Zinc Price in 1988

In 1988, the price of zinc averaged $1,242 per tonne, up 55.4% from the year before. This page covers the 1988 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.

1988 Average

$1,242

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1987

+55.4%

from $799 in 1987

What happened to the zinc price in 1988

Zinc averaged $1,242 per tonne in 1988, surging 55.4% from the $799 average of 1987. Annual moves of that size are rare and put 1988 among the most explosive years in the metal's modern history. The defining story of 1988: SHG contract era; strong rally.

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 1988 average of $1,242 equals about $3,384 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 1988?

Zinc averaged $1,242 per tonne in 1988, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was up 55.4% from $799 in 1987.

What is a 1988 zinc price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, zinc's 1988 average of $1,242 works out to roughly $3,384 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 1988?

The defining story of 1988: SHG contract era; strong rally. Against that backdrop, the annual average climbed 55.4%, from $799 in 1987 to $1,242.

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.