Occurrences

• Vanadium is mined mostly in South Africa, north-western China and eastern Russia, with over 90% of the reserves held in these regions
• South Africa is host to the largest high-grade primary vanadium resources
• World resources of vanadium exceed 63Mt (contained vanadium)

This data is not fully indicative of available supplies because vanadium is often produced as a co-product that is not recorded in resource statements by the owners of deposits.

Further, vanadium resources in crude oils and tar sands are difficult to estimate. Vanadium that is contained in this form is often not incorporated into resource estimates.

Other regions have vanadium resources eg Canada, USA, Australia, but these are relatively small and low grade except in Brazil (Largo Resources).

More than 88% of vanadium occurs in the form of vanadiferous magnetite ores, with the balance mainly in sedimentary form such as oil residues or shales.