Rhodium continues to occupy a special place among industrial metals due to its exceptional rarity and growing demand from high-tech industries. This was stated by Antonina Levashenko, Head of the International Best Practices Analysis Department at the Gaidar Institute.
According to the expert, the rhodium market today is highly sensitive to changes in industry and environmental policy. The metal belongs to the platinum group and is extremely rare in the Earth’s crust, most often found in complex polymetallic ores alongside platinum and palladium, making its extraction technologically complex and costly.
Antonina Levashenko noted that limited supply remains the key factor driving prices, given steady demand from industry.
“According to analysts’ estimates, by the end of 2025, the price of rhodium reached about $9,000 per troy ounce, having increased by approximately 24% over the year. The increase is attributed to reduced production and heightened demand, primarily from the automotive industry,” the expert explained.
According to her, the world’s main rhodium reserves are concentrated in South Africa, which accounts for up to 80% of production. Additional volumes come from Zimbabwe, Canada, and Russia, though their share is significantly smaller. Total global production does not exceed 25 tons per year.
About 87% of rhodium is used in automotive catalytic converters to reduce harmful emissions. The remainder is used in the chemical industry, glass manufacturing, and electronics.
“There is currently no viable substitute for rhodium, despite active scientific research. Therefore, the metal remains a key element of environmental technologies and an important indicator of the transformation of global industry,” concluded Antonina Levashenko.