industrial

Helium

Table header units in the PDF mix helium and rare-gas columns. Figures follow the helium production/reserves columns.

Country panel

Import reliance: No dataNet import reliance not published in the 2026 helium table
Official critical list: No2025 — Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals, 2025
Top import partners: No dataPartner shares are published for the United States in USGS MCS 2026; other viewers are No data in v1.

Global totals

Production: 190 million m³2025 — USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, 2025
Reserves: No dataUSGS reports world helium reserves as NA (not available) in the 2026 table.
Reserve life: No dataUSGS reports world helium reserves as NA (not available) in the 2026 table.

Concentration

United States 43.8%
Qatar 34.1%
Russia 9.7%

Production share

United States43.8%
Qatar34.1%
Russia9.7%
Algeria5.9%
Canada3.2%
China1.6%
Poland1.6%

Colour scale is colour-blind-safe sand to rust. Grey means no listed figure. “Other countries” is not drawn. On small screens the map is a ranked list.

Top producers

Share of listed production versus share of listed reserves.

Table alternative to the bar chart
Country	Production	Reserves
United States	43.8%	68.4%
Qatar	34.1%	0%
Russia	9.7%	13.7%
Algeria	5.9%	14.5%
Canada	3.2%	0%
China	1.6%	0%
Poland	1.6%	0.2%

Uses

Cryogenics, including MRI magnets, where nothing substitutes below −429 °F. 2025
Welding and inert atmospheres. 2025
Lighter-than-air and some diving applications. 2025

Recycling

No recycling note in the USGS chapter.

Substitution

Nitrogen in some higher-temperature superconductors; hydrogen in some lighter-than-air uses; argon or nitrogen in some welding.