Zinc Price in 1981
In 1981, the price of zinc averaged $846 per tonne, up 11.2% from the year before. This page covers the 1981 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.
1981 Average
$846
LME annual average, USD/tonne
Change vs 1980
+11.2%
from $761 in 1980
What happened to the zinc price in 1981
Zinc averaged $846 per tonne in 1981, up 11.2% from $761 the year before.
Zinc traded in a broad range through the 1980s, ending the decade with a rally to around $1,660 as the modern LME special-high-grade contract took hold.
Adjusted for inflation, zinc's 1981 average of $846 equals about $3,000 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 1981?
What is a 1981 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.