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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.