How much nickel does Russia produce and export?
Russia is the 3rd largest producer of nickel: 200,000 tonnes in 2025, 5.1% of the world's 3.9 million tonnes (USGS MCS). It is the 4th largest exporter by value: $1.2 billion in 2024, 8.3% of world exports of unwrought nickel (HS 7502) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is China, which takes 66% of its nickel exports by value.
All about nickel · All about Russia · Nickel price history
Russia's nickel production
| World rank | Production (tonnes) | Share of world | Ten-year growth | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 200,000 tonnes | 5.1% | — | 2025 |
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, MCS 2026.
Russia's nickel exports
| World rank | Export value | Share of world exports | Quantity (tonnes) | Average value per tonne | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | $1.2 billion | 8.3% | 70,331 t | $16,957 | 2024 |
CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 7502 (Unwrought nickel).
Where Russia's nickel goes
| Destination | Value | Share of Russia's exports |
|---|---|---|
| China | $788M | 66% |
| Germany | $152M | 13% |
| France | $75M | 6.3% |
| Netherlands | $34M | 2.8% |
| Turkey (Türkiye) | $32M | 2.7% |
The nickel price Russia 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, "Russia nickel: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/RUS/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.