Zinc Price in 1998

In 1998, the price of zinc averaged $1,024 per tonne, down 22.2% from the year before. This page covers the 1998 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.

1998 Average

$1,024

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1997

-22.2%

from $1,316 in 1997

What happened to the zinc price in 1998

Zinc averaged $1,024 per tonne in 1998, sliding 22.2% from the $1,316 average of 1997. The notable development of 1998: Asian financial crisis pressure.

The 1990s were choppy and ultimately soft, with the 1997-98 Asian crisis and persistent oversupply leaving zinc near $1,000 by decade's end.

Adjusted for inflation, zinc's 1998 average of $1,024 equals about $2,025 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 1998?

Zinc averaged $1,024 per tonne in 1998, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was down 22.2% from $1,316 in 1997.

What is a 1998 zinc price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, zinc's 1998 average of $1,024 works out to roughly $2,025 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 1998?

The defining story of 1998: Asian financial crisis pressure. Against that backdrop, the annual average fell 22.2%, from $1,316 in 1997 to $1,024.

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.