Zinc Price in 2020

In 2020, the price of zinc averaged $2,266 per tonne, down 11.1% from the year before. This page covers the 2020 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that zinc would be worth in today's dollars.

2020 Average

$2,266

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 2019

-11.1%

from $2,550 in 2019

2020 High

$2,900

from daily trading data

2020 Low

$1,786

from daily trading data

Year-End Close

$2,751

last trading day of 2020

Zinc Price Chart, 2005 to 2025

Annual average zinc price per tonne, 2005 to 2025, with 2020 marked.

What happened to the zinc price in 2020

Zinc averaged $2,266 per tonne in 2020, down 11.1% from $2,550 the year before. Daily trading data shows zinc moved between a low of $1,786 and a high of $2,900 during the year, ending 2020 at $2,751. The notable development of 2020: COVID-19 demand shock.

A COVID dip near $2,270 gave way to an energy-crisis spike to a record annual average around $3,480 in 2022, as European smelters cut output, before easing back toward $2,800.

Adjusted for inflation, zinc's 2020 average of $2,266 equals about $2,822 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 2020?

Zinc averaged $2,266 per tonne in 2020, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. Daily prices ranged from a low of $1,786 to a high of $2,900, and the year closed at $2,751. That average was down 11.1% from $2,550 in 2019.

What is a 2020 zinc price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, zinc's 2020 average of $2,266 works out to roughly $2,822 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 2020?

The defining story of 2020: COVID-19 demand shock. Against that backdrop, the annual average fell 11.1%, from $2,550 in 2019 to $2,266.

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.