Nickel Reserves by Country
Indonesia's reported nickel reserves increased sharply in 2023 and rose again in 2025. The figures come from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2019-2026 and describe estimated quantities that can be economically extracted. Reserves measure potentially recoverable material, not the amount mined in a given year. The table covers 14 countries historically, with 9 reported 2025 values, and listed reserves totaled 130,140,000 metric tons in 2025. USGS reports a world total of more than 140,000,000 metric tons.
Indonesia (62,000,000 metric tons) leads Australia (25,000,000) by nearly two-and-a-half to one. Brazil (16,000,000) is third, with Russia (8,300,000) and New Caledonia (7,100,000) completing a top five that holds more than nine-tenths of the listed total. USGS reports more than 9,100,000 metric tons under Other countries. Indonesia's lead over Australia is 37,000,000 metric tons, more than twice Brazil's 16,000,000. Indonesia reported 21,000,000 metric tons from 2018 through 2022, then 55,000,000 for 2023 — an addition of 34,000,000, taking the reported reserve to more than two-and-a-half times its previous level. It added 7,000,000 more in 2025 (+12.7%), the largest absolute gain anywhere in the table that year. Australia increased from 19,000,000 in 2018 to 25,000,000 in 2025, but its cumulative increase was much smaller than Indonesia's. South Africa (3,700,000), Guatemala (1,800,000), Madagascar (1,600,000) and Colombia (440,000) last reported in 2018 and have no later values in the series. Cuba (5,500,000 through 2020) has no reported value after 2020. Five of the fourteen historical reporters therefore have no 2025 value. Brazil has held 16,000,000 metric tons since 2020 and the Philippines 4,800,000 in all eight years shown. China fell from 2,800,000 to 2,100,000 in 2022, then recovered to 4,200,000 in 2023 and 4,400,000 in 2024, where it remained in 2025. Canada reported 2,200,000 in 2025, while the United States increased to 340,000 from 310,000 in 2024. Figures come from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2019-2026. The 2025 reserve figures are those reported in the 2026 edition. Units are metric tons, exactly as reported. Blank entries indicate that the source reported no value; they are not zeroes. The USGS world total is reported as more than 140,000,000 metric tons, so shares are computed against the sum of the listed countries. Reserves and production are different measures and should not be combined without equalizing units.
Nickel Reserves by Country
Year
1
62,000,000
2025
2
25,000,000
2025
3
16,000,000
2025
4
8,300,000
2025
5
7,100,000
2025
6
5,500,000
2020
7
4,800,000
2025
8
4,400,000
2025
9
3,700,000
2018
10
2,200,000
2025
11
1,800,000
2018
12
1,600,000
2018
13
440,000
2018
14
340,000
2025
Indonesia's reserves changed sharply in 2023
Five countries have no reported value after 2018
Stable values below the top three
Nickel Reserves by Country
#
1
21,000,000
21,000,000
21,000,000
21,000,000
21,000,000
55,000,000
55,000,000
62,000,000
2
19,000,000
20,000,000
20,000,000
21,000,000
21,000,000
24,000,000
24,000,000
25,000,000
3
11,000,000
11,000,000
16,000,000
16,000,000
16,000,000
16,000,000
16,000,000
16,000,000
4
7,600,000
6,900,000
6,900,000
7,500,000
7,500,000
8,300,000
8,300,000
8,300,000
5
-
-
-
-
7,100,000
7,100,000
7,100,000
7,100,000
6
5,500,000
5,500,000
5,500,000
-
-
-
-
-
7
4,800,000
4,800,000
4,800,000
4,800,000
4,800,000
4,800,000
4,800,000
4,800,000
8
3,700,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
9
2,800,000
2,800,000
2,800,000
2,800,000
2,100,000
4,200,000
4,400,000
4,400,000
10
2,700,000
2,600,000
2,800,000
2,000,000
2,200,000
2,200,000
2,200,000
2,200,000
11
1,800,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12
1,600,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13
440,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
14
110,000
110,000
100,000
340,000
370,000
340,000
310,000
340,000
Methodology
Frequently Asked Questions
What are nickel reserves?
Nickel reserves are estimated quantities of nickel that can be economically extracted under applicable conditions, in metric tons. Production measures the amount mined in a year.
Which countries hold the most nickel reserves?
Indonesia (62,000,000 metric tons) and Australia (25,000,000) reported the largest 2025 values, followed by Brazil (16,000,000).
What changed in 2023?
Indonesia's reported reserves increased from 21,000,000 to 55,000,000 metric tons in 2023. The 2023 figure was then unchanged in 2024 before rising to 62,000,000 in 2025.
Why do shares use the listed total?
The USGS world total (more than 140,000,000 metric tons) is a lower bound, so page shares are computed against the sum of the listed countries.
Data Disclaimer: Projected data (future years) are estimates based on mathematical models. Actual values may differ. Learn about our methodology →
Sources
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Updated: 16.09.2026https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/mineral-commodity-summaries
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