For the latest shared monthly observation, 2026-08, Zinc was 3,875.00 USD per tonne and Lead was 1,855.00 USD per tonne. Latest shared monthly release. The chart indexes both series to 100 at their first shared date.
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61 monthly observations · 2021-08-01 to 2026-08-01 · Starting value = 100
World Bank Pink Sheet. Ratios use aligned prices; yearly figures average monthly observations.
| Period | Zinc index | Lead index |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-01 | 129.69 | 76.84 |
| 2026-07-01 | 120.45 | 76.30 |
| 2026-06-01 | 118.44 | 80.61 |
| 2026-05-01 | 116.53 | 82.48 |
| 2026-04-01 | 112.58 | 79.95 |
| 2026-03-01 | 106.49 | 77.80 |
| 2026-02-01 | 111.24 | 79.41 |
| 2026-01-01 | 107.53 | 82.64 |
| 2025-12-01 | 106.02 | 80.36 |
| 2025-11-01 | 106.33 | 82.77 |
| 2025-10-01 | 105.49 | 81.52 |
| 2025-09-01 | 98.16 | 80.99 |
| 2025-08-01 | 93.34 | 80.65 |
| 2025-07-01 | 92.47 | 82.56 |
| 2025-06-01 | 88.86 | 81.77 |
| 2025-05-01 | 88.49 | 81.11 |
| 2025-04-01 | 87.75 | 78.83 |
| 2025-03-01 | 96.69 | 84.22 |
| 2025-02-01 | 93.71 | 81.07 |
| 2025-01-01 | 94.34 | 79.58 |
| 2024-12-01 | 101.54 | 82.44 |
| 2024-11-01 | 100.54 | 82.35 |
| 2024-10-01 | 103.95 | 84.26 |
| 2024-09-01 | 94.95 | 82.85 |
This snapshot uses the latest shared monthly observation and an initial five-year window, shortened when the common archive is smaller. It stays on that labelled basis when you explore another chart range above.
World Bank Pink Sheet. Monthly averages; not executable transaction quotes.
From 2021-08 to 2026-08, the shared monthly window changed +29.69% for Zinc and -23.16% for Lead. The endpoint difference was 52.84 index points. This describes the selected historical window, not a forecast.
+29.69% from 2021-08 to 2026-08.
-23.16% over the same observation dates.
Zinc is widely used to galvanise steel. This refined-metal reference does not represent the price of finished galvanised products or local scrap.
Lead benchmarks track refined metal, while battery and scrap transactions depend on recovery yield, handling and local rules.
Use the standalone zinc price history and lead price history to inspect each source series in its original unit. The commodity price archive provides frequency controls and individual CSV downloads.
Both source series use USD per tonne. Matching units make the nominal figures easier to read together, but Zinc and Lead still have separate specifications and markets.
Both sit in industrial metals, yet their stated uses differ: Zinc — Galvanising · Die casting · Alloys; Lead — Lead-acid batteries · Shielding. A shared category does not make the products substitutes.
The overlapping selectable frequencies are monthly and yearly. Daily comparison is offered only when both stored series have daily coverage; otherwise monthly observations provide the common basis.
These subject–relationship–object facts keep the two commodities, their units and the chart method separate.
| Subject | Relationship | Object | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc | is published in | USD per tonne | Read zinc in its original source unit before converting it. |
| Lead | is published in | USD per tonne | Read lead in its original source unit before converting it. |
| Zinc | is used in | Galvanising · Die casting · Alloys | These uses provide context for zinc demand; they do not explain every price move. |
| Lead | is used in | Lead-acid batteries · Shielding | These uses provide context for lead demand; they do not explain every price move. |
| Zinc versus Lead | is aligned on | 61 shared monthly observations from 2021-08 through 2026-08 | The chart compares matching dates and gives both series a starting index of 100. |
The zinc reference tracks metal rather than the finished products in which it is used. A galvanised component includes steel, processing and other costs. Applying a zinc reference to its whole weight would overstate zinc content and omit the product’s other materials.
Refining and delivery: Available refined supply, location and transport influence physical offers. Use consistent grade and delivery terms when comparing them.
A refined lead reference is not a direct buyback price for a used battery. A battery contains other materials and needs appropriate handling and recovery. The chart describes the published metal series; a physical offer depends on the material and the buyer’s actual terms.
Recovered supply: Used products can supply recoverable lead. Recovery yield and processing costs affect the value of those products.
Zinc and lead are distinct refined-metal references with different dominant end uses. Zinc is strongly associated with galvanising, while lead is closely associated with lead-acid batteries and shielding.
Steel coating activity and battery demand are different markets. A shared industrial-metals label does not mean the two references should rise or fall together.
Used batteries and zinc-bearing scrap involve sorting, recovery, handling and local requirements. Their buyer prices should not be inferred by multiplying gross weight by a refined benchmark.
Both histories use USD per tonne. The chart aligns their observation months and omits unmatched dates rather than manufacturing a continuous relationship.
From 2021-08 to 2026-08, the shared monthly window changed +29.69% for Zinc and -23.16% for Lead. The endpoint difference was 52.84 index points. This describes the selected historical window, not a forecast. Change the chart range to test another starting point; the labelled monthly snapshot keeps its own initial window.
The overlapping selectable frequencies are monthly and yearly. Daily comparison is offered only when both stored series have daily coverage; otherwise monthly observations provide the common basis.
Both source series use USD per tonne. Matching units make the nominal figures easier to read together, but Zinc and Lead still have separate specifications and markets. The indexed view answers how each stored reference moved from a shared starting date; it does not calculate a transaction return.
Both sit in industrial metals, yet their stated uses differ: Zinc — Galvanising · Die casting · Alloys; Lead — Lead-acid batteries · Shielding. A shared category does not make the products substitutes. Also confirm the observation date, grade or purity, delivery terms and costs that apply to the actual product.
Change one side of the chart with Copper versus Zinc, Lead versus Tin.
