Where South Africa's platinum went: mostly Japan and the UK
First, how much platinum South Africa sold abroad each year and roughly what it was worth. Then, for every year where a breakdown has been published, which countries it went to. South Africa didn't report platinum exports by destination for most of this period, so some breakdown years come from the largest producer's sales or from importers' customs records.
Japan & UKAbout half of all platinum between them in 2023–2025; the UK led in 2019 and 2023, Japan in 2024–2025
Europe, 2002–2015Took over 40%, mainly through London, Zurich and Germany
China & Hong Kong16% in 2015, a 29% peak in 2019, about 17% since 2023
How much platinum South Africa sold abroad
2002–2026 · nearly all South African platinum is exported
Platinum sold, tonnesEstimated value, US$ billionForecast or worked back
Hover or tap a year for tonnes, ounces, price and value.
Where it went
Share by destination, for years with a published breakdown
Hover or tap a segment for the share and source.
Tonnage and value. Tonnes are Johnson Matthey's South African platinum supply, which counts refined metal sold. Value is an estimate: tonnage multiplied by that year's average platinum price. As a check, it gives US$3.87bn for 2023 against US$3.90bn in South African customs records. 2006 is worked back from Johnson Matthey's reported 4.9% fall in 2007. 2026 is Johnson Matthey's forecast, valued at the year-to-date average price.
Years left out. No published breakdown was found for 2003–2014 (including 2011), 2017–2018, 2020–2022 or 2026. For 2011, Anglo American Platinum's results and the Implats and Lonmin reports searched give totals only, not regions. In 2015 an industry analyst wrote that the industry did not report South African platinum exports by destination at all. Rather than estimate the missing years, the chart shows only years with a source.
Why the UK and Hong Kong rank so high. London, Zurich and Hong Kong are trading and refining hubs, so metal shipped there is often sold on. The UK figure is where the metal was sent, not where it was used.