Zinc exports from all countries totaled US$12.6 billion in 2021. That dollar amount results from an average 11.2% increase for all shippers of zinc over the 5-year period starting in 2017. Back then, exported zinc ores and concentrates were worth a total $11.3 billion.

Year over year, the value of globally exported zinc accelerated by an average 44.6% compared to $8.7 billion for 2020.

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, Peru, United States of America, Bolivia and Belgium. Collectively, those 5 major suppliers accounted for over half (56.3%) of the overall dollar spend on exported zinc ores or concentrates during 2021.

Among continents, zinc suppliers located in Latin America (8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean exported the highest dollar worth of shiny-greyish metal during 2021 with shipments valued at $3.6 billion or 28.8% of the worldwide total. In second place were zinc exporters in Europe at 22.3%, trailed by suppliers in Oceania (mostly Australia) at 15.1% then providers in North America at 14.5%.

Smaller percentages came from Asia (10.4%) and Africa (8.8%).

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 2021.

Australia: US$1.9 billion (15.1% of total zinc exports)
Peru: $1.6 billion (13.1%)
United States: $1.5 billion (12.1%)
Bolivia: $1.4 billion (11%)
Belgium: $629.5 million (5%)
Sweden: $493.9 million (3.9%)
Turkey: $469.3 million (3.7%)
South Africa: $462.4 million (3.7%)
Chile: $427 million (3.4%)
Portugal: $345.3 million (2.7%)
Russia: $323.8 million (2.6%)
Kazakhstan: $312.9 million (2.5%)
Eritrea: $279.9 million (2.2%)
Mexico: $248.3 million (2%)
Ireland: $240.6 million (1.91%)
Spain: $238.5 million (1.9%)
Mongolia: $176.4 million (1.4%)
Burkina Faso: $158.2 million (1.3%)
Tajikistan: $140.8 million (1.12%)
Finland: $131.6 million (15%)
France: $127.3 million (1%)
Cuba: $102.2 million (0.8%)
Namibia: $92.6 million (0.7%)
Morocco: $64 million (0.5%)
Canada: $59 million (0.47%)

By value, the listed 25 countries shipped 95.6% of globally exported zinc in 2021.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing zinc exporters since 2020 were: Tajikistan (up 143.8%), South Africa (up 125.4%), Russia (up 85.9%) and the United States of America (up 74.9%).

A trio of major suppliers posted declines in their exported zinc sales. These were Mexico (down -61.6% from 2020), Canada (down -9.1%) and Belgium (down -3.1%).

Countries Generating Greatest Surpluses from Global Zinc Trade

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for zinc during 2021. 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: $1.63 billion (up 64.6% since 2020)
Australia: $1.57 billion (up 36.7%)
United States: $1.5 billion (up 74.1%)
Bolivia: $1.4 billion (up 69.0%)
Sweden: $493.9 million (up 60.3%)
Turkey: $465.8 million (up 61.3%)
South Africa: $462.3 million (up 125.5%)
Chile: $427.0 million (up 54.2%)
Portugal: $341.9 million (up 64.9%)
Eritrea: $279.9 million (up 57.5%)
Mexico: $248.3 million (down -57.7%)
Ireland: $240.5 million (up 29.9%)
Russia: $194.5 million (up 173.0%)
Mongolia: $176.4 million (up 5.2%)
Burkina Faso: $158.2 million (up 49.7%)

Located in South America, 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 2021. 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: -$4 billion (up 52.9% since 2020)
South Korea: -$2 billion (up 50.6%)
Japan: -$1 billion (up 97.5%)
Canada: -$976.8 million (up 69.8%)
Spain: -$869.2 million (up 98.6%)
Belgium: -$575.4 million (up 124.2%)
Finland: -$567 million (up 81.8%)
Netherlands: -$440.7 million (up 3.5%)
Norway: -$371.3 million (up 53.6%)
Germany: -$359.8 million (up 82.7%)
Brazil: -$218.9 million (up 117.9%)
France: -$176 million (down -18.6%)
Ivory Coast: -$148.7 million (down 0%)
Poland: -$148.1 million (up 22%)
Uzbekistan: -$146.2 million (up 31.6%)

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 2021 in terms of shipment tonnage.

By weight, the 15 major suppliers below generated 99.1% of the total 192.7 million tons of globally exported zinc in 2021.

Burkina Faso: 181,253,400 tons of zinc (94.1% of world’s total)
Australia: 2,101,557 tons (1.1%)
Peru: 1,610,550 tons (0.8%)
Turkey: 856,042 tons (0.44%)
Belgium: 706,748 tons (0.37%)
Bolivia: 699,011 tons (0.36%)
United States: 654,041 tons (0.34%)
South Africa: 510,003 tons (0.26%)
Sweden: 436,046 tons (0.23%)
Portugal: 411,657 tons (0.21%)
Chile: 410,135 tons (0.21%)
Nigeria: 382,546 tons (0.2%)
Russia: 367,344 tons (0.19%)
Kazakhstan: 319,571 tons (0.17%)
Eritrea: 246,785 tons (0.13%)

An extremely low-cost supplier in West Africa, Burkina Faso is the leading zinc exporter in terms of shipment volume.

Fastest growing among the top zinc shippers by weight were Nigeria (up 2,360% from 2020), South Africa (up 39.2%), Bolivia (up 33.5%), Turkey (up 28.7%) then the United States of America (up 17.8%).

There were a pair of decliners year over year: Australia (down -7.4%) and Eritrea (down -6%).

Average Unit Prices for Zinc Exports

Below are the zinc exporters charging the lowest average unit prices per ton in 2021. The world average unit price was $1,003 per ton, up by 28.6% from $780 per ton for 2020.
By far Burkina Faso charges the lowest unit prices for zinc sold on global markets–a tiny amount compared to the world average price.

Burkina Faso: US$0.87 per ton of zinc (up 35.9% from 2020)
Romania: $44 per ton (up 4.8%)
Congo: $59 per ton (down 0%)
Nigeria: $72 per ton (down -85.7%)
Myanmar: $75 per ton (down -3.8%)
Afghanistan: $110 per ton (down 0%)
Bangladesh: $143 per ton (down 0%)
Poland: $169 per ton (up 238%)
Singapore: $195 per ton (up 48.9%)
Pakistan: $213 per ton (down -7%)
Thailand: $245 per ton (up 17.2%)
Albania: $248 per ton (down 0%)
Iraq: $270 per ton (up 4.7%)
Iran: $370 per ton (down -8%)
China: $488 per ton (down -12.1%)
Turkey: $548 per ton (up 25.7%)

From 2020 to 2021, the highest levels of inflation per ton of exported zinc belong to suppliers in Poland (up 238%), Singapore (up 48.9%), Burkina Faso (up 35.9%), Turkey (up 25.7%) and Thailand (up 17.2%).

There were two double-digit percentage decliners in terms of average prices for zinc exports: Nigeria (down -85.7% from 2020) and mainland China (down -12.1%).

The following 15 zinc exporters demanded the highest average unit prices per ton in 2021.

Denmark: US$4,500 per ton of zinc (2020 data unavailable)
New Zealand: $4,000 per ton (up 25% from 2020)
Hungary: $3,909 per ton (up 5.6%)
Canada: $2,690 per ton (up 27.9%)
United States: $2,320 per ton (up 48.5%)
Ireland: $2,192 per ton (up 80.3%)
Bolivia: $1,976 per ton (up 26.6%)
Democratic Rep. Congo: $1,846 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
Bulgaria: $1,649 per ton (down -27.2%)
Mongolia: $1,567 per ton (up 25.3%)
Saudi Arabia: $1,532 per ton (up 113.1%)
South Korea: $1,458 per ton (up 72.7%)
Mexico: $1,429 per ton (up 103.9%)
France: $1,386 per ton (up 49.8%)
Armenia: $1,347 per ton (up 40.9%)
United Arab Emirates: $1,155 per ton (up 65%)

The strongest hikes in unit prices for exported zinc ores and concentrates were charged by: Saudi Arabia (up 113.1% from 2020), Mexico (up 103.9%), Ireland (up 80.3%), South Korea (up 72.7%), United Arab Emirates (up 65%), France (up 49.8%), then the United States of America (up 48.5%).

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 November 15, 2022

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on November 15, 2022

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on November 15, 2022

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on November 15, 2022

Value.Today, World Top Zinc Companies. Accessed on November 15, 2022

Wikipedia, Zinc. Accessed on November 15, 2022

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