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, high, low, and year-end close, 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

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.