Zinc Price | Current and Forecast
Monitor Zinc Prices Worldwide
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See 4 monthly Zinc price assessments covering 4 locations: United States, Europe, Southeast Asia and China. Also check Zinc price history since 2007 and forecasts. The chart below is a sample of Intratec Primary Commodity Prices - subscribe now and gain access to current prices of 226 commodities, including Zinc.
Data Legend. The Zinc price chart shows the prices in USA Dollar per metric ton (USD/mt) as follows:
- US: Zinc, United States, transaction, cif
- EUR: Zinc, Europe, spot, exw, United Kingdom
- SEA: Zinc, Southeast Asia, transaction, fob, Australia
- CN: Zinc, China, spot, exw
Data Use. Zinc prices are provided as an annual subscription where subscribers have access to reliable pricing data of 226 commodities worldwide. To better understand data provided by Intratec Primary Commodity Prices, check the following documents: Price Assessment Basis , Commodities Specifications , Methodology , User Guide , and Glossary .
Intratec Primary Commodity Prices
Track global current prices of 226 commodities including Zinc
Current Monthly Prices
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Price Dynamics. The Zinc price in United States increased during December 2018 to 2,780 USD per metric ton, which represents a slight rise of 2% compared to the previous month’s value. On a year-over-year basis, Zinc prices in United States decreased significantly by 14%. Meanwhile, in United Kingdom, the average price of Zinc amounted to 2,620 USD per metric ton, from 3,200 USD per metric ton one year earlier. On a month-over-month basis, the Zinc price in United Kingdom is 0.8% higher than the price one month before.
The price of Zinc in China rose throughout December 2018, reaching 3,220 USD per metric ton. The price in China is 6% higher than the average price in the previous month and 18% lower than the average price one year before. In contrast, Zinc prices in Australia decreased modestly during December 2018, reaching 2,620 USD per metric ton, which means a decline of 0.8% from the previous month’s price and a decline of 19% from the previous year’s price.
About Zinc. Zinc is a metallic element with atomic number 30, it is a post-transition metal, and member of group 12 of the periodic table. Coins containing 99% zinc were cast as early as the 1300s in China, during the Ming Dynasty; with industrial production beginning in 1720 in East Asia. Production grew rapidly after 1840, with the discovery of great zinc mines. Currently, zinc is the fourth most commercialized metal worldwide, only behind iron, aluminum and copper. Zinc is a relatively active metals, although it forms very stable compounds, it is also a key component in the forging of brass and other metallic alloys. The element itself is also an essential mineral in human diets, especially in baby development.
Since zinc is produced in great quantity, it is usually shipped in railroad tank cars or by marine transportation. Zinc should be kept in dry well-ventilated environments, and thoroughly dried if added to a molten bath, since zinc ingots can absorb moisture, which expands explosively when immersed in a molten bath. Zinc in massive form is liable to superficial corrosion by immersion in or exposure to salt or fresh water. Zinc dust is a hazardous cargo which should be shipped in hermetically sealed lined cases or metal drums. Evolves hydrogen when in contact with water, humid atmosphere, etc., and may ignite. Exposure to moisture should be avoided, and would require complete reprocessing if wet. Any zinc sheets that have become wet during transit should be wiped dry before storage.
Raw materials and the respective production processes employed in the manufacturing of Zinc are listed below.
- Zinc sulfide ore concentrate + metallurgical coke (vertical retort process),
- Zinc sulfide ore concentrate + metallurgical coke (Imperial smelting process),
- Zinc sulfate (electrolysis)
The uses and applications of Zinc may vary according to its specification. The main forms of Zinc are special high-grade (99.99% purity); high-grade (99.95% purity); intermediate grade (99.5% purity); brass special (99% purity); prime western (98%); also in the forms of slab; wire; rolled (strips/tubing); mossy zinc; and dust powder.
