That dollar amount results from an average 9.4% upturn for all shippers of zinc over the 5-year period starting in 2018. Back then, exported zinc ores and concentrates were worth a total $13 billion.
Year over year, the value of globally exported zinc increased by an average 15% compared to $12.4 billion for 2021.
The most popular industrial uses for zinc are as an anti-corrosion additive or for coating iron or steel, a process called galvanization.
Zinc is also used in alloys notably brass which is stronger and more amenable to creating wire than copper. Zinc compounds like zinc oxide are used in paints and rubber. Zinc even serves as a dietary supplement, has medicinal applications and can facilitate weight gain.
Key Geographic Insights about Zinc Exports
By value, the world’s 5 most lucrative zinc exporters are Australia, Bolivia, United States of America, Peru and Sweden. Collectively, those 5 major suppliers accounted for over half (53.8%) of the overall dollar spend on exported zinc ores or concentrates during 2022.
Among continents, zinc suppliers located in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean exported the highest dollar worth of shiny-greyish metal during 2022 with shipments valued at $4 billion or 28.3% of the worldwide total. In second place were zinc exporters in Europe at 22.1%, trailed by suppliers in North America at 15.1% then providers in Oceania (mostly Australia) at 14.8%.
Smaller percentages came from sellers in Asia (11.7%) and Africa (8%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 260800 for zinc ores and concentrates.
Top Zinc Exporters by Country
Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of zinc during 2022.
- Australia: US$2.1 billion (14.8% of total zinc exports)
- Bolivia: $1.8 billion (12.8%)
- United States of America: $1.6 billion (11.2%)
- Peru: $1.5 billion (10.8%)
- Sweden: $584.3 million (4.1%)
- Türkiye: $547.4 million (3.8%)
- Belgium: $546.1 million (3.8%)
- South Africa: $531.8 million (3.7%)
- Russia: $500.9 million (3.5%)
- Chile: $424.0 million (3.0%)
- Mexico: $399.1 million (2.8%)
- Portugal: $390.1 million (2.7%)
- Kazakhstan: $383.0 million (2.7%)
- Eritrea: $353.1 million (2.5%)
- Mongolia: $282.7 million (2.0%)
- Ireland: $255.8 million (1.8%)
- Spain: $212.1 million (1.5%)
- Canada: $152.6 million (1.1%)
- Cuba: $146.3 million (1.0%)
- Italy: $145.2 million (1.0%)
- Tajikistan: $143.4 million (1.0%)
- Finland: $140.9 million (1.0%)
- France: $133.8 million (0.9%)
- Saudi Arabia: $121.1 million (0.9%)
- Namibia: $80.7 million (0.6%)
By value, the listed 25 countries shipped 95.1% of globally exported zinc in 2022.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of zinc since 2021 were: Italy (up 189.3%), Canada (up 158.7%), Saudi Arabia (up 128.7%) and Kazakhstan (up 91.1%).
Four major suppliers posted declines in their international sales of zinc, namely: Belgium (down -13.2% from 2021), Spain (down -11.1%), Peru (down -6.7%) and Chile (down -0.7%).
Countries Generating Greatest Surpluses from Global Zinc Trade
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for zinc during 2022. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported zinc and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Australia: US$1.9 billion (net export surplus up 23% since 2021)
- Bolivia: $1.8 billion (up 31.7%)
- United States of America: $1.6 billion (up 5.7%)
- Peru: $1.5 billion (down -6.8%)
- Sweden: $584.3 million (up 18.3%)
- Türkiye: $535.9 million (up 15%)
- South Africa: $531.7 million (up 15%)
- Chile: $424 million (down -0.7%)
- Portugal: $389.8 million (up 14.4%)
- Russia: $385 million (up 97.9%)
- Mexico: $383.4 million (up 54.4%)
- Eritrea: $353.1 million (up 26.2%)
- Mongolia: $282.7 million (up 60.2%)
- Ireland: $255.8 million (up 6.4%)
- Cuba: $146.3 million (up 43.3%)
World-leading Australia generated the highest surplus in the international trade of zinc. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms the strong Australian competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Countries Incurring Worst Deficits from Global Zinc Trade
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for zinc during 2022. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported zinc purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- China: -US$4.8 billion (net export deficit up 20.7% since 2021)
- South Korea: -$2.3 billion (up 15.7%)
- Japan: -$1.14 billion (up 5.2%)
- Spain: -$1.14 billion (up 30.8%)
- Canada: -$1.12 billion (up 14.2%)
- Belgium: -$739.7 million (up 28.6%)
- Finland: -$603.5 million (up 6%)
- Norway: -$453.3 million (up 22.1%)
- Netherlands: -$361.2 million (down -17.9%)
- Germany: -$344.7 million (down -4.2%)
- Brazil: -$279.5 million (up 27.7%)
- Poland: -$219.9 million (up 48.5%)
- Uzbekistan: -$148.8 million (up 1.7%)
- France: -$134.2 million (down -23.8%)
- Bulgaria: -$111.9 million (up 22.9%)
Mainland China incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of zinc. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights China’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for zinc-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Major Exporters by Greatest Volume of Zinc Shipments by Weight
The following ranking reveals which counties exported the biggest volumes of zinc during 2022 in terms of shipment tonnage.
By weight, the 15 major suppliers below generated 84.1% of the total 10.9 billion tons of globally exported zinc in 2022.
- Australia: 2,061,633 tons (18.8% of the world total)
- Peru: 1,313,385 tons (12%)
- Türkiye: 865,176 tons (7.9%)
- Bolivia: 772,465 tons (7.1%)
- United States of America: 650,926 tons (5.9%)
- Belgium: 535,852 tons (4.9%)
- South Africa: 533,390 tons (4.9%)
- Sweden: 428,178 tons (3.9%)
- Portugal: 402,095 tons (3.7%)
- Russia: 394,847 tons (3.6%)
- Kazakhstan: 382,186 tons (3.5%)
- Chile: 340,435 tons (3.1%)
- Mexico: 268,810 tons (2.5%)
- Eritrea: 258,962 tons (2.4%)
- Mongolia: 140,888 tons (1.3%)
Recording double-digit increases among the top zinc shippers by weight were Kazakhstan (up 70.8% from 2021), Mexico (up 54.7%), Mongolia (up 25.1%) and Bolivia (up 10.5%).
There were 3 double-digit decliners year over year, namely: Belgium (down -24.2% from 2021), Peru (down -18.5%) and Chile (down -17%).
Average Unit Prices for Zinc Exports
Below are the zinc exporters charging the lowest average unit prices per ton in 2022. The world average unit price was $1,301 per ton, up by 20.5% from $1,080 per ton for 2021.
The leading zinc exporter, Australia, charged an average $1,024 per ton for 2022, below the world average.
The 15 zinc sellers below averaged the lowest average unit prices per ton.
- Georgia: $34 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Romania: $36 per ton (down -18.2% from 2021)
- Myanmar: $46 per ton (down -38.7%)
- India: $56 per ton (down -92.1%)
- Uzbekistan: $105 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Poland: $153 per ton (down -9.5%)
- Azerbaijan: $180 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Belarus: $182 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Bangladesh: $187 per ton (up 30.8%)
- Afghanistan: $204 per ton (up 85.5%)
- Iraq: $205 per ton (down -24.1%)
- Taiwan: $227 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Senegal: $231 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Ghana: $233 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- United Arab Emirates: $272 per ton (down -43.8%)
From 2021 to 2022, there were 5 double-digit percentage decliners in terms of average prices for the listed low-cost zinc exporters. These were India (down -92.1% from 2021), United Arab Emirates (down -43.8%), Myanmar also called Burma (down -38.7%), Iraq (down -24.1%) and Romania (down -18.2%).
The following 15 zinc exporters demanded the highest average unit prices per ton in 2022.
- Bulgaria: $3,382 per ton (up 110.5% from 2021)
- New Zealand: $3,000 per ton (down -25%)
- Croatia: $3,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- United States of America: $2,459 per ton (up 5.9%)
- Bolivia: $2,354 per ton (up 19.1%)
- Bahrain: $2,320 per ton (up 22.1%)
- Ireland: $2,051 per ton (down -6.3%)
- Mongolia: $2,007 per ton (up 28.1%)
- South Korea: $1,933 per ton (up 32.6%)
- Oman: $1,718 per ton (up 6,772%)
- Canada: $1,634 per ton (up -39.3%)
- Armenia: $1,610 per ton (up 19.5%)
- France: $1,591 per ton (up 14.8%)
- Italy: $1,549 per ton (up 44.1%)
- Israel: $1,492 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
The strongest hikes in unit prices for exported zinc ores and concentrates were charged by suppliers in: Oman (up 6,772% from 2021), Bulgaria (up 110.5%), Italy (up 44.1%) and South Korea (up 32.6%).
Major Zinc Producing Companies
Below are 10 of the largest zinc producers that represent established players engaged in the international trade of zinc. Their home country for each company’s headquarters is shown within parenthesis.
- Southern Copper Corporation (Mexico)
- Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Saudi Arabia)
- Hindustan Zinc (India)
- Vedanta (India)
- First Quantum Minerals (Canada)
- Teck Resources (Canada)
- South32 (Australia)
- Boliden AB (Sweden)
- Korea Zinc Co (South Korea)
- Lundin Mining Company (Canada)
See also Iron Ore Exports by Country, Top Stainless Steel Exporters by Country and Copper Ore Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on October 2, 2023
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on October 2, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 2, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on October 2, 2023
Value.Today, World Top Zinc Companies. Accessed on October 2, 2023
Wikipedia, Zinc. Accessed on October 2, 2023