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

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.