Commodity
Zinc
Zinc's main job is stopping steel from rusting. Demand therefore tracks construction and infrastructure more closely than it tracks technology.
Price
Monthly average
LME settlement, monthly average, August 2026Source: World Bank Commodity Price Data
What it is used for
- Galvanising steel
- Brass and bronze alloys
- Die-casting
- Zinc oxide in rubber and pharmaceuticals
Supply
Zinc is usually mined with lead and often with silver, so a zinc project's economics frequently depend on more than one metal.
Principal producing countries: China, Peru, Australia, India, United States, Mexico.
Producer list from United States Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, checked 10 September 2026.