Indium in zinc deposits
Indium is recovered almost entirely as a by-product of zinc. Its main use is indium tin oxide, the transparent conductor in every touchscreen and flat panel display.
Of 452 deposits tested for indium, 325 returned a measurable value. The remainder were tested and returned nothing above the detection limit, which is not the same as containing none.
Highest indium concentrations measured in sphalerite
| Deposit | Country | Type | Max ppm | Median ppm | Analyses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huari Huari | Bolivia | Vein polymetallic | 182,200 | 90,200 | 10 of 10 |
| Young, Immel, Coy, New Market | United States | MVT zinc-lead | 84,340 | 80 | 204 of 264 |
| Mangabeira | Brazil | Greisen tin ± W-Mo | 67,300 | 33,400 | 6 of 6 |
| Potosi | Bolivia | Porphyry tin | 52,100 | 6,900 | 7 of 8 |
| Korsvik-1 | Finland | Vein polymetallic | 34,739 | 19,327.5 | 4 of 4 |
| Baal Gammon | Australia | Vein tin polymetallic | 22,103 | 2,980 | 19 of 19 |
| Neves Corvo | Portugal | Felsic-siliciclastic VMS | 15,309 | 500 | 214 of 223 |
| Dolcoath | United Kingdom | Vein polymetallic | 14,200 | 711.5 | 46 of 59 |
| Wheal Charlotte | United Kingdom | Vein polymetallic | 13,600 | 437 | 59 of 64 |
| Perran St George | United Kingdom | Skarn tin ± copper ± Mo | 11,900 | 5,309 | 20 of 20 |
| Mount Isa (Pb-Zn-Ag orebodies) | Australia | Siliciclastic-carbonate zinc-lead | 7,938 | 616 | 381 of 381 |
| Angouran | Iran | MVT zinc-lead | 6,801 | 0.1 | 43 of 43 |
| Plaka | Greece | Skarn zinc-lead-silver | 5,151 | 111.5 | 196 of 227 |
| Wheal Fortune | United Kingdom | Vein polymetallic | 4,634 | 1,607.5 | 4 of 5 |
| Ivette | Peru | Replacement zinc-lead | 4,608 | 37.4 | 89 of 103 |
How to read these numbers
Concentrations are measured inside sphalerite, the zinc sulphide mineral, not across the whole rock. They indicate by-product potential and are not deposit grades or resources. Only part of any orebody is sphalerite, so the figure for the deposit as a whole is lower by that fraction.
A high maximum with a low median means a few unusually rich grains rather than uniformly enriched ore. Both are shown for that reason.
Source: Critical Minerals in Ores mineral chemistry database (CMiO-MIN), Geoscience Australia, Geological Survey of Canada and U.S. Geological Survey. Licensed CC-BY 4.0. Figures are reproduced as published, without rounding.
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