Zinc Price in 1978
In 1978, the price of zinc averaged $594 per tonne, up 0.7% from the year before. This page covers the 1978 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.
1978 Average
$594
LME annual average, USD/tonne
Change vs 1977
+0.7%
from $590 in 1977
What happened to the zinc price in 1978
Zinc averaged $594 per tonne in 1978, essentially unchanged from $590 in 1977.
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 1978 average of $594 equals about $2,936 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 1978?
What is a 1978 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.