Lead Price in 1970

In 1970, the price of lead averaged $303 per tonne at the start of the modern series. This page covers the 1970 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that lead would be worth in today's dollars.

1970 Average

$303

LME annual average, USD/tonne

What happened to the lead price in 1970

Lead averaged $303 per tonne in 1970, according to World Bank and LME annual average data. Lead averaged about $303 per tonne in 1970, near the start of the 1970s inflation-era climb in industrial-metal prices.

Lead rose through the 1970s inflation era, spiking on the first oil shock and reaching around $1,200 per tonne by the 1979 metals peak.

Adjusted for inflation, lead's 1970 average of $303 equals about $2,517 in today's dollars. The conversion uses US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the price of lead in 1970?

Lead averaged $303 per tonne in 1970, based on World Bank and LME annual average data.

What is a 1970 lead price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, lead's 1970 average of $303 works out to roughly $2,517 in today's dollars, using 2025 as the CPI base year. The conversion uses BLS CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

Annual averages are World Bank and LME lead prices per tonne in US dollars (LME cash and settlement basis). The 2025 figure is preliminary. Where daily data exists, the per-year high, low, and close come from MetalCharts historical data. Inflation adjustments use BLS CPI-U annual averages.