Zinc price and historical chart

The latest available zinc reference is $3,875.00 USD per metric tonne for August 2026. Latest monthly release. It is a monthly average from World Bank Pink Sheet.

Zinc is widely used to galvanise steel. This refined-metal reference does not represent the price of finished galvanised products or local scrap.

Calculate value

Monthly average

$3,875.00

USD / tonne

August 2026 · World Bank Pink Sheet · Latest monthly release

CurrencyPrice per

World Bank Pink SheetDownload USD history ↓

Historical currency views use the latest reference FX, not date-matched historical exchange rates.

Why does galvanizing dominate zinc use?

Galvanizing steel accounts for close to 60% of global zinc demand. Brass, bronze, die-casting alloys, chemicals and other products make up the remainder.

Galvanizing steel60%

Brass, bronze, die-casting and other uses40%

Galvanizing steel

60%

Close to 60% of global zinc demand protects steel against corrosion.

Brass, bronze, die-casting and other uses

40%

The remainder includes alloys, cast products, chemicals and other applications.

Zinc protects a much larger mass of steel

A relatively thin zinc layer can slow corrosion on a steel structure, vehicle part or guardrail. The whole object is not zinc, so its gross weight cannot be valued at a zinc benchmark.

Galvanized steel may remain in service for years. Zinc also enters brass, bronze, die-cast components, chemicals and agricultural products through separate product chains.

For zinc, identify the coating or alloy

Use coating mass or thickness for galvanized products.
Use alloy composition for brass, bronze or die-cast parts.
Do not price mine concentrate as refined Special High Grade zinc.
Include treatment, fabrication and delivery terms where applicable.

Calculate zinc value by weight

See how concentrated zinc mine supply is in the metal supply concentration table, or estimate the weight and cost of a zinc sheet, bar or tube with the material cost calculator.

Production and use source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Zinc. Route evidence: Teck — Red Dog concentrate destinations and Teck — integrated zinc production.

Where is zinc mined before it protects steel?

China, Peru and Australia led the selected 2025 mine estimates. Many zinc orebodies also carry lead and silver, so their concentrates can share early mining and milling infrastructure.

2025 estimate

China led estimated zinc mine output in 2025, followed by Peru and Australia. Zinc commonly shares an orebody and processing chain with lead and silver.

Loading the zinc production map…

The circles compare the published national estimates. Each point marks a representative producing area rather than every operation or legal boundary. The table provides the same facts without the interactive map. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

1. China 4.1 million metric tonnes · 31.5% of rounded world output

4.1 million metric tonnes

2. Peru 1.5 million metric tonnes · 11.5% of rounded world output

1.5 million metric tonnes

3. Australia 1.1 million metric tonnes · 8.5% of rounded world output

1.1 million metric tonnes

4. India 0.87 million metric tonnes · 6.7% of rounded world output

0.87 million metric tonnes

5. Mexico 0.78 million metric tonnes · 6.0% of rounded world output

0.78 million metric tonnes

6. United States 0.67 million metric tonnes · 5.2% of rounded world output

0.67 million metric tonnes

The quantities measure zinc contained in concentrates and direct-shipping ore. They do not equal refined zinc output or galvanized-steel production.

Leading zinc producers in the 2025 estimate
Rank	Country	Mine production	World share	Representative map area
1	China	4.1 million metric tonnes	31.5%	Chinese zinc-mining regions
2	Peru	1.5 million metric tonnes	11.5%	Central Peruvian polymetallic belt
3	Australia	1.1 million metric tonnes	8.5%	Queensland and Northern Territory zinc regions
4	India	0.87 million metric tonnes	6.7%	Rajasthan zinc-lead belt
5	Mexico	0.78 million metric tonnes	6.0%	Mexican polymetallic mining regions
6	United States	0.67 million metric tonnes	5.2%	Red Dog mine, Alaska

Concentrate is not galvanized metal. Mine production records zinc content before smelting and refining. Galvanizing happens later, when a steel producer or fabricator applies refined zinc to a finished or semi-finished steel surface.

zinc explained

A thin zinc layer can extend the life of a steel product.

Galvanizing is a materials system: steel supplies the structure, zinc supplies corrosion protection, and fabrication determines the finished product.

Zinc coating Bonded layers Steel core Bonded layers Zinc coating

Zinc coating

The exposed layer reacts first and helps protect the underlying steel.

Alloy layers

Iron-zinc layers form between the outer coating and the steel base.

Steel product

The structural mass remains steel rather than becoming zinc.

From an Arctic zinc mine to smelters and steel users.

Red Dog provides a geographically clear route: concentrate leaves northwest Alaska during a limited shipping season and moves to Trail or overseas customers before refined zinc reaches users.

Choose route

Origin Processing User market Feed material Finished product

Red Dog and Trail

Loading the zinc supply-chain map…

The numbered route turns the cited operator description into a readable geography. Market points show broad destinations; they do not identify a buyer, live shipment or exclusive path. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

1 Alaskan zinc ore → Trail refinery and overseas smelters → steel markets

1 · OriginRed Dog mine

2 · ProcessingTrail Operations Integrated zinc and lead smelting and refining complex in British Columbia

3 · Supplied or usedNorth American galvanized-steel marketAsian concentrate and metal customersEuropean concentrate and metal customers

Source: Teck — Red Dog concentrate destinations Supporting source: Teck — integrated zinc production

Red Dog has more than one outlet. Teck identifies Trail, Asia and Europe as destinations for concentrate. The route map joins those documented regions but does not allocate current tonnage between them.

Behind the chart.

Data methodology →

This chart separates the source observation, its period and its published unit from later currency or weight conversions.

What this price represents

Zinc is widely used to galvanise steel. This refined-metal reference does not represent the price of finished galvanised products or local scrap.

Monthly observations are nominal USD averages from the World Bank Pink Sheet where available; palladium uses means of stored daily references. Yearly values are means of the available monthly averages, with incomplete periods labelled. Period averages describe the stated interval, not a current executable quote. Currency and weight conversions change the display, not the underlying specification.

What a physical transaction may cost

Grade, delivery location, fabrication, taxes and dealer spreads can change a real offer. Use a matching specification and period when comparing prices.

Recent observations

Recent Zinc price observations
Period	USD / tonne
Aug 2026	3,875.00
Jul 2026	3,599.00
Jun 2026	3,539.00
May 2026	3,482.00
Apr 2026	3,364.00
Mar 2026	3,182.00
Feb 2026	3,324.00
Jan 2026	3,213.00
Dec 2025	3,168.00
Nov 2025	3,177.00
Oct 2025	3,152.00
Sep 2025	2,933.00

The selected period in numbers.

monthly observations · 2021-08-01 to 2026-08-01 · USD / tonne · World Bank Pink Sheet

Lowest observation2,360

Highest observation4,360

Mean observation3,032.79

Stored observations61

First-to-last change29.69%

High and low mean the highest and lowest stored observations, not intraday trading extremes. The mean is an unweighted average of those observations. Missing dates are not filled in.

Zinc by weight.

Custom weight & purity →

Common fine-metal weights

Uses the latest reference of the frequency selected above. Values exclude product premiums and fees.

Zinc values at common fine-metal weights
Fine weight	Reference value (USD)
1 gram	0.00
10 grams	0.04
1 troy ounce	0.12
100 grams	0.39
1 kilogram	3.88

Fine weight versus gross weight

The reference values assume the entire weight is the specified metal. For an alloy, multiply net metal weight by its fineness divided by 1,000 before applying a fine-metal price. Deduct stones or non-metal parts first. A plated item cannot be valued as though all its weight were the surface metal.

A troy ounce is 31.1034768 grams. An ordinary ounce is 28.349523125 grams. A metric tonne is 1,000 kilograms. Use the weight worksheet to compare units or an entire batch.

For a purchase, compare the invoice with the premium calculator. For recovered metal, review deductions in the scrap payout calculator.

A zinc benchmark is not a galvanised-product price

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.

Galvanising demand

Zinc is widely used to protect steel. Construction and manufactured-product activity provide useful demand context.

Alloy and casting uses

Die casting and alloys use specified zinc-containing compositions. A finished casting includes fabrication costs beyond the reference metal.

Refining and delivery

Available refined supply, location and transport influence physical offers. Use consistent grade and delivery terms when comparing them.

Make comparisons meaningful

Copper and aluminium give nearby industrial benchmarks. Lead is another separate base-metal reference; a shared category does not make their demand or specifications identical.

In the comparison chart, each series starts at 100 on its first shared date. This compares percentage movements rather than equating the price of a tonne with the price of an ounce. For a physical transaction, also match quality, currency and delivery conditions.

Which product are you comparing?

Zinc product specifications to compare
Product	What to check
Refined zinc	Use the matching refined grade and per-tonne basis.
Galvanised products	Only part of the product mass is zinc; coating specifications matter.
Zinc alloys	Use composition and processing costs rather than treating all mass as pure zinc.

Recent yearly averages.

Download annual USD data ↓

Original USD per metric tonne. These figures average the available monthly observations. They are not year-end closes or the mean of all daily prices. This archive retains the original source unit regardless of chart display settings.

Zinc recent yearly averages
Year	Average (USD)	Monthly observations	Coverage
2026	3,447.25	8	Partial period
2025	2,867.58	12	12 complete monthly observations
2024	2,775.75	12	12 complete monthly observations
2023	2,652.75	12	12 complete monthly observations
2022	3,481.25	12	12 complete monthly observations
2021	3,002.58	12	12 complete monthly observations
2020	2,266.42	12	12 complete monthly observations
2019	2,550.58	12	12 complete monthly observations
2018	2,922.50	12	12 complete monthly observations
2017	2,890.92	12	12 complete monthly observations

Partial averages can change as observations are added. Do not compare an incomplete year with a full year as though the coverage were identical.

Questions about zinc prices

Is the Zinc price live or a reference?

This page uses World Bank monthly reference averages; a daily series is not available here. The displayed label, source and timestamp identify the observation. Polling a source does not make its underlying publication more frequent.

What can affect the Zinc price?

Galvanising demand: Zinc is widely used to protect steel. Construction and manufactured-product activity provide useful demand context. Alloy and casting uses: Die casting and alloys use specified zinc-containing compositions. A finished casting includes fabrication costs beyond the reference metal.

Which Zinc products need separate specifications?

Refined zinc: Use the matching refined grade and per-tonne basis. Galvanised products: Only part of the product mass is zinc; coating specifications matter. These product differences mean one headline reference cannot price every physical transaction.

What do monthly and yearly Zinc prices mean?

Monthly values retain the World Bank source averages rather than being rebuilt from a different daily feed. Yearly values average those monthly observations. The table flags incomplete coverage. A period average is different from a closing price.

How do I value a custom amount of Zinc?

Use the zinc value calculator for weight, fineness and currency, then inspect its scenario chart and weight table. A contained-metal estimate excludes unentered premiums, fees and non-metal components.

Where does zinc come from?

China led estimated zinc mine output in 2025, followed by Peru and Australia. Zinc commonly shares an orebody and processing chain with lead and silver. See the zinc production map and table.

How does zinc move from mines to users?

Teck ships Red Dog zinc concentrate to its Trail metallurgical complex in British Columbia and to customers in Asia and Europe. Trail produces refined zinc used principally to protect steel from corrosion. Follow the documented zinc routes; they are explanatory relationships rather than live cargo tracking.

What is zinc used for?

Galvanizing steel accounts for close to 60% of global zinc demand. Brass, bronze, die-casting alloys, chemicals and other products make up the remainder. The end-use section separates the cited applications.

Sources and further reading

World Bank commodity data — monthly reference histories and source documentation.
USGS commodity statistics and information — material uses, supply and industry context.
price-chart.com methodology — validation, timestamps, period averages and conversions.

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