That dollar amount results from an average 37.6% upturn for all shippers of zinc over the 5-year period starting in 2020. Back then, exported zinc ores and concentrates were worth a total $8.62 billion.
Year over year, the value of globally exported zinc grew by an average 7.1% compared to $11.1 billion for 2023.
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 Peru, Australia, Bolivia, United States of America and Mexico. Collectively, those 5 major suppliers generated well over half (56.5%) of the overall dollar spend on exported zinc ores or concentrates during 2024.
Among continents, zinc suppliers located in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean exported the highest dollar worth of shiny-greyish metal during 2024 with shipments valued at $3.8 billion or 31.9% of the worldwide total. In second place were zinc exporters based in Europe at 19.3%, trailed by suppliers in North America at 17.2% then providers in Oceania’s Australia at 13%.
Smaller percentages came from sellers located in Asia (10.7%) 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 2024.
- Peru: US$1.8 billion (15.1% of total zinc exports)
- Australia: $1.54 billion (13%)
- Bolivia: $1.42 billion (11.9%)
- United States: $1.38 billion (11.7%)
- Mexico: $577.1 million (4.9%)
- Belgium: $563.7 million (4.8%)
- Sweden: $450.4 million (3.8%)
- Russia: $442 million (3.7%)
- Türkiye: $406.1 million (3.4%)
- Chile: $396.7 million (3.3%)
- Kazakhstan: $336.1 million (2.8%)
- South Africa: $294.8 million (2.5%)
- Eritrea: $277.2 million (2.3%)
- Portugal: $192.5 million (1.6%)
- Mongolia: $183.3 million (1.5%)
- Democratic Republic Congo: $128.3 million (1.1%)
- Italy: $128.3 million (1.1%)
- Spain: $120.9 million (1%)
- Finland: $118.1 million (1%)
- Zambia: $116.4 million (1%)
- Saudi Arabia: $108.9 million (0.9%)
- Cuba: $106.7 million (0.9%)
- Tajikistan: $86.1 million (0.7%)
- France: $80.8 million (0.7%)
- Canada: $75.7 million (0.6%)
By value, the listed 25 countries shipped 95.4% of globally exported zinc in 2024.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of zinc since 2023 were: Saudi Arabia (up 115.2%), Zambia (up 57.7%), Russia (up 34.3%) and the United States of America (up 33.6%).
Major suppliers that posted declines in their international sales of zinc were led by: Canada (down -39.9% from 2023), Portugal (down -34.1%), Belgium (down -26.4%), Mongolia (down -16.7%) and France (down -15%).
Countries Generating Greatest Surpluses from Global Zinc Trade
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for zinc during 2024. 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.
- Peru: US$1.8 billion (net export surplus up 3.9% since 2023)
- Bolivia: $1.4 billion (up 6.7%)
- United States: $1.3 billion (up 33.4%)
- Australia: $1.3 billion (up 2.6%)
- Mexico: $577.1 million (up 25.6%)
- Türkiye: $402.2 million (up 16.2%)
- Chile: $396.3 million (up 18.9%)
- Russia: $361.9 million (up 67.5%)
- South Africa: $294.7 million (down -6.3%)
- Eritrea: $277.2 million (up 20.3%)
- Portugal: $192.5 million (down -34.1%)
- Mongolia: $183.3 million (down -16.7%)
- Democratic Republic Congo: $128.3 million (2023 data unavailable)
- Italy: $127 million (up 47.9%)
- Sweden: $126.1 million (down -62.1%)
World-leading Peru generated the highest surplus in the international trade of zinc. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms the strong Peruvian 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 2024. 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.
- mainland China: -US$4.3 billion (net export deficit up 8.1% since 2023)
- South Korea: -$1.6 billion (down -6.8%)
- Spain: -$897.5 million (up 25.2%)
- Canada: -$778.3 million (up 24.7%)
- Japan: -$717.4 million (up 17.6%)
- Finland: -$484.8 million (up 12.5%)
- Belgium: -$376.1 million (up 21.4%)
- Netherlands: -$327.3 million (down -34.7%)
- Norway: -$302.4 million (up 20.2%)
- Germany: -$231.6 million (up 722.1%)
- France: -$219.3 million (up 4.4%)
- Poland: -$140.2 million (up 0.3%)
- Brazil: -$131.4 million (down -19.8%)
- Bulgaria: -$79.5 million (up 19.5%)
- Uzbekistan: -$73.6 million (down -29.1%)
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 2024 in terms of shipment tonnage.
By weight, the 15 major suppliers below generated 83.7% of the total 11 billion tons of globally exported zinc in 2024.
- Peru: 1,873,362 tons (17.1% of the world total)
- Australia: 1,867,438 tons (17.05%)
- Türkiye: 748,334 tons (6.8%)
- United States: 664,604 tons (6.1%)
- Bolivia: 536,839 tons (4.9%)
- Belgium: 534,983 tons (4.88%)
- Mexico: 486,205 tons (4.4%)
- Kazakhstan: 431,051 tons (3.9%)
- Sweden: 399,446 tons (3.65%)
- Chile: 399,352 tons (3.65%)
- Russia: 386,874 tons (3.53%)
- South Africa: 322,020 tons (2.9%)
- Portugal: 261,989 tons (2.4%)
- Eritrea: 253,709 tons (2.3%)
- Mongolia: 126,186 tons (1.2%)
Recording increases among the top zinc shippers as measured by weight were Sweden (up 16.8% from 2023), Chile (up 12.1%), Mexico (up 7.5%), Eritrea (up 4.2%) and the United States of America (up 2.9%).
The severest percentage decliners year over year were: Portugal (down -37.7% from 2023), South Africa (down -26.1%), Kazakhstan (down -18.5%) and Mongolia (down -16.1%).
Average Unit Prices for Zinc Exports
The world average unit price in 2024 was $1,083 per ton, inflating by 16.5% from $930 per ton for 2023.
The leading zinc exporter by dollar value, Peru, charged an average $955 per ton for 2024, below the world average specified above.
The 15 zinc sellers below averaged the lowest average unit prices per ton.
- Oman: $77 per ton (down -93.2% from 2023)
- Mozambique: $78 per ton (down -33.9%)
- Kenya: $88 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Romania: $108 per ton (up 92.9%)
- India: $115 per ton (up 202.6%)
- Myanmar: $150 per ton (up 200%)
- Singapore: $158 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Iraq: $160 per ton (down -18.4%)
- Tanzania: $160 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Libya: $184 per ton (up 2.2%)
- Poland: $201 per ton (down -65.8%)
- Senegal: $202 per ton (down -3.3%)
- Ghana: $275 per ton (up 1095.7%)
- Jordan: $278 per ton (down -72.2%)
- Liberia: $283 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
From 2023 to 2024, there were 5 double-digit percentage declines in terms of average prices for the listed low-cost zinc exporters. These belong to: Oman (down -93.2% from 2023), Jordan (down -72.2%), Poland (down -65.8%), Mozambique (down -33.9%) and Iraq (down -18.4%).
The following 15 zinc exporters demanded the highest average unit prices per ton in 2024.
- Bangladesh: $21,500 per ton (up 12,547% from 2023)
- Guatemala: $9,000 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Denmark: $4,500 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Bulgaria: $2,741 per ton (up 20.9%)
- Bolivia: $2,637 per ton (up 13%)
- United States: $2,080 per ton (up 29.8%)
- Iceland: $1,889 per ton (up 130.9%)
- Bahrain: $1,752 per ton (down -14.6%)
- Angola: $1,667 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Ireland: $1,658 per ton (up 16.4%)
- Ivory Coast: $1,523 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Armenia: $1,522 per ton (up 9.5%)
- Netherlands: $1,519 per ton (down -4%)
- Mongolia: $1,452 per ton (down -0.7%)
- Colombia: $1,398 per ton (down -6.7%)
Increases in unit prices for exported zinc ores and concentrates were charged by suppliers in Bangladesh (up 12,547% from 2023), Iceland (up 130.9%) and the United States of America (up 29.8%).
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 31, 2025
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on October 31, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 31, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on October 31, 2025
Value.Today, World Top Zinc Companies. Accessed on October 31, 2025
Wikipedia, Zinc. Accessed on October 31, 2025