The International Lead and Zinc Research Group (ILZSG) has published a detailed review of supply and demand trends for zinc metal over the previous year. Preliminary data published by the trade authority indicate that the world market for refined zinc metal in 2018 showed a deficit of 384 thousand.
According to the February issue of ILZSG Statistics Bulletin for February 2019, global production of a zinc mine slightly increased from 12.612 million tons in 2017 to 12.866 million tons in 2018. A significant jump in production at the mine during the year was reported in Australia. The European region reported a production increase of 5.9%. Reduced production in Canada, India, China and Mexico was more than offset by increased production in other countries, such as Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Turkey and the United States. World production of a zinc mine increased by 2% compared with 2017.
The global production of refined zinc in 2018 remained more or less unchanged - 13.279 million tons in India. Reduced production in China, Japan, Namibia and the United States was offset by increased production in Australia, Canada, Mexico and Peru. Production in Europe grew by 3.7% compared with the previous year.
Global consumption of refined zinc metal at the level of 13.663 million tons was slightly lower by 0.3% compared with 2017.
World production of a zinc mine totaled 1.167 million tons in December 18 alone. According to ILZSG, the production and use of zinc metal over the last month of 2018 was 1.175 million tons and 1.237 million tons, respectively.
