Editing Indium (section)

==Production and availability==
[[File:Indium world production.svg|thumb|World production trend<ref>[http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/historical-statistics/ U.S. Geological Survey – Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States]; [http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/historical-statistics/ds140-indiu.pdf INDIUM STATISTICS] // USGS, April 1, 2014</ref>]]
Indium is produced exclusively as a [[by-product]] during the processing of the ores of other metals. Its main source material are sulfidic zinc ores, where it is mostly hosted by sphalerite.<ref name="Frenzel-2017" /> Minor amounts are also extracted from sulfidic copper ores. During the [[Zinc smelting|roast-leach-electrowinning process of zinc smelting]], indium accumulates in the iron-rich residues. From these, it can be extracted in different ways. It may also be recovered directly from the process solutions. Further purification is done by [[electrolysis]].<ref name="Greenwood247">Greenwood and Earnshaw, p. 247</ref> The exact process varies with the mode of operation of the smelter.<ref name="InProcess" /><ref name="Frenzel-2017" />

Its by-product status means that indium production is constrained by the amount of sulfidic zinc (and copper) ores extracted each year. Therefore, its availability needs to be discussed in terms of supply potential. The supply potential of a by-product is defined as that amount which is economically extractable from its host materials ''per year'' under current market conditions (i.e. technology and price).<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Frenzel|first1=Max|last2=Tolosana-Delgado|first2=Raimon|last3=Gutzmer|first3=Jens|date=December 2015|title=Assessing the supply potential of high-tech metals – A general method|journal=Resources Policy|volume=46, Part 2|pages=45–58|doi=10.1016/j.resourpol.2015.08.002|bibcode=2015RePol..46...45F }}</ref> Reserves and resources are not relevant for by-products, since they ''cannot'' be extracted independently from the main-products.<ref name="Frenzel-2017" /> Recent estimates put the supply potential of indium at a minimum of 1,300 t/yr from sulfidic zinc ores and 20 t/yr from sulfidic copper ores.<ref name="Frenzel-2017" /> These figures are significantly greater than current production (655 t in 2016).<ref name="USGS-2017">{{Cite book|url=https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/indium/mcs-2017-indiu.pdf|title=Indium - in: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries|publisher=United States Geological Survey|year=2017|access-date=2017-06-02|archive-date=2019-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111092318/https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/indium/mcs-2017-indiu.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Thus, major future increases in the by-product production of indium will be possible without significant increases in production costs or price. The average indium price in 2016 was {{US$}}240/kg, down from {{US$}}705/kg in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/historical-statistics/index.html|title=Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States|last1=Kelly|first1=TD|last2=Matos|first2=GR|date=2015|access-date=2017-06-02|archive-date=2017-05-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511080923/https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/historical-statistics/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

China is a leading producer of indium (290 tonnes in 2016), followed by South Korea (195 t), Japan (70 t) and Canada (65 t).<ref name="USGS-2017" /> The [[Teck Resources]] refinery in [[Trail, British Columbia]], is a large single-source indium producer, with an output of 32.5&nbsp;tonnes in 2005, 41.8&nbsp;tonnes in 2004 and 36.1&nbsp;tonnes in 2003.

The primary consumption of indium worldwide is [[Liquid crystal display|LCD]] production. Demand rose rapidly from the late 1990s to 2010 with the popularity of LCD computer monitors and television sets, which now account for 50% of indium consumption.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title = Indium Price Supported by LCD Demand and New Uses for the Metal|work = Geology.com|format = PDF|url = http://geology.com/articles/indium.shtml|access-date = 2007-12-26|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071221130320/http://geology.com/articles/indium.shtml|archive-date = 2007-12-21}}</ref> Increased manufacturing efficiency and recycling (especially in Japan) maintain a balance between demand and supply. According to the [[UNEP]], indium's end-of-life recycling rate is less than 1%.<ref name="USGS2011">{{cite web|title=USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2011|url=http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mcs/2011/mcs2011.pdf|publisher=USGS and USDI|access-date=August 2, 2011|archive-date=January 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111211631/https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mcs/2011/mcs2011.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>