and $60,000 per metric ton in 2025 due to geopolitical supply constraints. This reflects a substantial increase from earlier periods, highlighting the volatility inherent in this market. Domestic Chinese prices, however, can be significantly lower, sometimes below $30,000 per metric ton, illustrating a two-tiered pricing structure. Such discrepancies underscore the impact of regional policies and market dynamics on pricing.

Higher purity levels, such as 99.85%, generally fetch a premium due to the specialized production processes required. The market for antimony, especially for high-purity grades, is less transparent than for more commonly traded commodities. Obtaining real-time, precise transaction prices often requires direct engagement with suppliers or access to specialized commodity trading platforms and industry reports. These sources may offer price indices, but actual transaction prices can still differ based on contract terms, purchase volume, and specific buyer-seller relationships.

Factors Shaping Antimony’s Price

Numerous factors beyond just its form and purity influence the market price of antimony, reflecting a complex interplay of economic, geopolitical, and supply-side dynamics.

The concentration of antimony production in a few key regions significantly impacts global supply. China has historically been the leading producer, accounting for a substantial portion of global output, followed by countries like Tajikistan and Russia. This concentrated supply creates a potential for market instability if production or export policies in these nations change.

Environmental regulations also play a significant role in shaping antimony prices. Stricter environmental standards in mining and processing, particularly in major producing countries like China, can lead to increased production costs. These higher costs are often passed on to consumers in the form of elevated market prices. Additionally, the mining of antimony can be environmentally challenging due to the potential presence of toxic associated minerals like arsenic, necessitating costly remediation efforts.

Geopolitical and economic conditions further contribute to price fluctuations. International trade policies, such as export restrictions imposed by major producers, can drastically reduce global supply and cause prices to surge. For example, China’s export bans on minerals have led to significant price hikes for antimony, demonstrating how national security concerns can directly impact commodity markets. Global economic health also influences demand, as industrial activity and manufacturing growth drive the need for antimony in various applications.

Currency fluctuations, particularly the strength of the US dollar, can affect reported antimony prices, as many international commodity transactions are denominated in this currency. A stronger dollar can make imports more expensive for countries using other currencies, influencing global demand and pricing strategies.

While recycled antimony contributes to the overall supply, its role is often secondary to primary mining, and its availability can also be influenced by market prices and processing costs.

Major Uses of Antimony

Antimony’s diverse properties make it valuable across a wide range of industrial and commercial applications, each contributing to the demand that influences its market value.

A primary application is in flame retardants, where antimony trioxide acts as a synergist with halogenated compounds. This combination significantly enhances the fire resistance of materials such as plastics, textiles, and electronics, making them safer for consumer and industrial use. Flame retardants represent the largest application for antimony, accounting for over half of global consumption.

Antimony is also widely used in lead alloys, where it increases hardness and durability. This is particularly important for lead-acid batteries, which are used in automobiles and uninterruptible power supplies. The addition of antimony strengthens battery plates, improving their performance and longevity. Beyond batteries, lead-antimony alloys are utilized in ammunition, cable sheathing, and bearings, where enhanced mechanical strength is beneficial.

In the electronics sector, antimony finds niche but important applications, especially in semiconductors. It serves as a dopant in silicon and germanium, improving their electrical conductivity for use in diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits. Antimony-based compounds are also used for specialized devices like infrared detectors and thermoelectric devices. These applications highlight antimony’s role in advanced technological components.

The ceramics and glass industries also rely on antimony. Antimony trioxide functions as a decolorizing agent in glass production, neutralizing undesirable green hues caused by iron impurities and improving optical clarity. It also acts as a fining agent, helping to remove bubbles from molten glass. In ceramics, antimony compounds are used in glazes to enhance whiteness, opacity, and color stability. Antimony also serves as a catalyst in the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics, commonly used in beverage bottles.

Global Market and Price Trends

The global antimony market is characterized by its concentrated production and evolving price trends.

Historical price trends for antimony reveal periods of significant volatility. For example, antimony prices experienced a dramatic surge from approximately $5,500 per metric ton in 2019 to between $57,000 and $60,000 per metric ton in 2025. This substantial increase of over 1,000% was driven by a combination of supply shortages, rising demand, and geopolitical factors. The price trajectory has been particularly steep since 2023, with consistent quarterly increases.

The market has responded with efforts to diversify supply sources and explore alternative materials, though viable substitutes are not always readily available.

The global antimony market is projected to grow, with increasing demand from sectors like flame retardants, batteries, and semiconductors, suggesting continued interest and potential for price movements.