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

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.