Zinc Price in 1971
In 1971, the price of zinc averaged $309 per tonne, up 4.4% from the year before. This page covers the 1971 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.
1971 Average
$309
LME annual average, USD/tonne
Change vs 1970
+4.4%
from $296 in 1970
What happened to the zinc price in 1971
Zinc averaged $309 per tonne in 1971, up 4.4% from $296 the year before.
Zinc more than tripled during the 1973-74 commodity and inflation boom, spiking toward $1,240 per tonne before the mid-decade recession pulled it back below $600.
Adjusted for inflation, zinc's 1971 average of $309 equals about $2,459 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 zinc in 1971?
What is a 1971 zinc price worth in today's dollars?
Annual averages are World Bank and LME zinc 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.