Zinc Price in 2009

In 2009, the price of zinc averaged $1,655 per tonne, down 11.7% from the year before. This page covers the 2009 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.

2009 Average

$1,655

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 2008

-11.7%

from $1,875 in 2008

2009 High

$2,535

from daily trading data

2009 Low

$1,078

from daily trading data

Year-End Close

$2,535

last trading day of 2009

Zinc Price Chart, 1999 to 2019

Annual average zinc price per tonne, 1999 to 2019, with 2009 marked.

What happened to the zinc price in 2009

Zinc averaged $1,655 per tonne in 2009, down 11.7% from $1,875 the year before. Daily trading data shows zinc moved between a low of $1,078 and a high of $2,535 during the year, ending 2009 at $2,535. The notable development of 2009: Recession trough, then recovery.

After an early-2000s trough near $780, the China supercycle sent zinc spiking above $3,270 in 2006 before the 2008 financial crisis crashed it back below $1,900.

Adjusted for inflation, zinc's 2009 average of $1,655 equals about $2,487 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 2009?

Zinc averaged $1,655 per tonne in 2009, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. Daily prices ranged from a low of $1,078 to a high of $2,535, and the year closed at $2,535. That average was down 11.7% from $1,875 in 2008.

What is a 2009 zinc price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, zinc's 2009 average of $1,655 works out to roughly $2,487 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 2009?

The defining story of 2009: Recession trough, then recovery. Against that backdrop, the annual average fell 11.7%, from $1,875 in 2008 to $1,655.

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.