Zinc Price in 1975

In 1975, the price of zinc averaged $745 per tonne, down 39.9% from the year before. This page covers the 1975 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.

1975 Average

$745

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1974

-39.9%

from $1,240 in 1974

What happened to the zinc price in 1975

Zinc averaged $745 per tonne in 1975, collapsing 39.9% from the $1,240 average of 1974. The defining story of 1975: Post-boom collapse and recession.

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 1975 average of $745 equals about $4,463 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 1975?

Zinc averaged $745 per tonne in 1975, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was down 39.9% from $1,240 in 1974.

What is a 1975 zinc price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, zinc's 1975 average of $745 works out to roughly $4,463 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.

What moved the zinc price in 1975?

The defining story of 1975: Post-boom collapse and recession. Against that backdrop, the annual average fell 39.9%, from $1,240 in 1974 to $745.

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.