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Zinc facts

Zinc is mined, refined and recycled for commercial use in Canada. Beyond its many applications, zinc is also an essential nutrient in the human body.

Key facts

  • The primary use of zinc is in the galvanizing process, which protects iron and steel from rusting.
  • In 2022, Canada produced 208,147 tonnes of zinc from mines located in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and New Brunswick.
  • World mine production of zinc was approximately 13.0 million tonnes in 2022.

Learn more about zinc

Uses

The primary use of zinc is in the galvanizing process, which protects iron and steel from rusting. Zinc can also be alloyed with other metals and used for die-casting into shapes such as door handles, alloyed with copper to make brass, and alloyed with copper and tin to make bronze.

Brass fittings made with zinc are used across Canada in plumbing and heat exchange equipment.

Zinc can also be added to fertilizers to increase crop yields, made into zinc oxide (an ingredient in skin cream), and used in tire manufacturing.

Zinc, global uses, 2022

circular chart: Zinc, global uses, 2022
Text version

This pie chart shows the major global uses of zinc in 2022. The largest use is for galvanizing (60%), followed by die-cast alloy production (13%), brass and castings (11%), oxides and chemicals (9%), semi-manufactured products (5%), and other miscellaneous products (2%).

Production

In 2022, mined zinc production in Canada decreased 10% to 208,147 tonnes from 230,187 tonnes in 2021. Canadian mined zinc production has been generally decreasing since 2013.

Estimated refined zinc metal production decreased by 6% to 599,899 tonnes in 2022 compared to 640,718 tonnes in 2021. Zinc metal is produced at refineries in British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec. Recycled zinc is produced in Ontario.

Consult a map of producing Canadian mines

Canadian mine production of zinc, 2013–2022 (p)

bar graph: Canadian mine production of zinc, 2013–2022 (p)
Text version

This bar graph shows Canada’s annual mine production of zinc from 2013 to 2022. Production was at a decade high of 412,277 tonnes in 2013 and decreased to 275,410 tonnes by 2015. Production increased slightly to 301,210 tonnes in 2016 and to 305,314 tonnes in 2017 before decreasing to a decade low of 208,147 tonnes by 2022.

Canadian production of refined zinc, 2013–2022 (p)

bar graph: Canadian production of refined zinc, 2013–2022 (p)
Text version

This bar graph shows Canada’s refined production of zinc from 2013 to 2022. Production was 651,638 tonnes in 2013 and remained relatively stable through 2014 before annual production increased, reaching 691,389 tonnes by 2016. In 2017, production sharply decreased to a decade low of 598,438 tonnes before rebounding to a decade high of 696,591 tonnes in 2018. Production was 640,718 tonnes in 2021 and 599,899 tonnes in 2022.

International context

World mine production of zinc was 13.0 million tonnes in 2022, which is a 3% increase from the previous year. China was the largest producer of zinc with 4.2 million tonnes or 32% of the global total. Canada ranked ninth, accounting for almost 2% of the total.

World mine production of zinc, by country, 2022 (p)
Ranking Country Thousand tonnes Percentage of total
1 China 4,200 32.3%
2 Peru 1,400 10.8%
3 Australia 1,300 10.0%
4 India 830 6.4%
5 United States 770 5.9%
6 Mexico 740 5.7%
7 Bolivia 520 4.0%
8 Russia 280 2.2%
9 Canada 250 1.9%
10 Sweden 240 1.8%
11 Kazakhstan 200 1.5%
Other countries 2,000 15.4%
World total (rounded) 13,000 100.0%

World mine production of zinc, 2013–2022 (p)

bar graph: World mine production of zinc, 2013–2022 (p)
Text version

This bar graph shows the world’s annual mine production of zinc from 2013 to 2022. Production was 13.4 million tonnes in 2013 and decreased annually until reaching 12.5 million tonnes in 2017 and 2018. Production increased slightly to 12.6 million tonnes in 2019, before decreasing to a decade low of 12.1 million tonnes in 2020. Production then increased, rebounding to 13.0 million tonnes by 2022.

Global production of refined zinc was estimated at 13.5 million tonnes in 2022, a 5% decrease from 14.1 million tonnes in 2021. Canada accounted for 4% of global production in 2022.

World production of refined zinc, 2013–2022 (p)

bar graph
Text version

This bar graph shows the world’s annual production of refined zinc from 2013 to 2022. Production was 13.0 million tonnes in 2013 and increased to 13.8 million tonnes by 2015. Between 2016 and 2018, production decreased annually to 13.1 million tonnes before increasing to a decade high of 14.1 million tonnes in 2021. Production decreased in 2022 to 13.5 million tonnes.

World zinc reserves

The world’s zinc reserves were estimated at approximately 210 million tonnes in 2022, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Australia, China, Russia, Mexico and Peru were among the nations with the largest zinc reserves. Canada was 10th, with 1.8 million tonnes.

World zinc reserves, by country, 2022 (p)

circular chart: World zinc reserves, by country, 2022 (p)
Text version

This pie chart shows the estimated world reserves of zinc in 2022, by country and percentages. Australia had the largest share with 37%, followed by China (17%), Russia (12%), Peru (10%), Mexico (7%), India (5%), Kazakhstan (4%), the United States (4%), Sweden (2%), Canada (1%), and other countries (17%).

Trade

Exports

  • Canadian exports of zinc and zinc products in 2022 were valued at $2.4 billion.
  • In 2022, Canada exported 540,609 tonnes of zinc products, including ore concentrate, zinc oxide, unwrought zinc and zinc metal products. This is a 14% decrease from 627,967 tonnes in 2021.
  • Zinc products were exported primarily to the United States (89%), while combined exports to South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Malaysia made up 8%.

Imports

  • In 2022, zinc products imported to Canada were valued at $1.8 billion.
  • Canadian smelters imported 604,026 tonnes of zinc in concentrates in 2022, a 25% increase compared to 484,058 tonnes in 2021.
  • Zinc concentrates accounted for 67% of the value of Canada’s zinc imports.
  • Concentrates were imported mainly from the United States (55%), followed by Peru (12%), Australia (9%), Mexico (7%) and Bolivia (5%).

Prices

Average monthly zinc prices generally increased in the early months of 2022 before decreasing toward the end of the year. The average monthly price was US$3,599 per tonne in January and increased to US$4,360 by April before decreasing to US$3,129 in December, representing a 13% decrease in price during the year.

Zinc, average monthly prices, 2013–2022

line graph: Zinc, average monthly prices, 2013–2022
Text version

This line graph shows the monthly average price in US dollars per tonne of zinc from 2013 to 2022. The average annual price of zinc in 2013 was $1,910 per tonne. In January 2016, the average monthly price of zinc reached a decade low of $1,520 per tonne before increasing to $3,533 per tonne in February 2018.

A decreasing trend to $1,903 in April 2020 was followed by a steady increase to a decade high of $4,360 in April 2022 and a subsequent decrease to $3,129 by December 2022.

Despite the fluctuations, average monthly zinc prices show an overall increasing trend from US$2,032 in January 2013 to US$3,129 in December 2022 (54% increase). The average monthly zinc prices for 2022 were $3,599 (January), $3,620 (February), $3,962 (March), $4,360 (April), $3,751 (May), $3,630 (June), $3,105 (July), $3,588 (August), $3,125 (September), $2,967 (October), $2,939 (November), and $3,129 (December).

Recycling

Approximately 34% of worldwide zinc production originates from recycled or secondary zinc. Sources of recycled zinc include scrap galvanized steel and the zinc contained in batteries. Products such as galvanized steel have a long service life, which affects the amount of recyclable material available to the marketplace in any given year.

Notes and sources

(p) preliminary

Totals may be different because of rounding.

All dollars are Canadian unless otherwise indicated.

Uses

  • Zinc, global uses, 2022
    • Wood Mackenzie

Production

  • Canadian mine production of zinc, 2013–2022 (p)
    • Natural Resources Canada
  • Canadian production of refined zinc, 2013–2022 (p)
    • Statistics Canada
      • Data for January 2020 and July to December 2022 were suppressed by Statistics Canada to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act.
      • Refined zinc production in January 2020 is estimated based on the average of reported monthly production from February 2020 to January 2021. Similarly, production for July to December 2020 is estimated based on the average of reported monthly production from July 2021 to June 2022.
    • Natural Resources Canada, Map 900A

International context

  • World mine production of zinc, by country, 2022 (p)
    • U.S. Geological Survey
    • Natural Resources Canada; Statistics Canada (Canadian Statistics)
  • World mine production of zinc, 2013–2022 (p)
    • U.S. Geological Survey
    • Natural Resources Canada; Statistics Canada (Canadian Statistics)
  • World production of refined zinc, 2013–2022 (p)
    • U.S. Geological Survey
    • Natural Resources Canada; Statistics Canada
  • World zinc reserves, by country, 2022 (p)
    • U.S. Geological Survey

Trade

  • Imports and exports of Canadian zinc, 2022 (p)
    • Natural Resources Canada; Statistics Canada
    • Mineral trade includes ores, concentrates, and semi- and final-fabricated mineral products.

Prices

  • Zinc, average monthly prices, 2013–2022
    • World Bank Commodities

Recycling

  • International Zinc Association

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