Zinc

Previous Years’ Reviews

Zinc - 2010 Annual Review and Outlook

  • Highlights
    • Canada is an important producer and exporter of zinc and zinc products. Zinc metal production in Canada dates from the early 1900s when the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada (now Teck Resources Limited) started production at a small electrolytic zinc plant at Trail, British Columbia. Today, with a smelting capacity of 693 000 tonnes per year (t/y) from three metallurgical facilities located across the country, Canada produces roughly 5.4% of the world’s total supply of refined zinc.
    • Two new zinc mines started construction during the year: the Lalor mine of HudBay Minerals in the Snow Lake district of Manitoba, and the Bracemac-McLeod mine owned by Xstrata Zinc/Donner Metals in the Matagami camp of Quebec. Lalor is expected to begin zinc production in early 2012 and Bracemac-McLeod is expected to begin producing zinc in late 2012.
    • Xstrata Copper Canada permanently closed its copper smelter and zinc metallurgical plant in Timmins, Ontario, effective May 31, 2010. This removed 150 000 tonnes (t) of slab zinc capacity from Canada.
    • Apparent zinc usage (domestic metal shipments plus imports) in Canada was 153 985 t in 2010, up from 142 586 t in 2009.
    • Zinc prices varied within the range of US$0.72-$1.19 per pound (lb) during the year, increasing from US$1.14/lb in January to end the year at US$1.10/lb.
    • Inventories of refined zinc on the London Metal Exchange (LME) increased from 490 000 t to 699 000 t, a 42% increase. Total global inventories, including producer stocks and metal in Shanghai Exchange warehouses, reached 1.25 million tonnes (Mt). Prices should be in the US$0.90‑$1.10/lb range in 2011, with industrial demand in Asia expected to continue to grow and some recovery in demand in Europe and North America.
  • Canadian Production
  • Canadian Developments
  • World Production
  • World Developments
  • Markets and Prices
  • Trade
  • Outlook

Zinc - Other Information

  • Introduction to Zinc
  • History of Zinc Mining in Canada
  • Uses
  • Health and the Environment
  • International Lead and Zinc Study Group
  • Other Sources of Information on Zinc

Maps/Graphs

  • Figure 1. Zinc Producers in Canada, 2010
  • Figure 2. Canadian Mine Production of Zinc, 2000-2010
  • Figure 3. Canadian Refined Zinc Metal Production, 2000-2010
  • Figure 4. World Zinc Mine Production, 2008-10
  • Figure 5. World Zinc Metal Production, 2008-10
  • Figure 6. World Refined Zinc Use, 2008-10
  • Figure 7. Zinc Prices and Stocks, 2006-10
  • Figure 8. LME Daily Official Cash Settlement Prices, 2010

Statistical Tables

  • Tariffs
  • Table 1. Canada, Total Zinc Production by Province, 2008-10
  • Table 2. Canada, Zinc Trade, 2008-10
  • Table 3. Canada, Zinc Production and Exports, 1988-2010
  • Table 4. World Mine Production of Zinc, 2005-10
  • Table 5. World Zinc Metal Production, 2005-10
  • Table 6. Zinc Use, By Country and By Region, 2005-10
  • Table 7. Canada, Zinc Metal Capacity, 2010
  • Table 8. Monthly Average Zinc Prices, 2009 and 2010

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