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Zinc Price in 1989

In 1989, the price of zinc averaged $1,659 per tonne, up 33.6% from the year before. This page covers the 1989 average, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.

1989 Average

$1,659

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1988

+33.6%

from $1,242 in 1988

Zinc Price Chart, 1979 to 1999

Annual average zinc price per tonne, 1979 to 1999, with 1989 marked.

What happened to the zinc price in 1989

Zinc averaged $1,659 per tonne in 1989, climbing 33.6% from the $1,242 average of 1988. The defining story of 1989: Late-1980s peak.

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 1989 average of $1,659 equals about $4,312 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 1989?

Zinc averaged $1,659 per tonne in 1989, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was up 33.6% from $1,242 in 1988.

What is a 1989 zinc price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, zinc's 1989 average of $1,659 works out to roughly $4,312 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 1989?

The defining story of 1989: Late-1980s peak. Against that backdrop, the annual average climbed 33.6%, from $1,242 in 1988 to $1,659.

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.