How much nickel does Australia produce and export?
Australia is the nullth largest producer of nickel: 45,000 tonnes in 2025, 1.2% of the world's 3.9 million tonnes (USGS MCS). It is the 3rd largest exporter by value: $1.4 billion in 2024, 9.4% of world exports of unwrought nickel (HS 7502) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is Japan, which takes 36% of its nickel exports by value.
All about nickel · All about Australia · Nickel price history
Australia's nickel production
| World rank | Production (tonnes) | Share of world | Ten-year growth | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45,000 tonnes | 1.2% | — | 2025 |
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, MCS 2026.
Australia's nickel exports
| World rank | Export value | Share of world exports | Quantity (tonnes) | Average value per tonne | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $1.4 billion | 9.4% | 72,820 t | $18,568 | 2024 |
CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 7502 (Unwrought nickel).
Where Australia's nickel goes
| Destination | Value | Share of Australia's exports |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | $493M | 36% |
| United States | $133M | 9.8% |
| Malaysia | $124M | 9.2% |
| South Korea | $122M | 9% |
| Netherlands | $91M | 6.7% |
The nickel price Australia sells into
The benchmark price, LME cash, was $16,324/t in September 2026, up 8% over twelve months. Its five-year volatility is 28% a year, calmer in 74% of its earlier five-year windows. A single country's export price can differ from the benchmark: see trade price against benchmark. Monthly averages lag the market and are not investment advice. Nickel price history.
Cite as: Commodity Origins, "Australia nickel: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/AUS/nickel/ (CC BY 4.0). Rankings count only countries reporting to the sources named; this page is shown only for top-five producers or exporters with at least 3% of the world total. Report an issue with this page.