All fact sheets · The Strata Memo
Zinc
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Chemical details
- State at room conditions
- Solid
- Melting point
- 693 K (420 °C)
- Boiling point
- 1,180 K (907 °C)
- Density
- 7.134 g/cm³
- Common oxidation states
- +2
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.65
- Atomic radius
- 139 pm
- First ionization energy
- 9.394 eV
- Discovered
- 1746
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine, PubChem, Periodic Table of Elements (element Zinc) (current at retrieval)
On the USGS 2025 List of Critical Minerals. Figures: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (data release, public domain). Estimates are USGS's; check the USGS chapter for notes. Each panel names its source; full citations are in the methodology source register.
Overview
The headline numbers: how much the U.S. depends on imports and how concentrated supply is.
How much does the U.S. import?
The U.S. exported more zinc than it imported in 2025 (USGS: net exporter).
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)
Did you know?
Zinc's name may come from the German "zinke", meaning jagged or tooth-like, perhaps for the pointy look of its crystals.
Checked against two independent sources. Verified 2026-10-26.
Sources: Wikipedia · Los Alamos National Laboratory periodic table (Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA)
How concentrated is supply?
52% of world production comes from three countries (China, Peru, Australia). Concentrated.
Thirds of the bar: under 33%, 33 to 65%, 66% and over. Our own rule of thumb, not a USGS rating.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)
Supply
Who produces it, where the reserves are, where U.S. imports come from, and how U.S. supply has moved.
Who has it, and who digs it?
Where it is produced, 2025
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| China | 32% |
| Peru | 12% |
| Australia | 8% |
| India | 7% |
| Mexico | 6% |
| United States | 5% |
Where the reserves are
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Australia | 27% |
| China | 25% |
| Russia | 12% |
| Peru | 8% |
| Mexico | 6% |
| India | 4% |
Share of the world total as printed by USGS (rounded). Production and reserves are different things: reserves are what is economic to mine. Hover or focus a bar for its value, or switch to the table view.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)
Where U.S. imports come from
Choose a data set, then a view. A country keeps the same color in every chart on this page. Grey means other countries, or a country beyond the seven colors (always labeled). Hover or focus a mark for its value, or use the table view.
- Peru50%
- Canada19%
- Turkey18%
- Korea, Republic of7%
- Other countries6%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Peru | 50% | 50.0% |
| Canada | 19% | 19.0% |
| Turkey | 18% | 18.0% |
| Korea, Republic of | 7% | 7.0% |
| Other countries | 6% | 6.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of ores and concentrates, 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)
- Canada57%
- Mexico15%
- Peru8%
- Korea, Republic of7%
- Other countries13%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 57% | 57.0% |
| Mexico | 15% | 15.0% |
| Peru | 8% | 8.0% |
| Korea, Republic of | 7% | 7.0% |
| Other countries | 13% | 13.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of refined metal, 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)
- Canada64%
- Mexico33%
- Other countries3%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 64% | 64.0% |
| Mexico | 33% | 33.0% |
| Other countries | 3% | 3.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of waste and scrap (gross weight), 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)
- Canada56%
- Mexico15%
- Peru9%
- Korea, Republic of7%
- Other countries13%
| Country | Share of U.S. imports | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 56% | 56.0% |
| Mexico | 15% | 15.0% |
| Peru | 9% | 9.0% |
| Korea, Republic of | 7% | 7.0% |
| Other countries | 13% | 13.0% |
Average share of U.S. imports of combined total (includes gross weight of waste and scrap), 2021–24, as printed by USGS (rounded, so shares may not sum to 100). Other countries are USGS's own grouping.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)
- Peru57% · $26.1M
- Ireland21% · $9.6M
- Canada18% · $8.1M
- Finland5% · $2.3M
- China0% · $28K
| Country | U.S. imports, 2025 | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Peru | 57% · $26.1M | 56.7% |
| Ireland | 21% · $9.6M | 20.7% |
| Canada | 18% · $8.1M | 17.6% |
| Finland | 5% · $2.3M | 4.9% |
| China | 0% · $28K | 0.1% |
U.S. general imports (customs value) in calendar 2025 under HS 2608; countries beyond the top six are grouped. The code can include goods beyond this mineral. The Shift view compares each country's share of 2025 with its share of Jan to Aug 2026 (shares of each period's total).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API: U.S. imports by HS code and country (calendar 2025; Jan to Aug 2026) (data months 2025-12, 2026-08)
- Canada57% · $1.2B
- Mexico15% · $305.6M
- Peru14% · $288.1M
- Australia9% · $184.1M
- Spain3% · $53.4M
- Korea, South2% · $34.4M
- All other countries1% · $12.7M
| Country | U.S. imports, 2025 | Share of this chart |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 57% · $1.2B | 57.1% |
| Mexico | 15% · $305.6M | 14.9% |
| Peru | 14% · $288.1M | 14.1% |
| Australia | 9% · $184.1M | 9.0% |
| Spain | 3% · $53.4M | 2.6% |
| Korea, South | 2% · $34.4M | 1.7% |
| All other countries | 1% · $12.7M | 0.6% |
U.S. general imports (customs value) in calendar 2025 under HS 7901; countries beyond the top six are grouped. The code can include goods beyond this mineral. The Shift view compares each country's share of 2025 with its share of Jan to Aug 2026 (shares of each period's total).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API: U.S. imports by HS code and country (calendar 2025; Jan to Aug 2026) (data months 2025-12, 2026-08)
U.S. supply mix
thousand metric tons, 2021 to 2025
Imports are before exports, so the stack is not the same as U.S. consumption.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)
Price
Price, average, cents per pound: North American
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)
Trade and tariffs
Tariff codes and the countries behind U.S. imports and exports.
Trade codes and tariffs
| HTS code | What it covers | Normal rate | Column 2 rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2608 | Zinc ores and concentrates | Free | 8.8¢/kg on copper content + 3.3¢/kg on lead content + 3.7¢/kg on zinc content |
| 7901 | Unwrought zinc | 1.5% to 3% | 5% to 45% |
Rates from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (USITC, saved 2026-10-26). The normal rate is column 1 general; column 2 applies to countries without normal trade relations. A range means different products under the code have different rates. Section 232, Section 301, emergency tariffs and antidumping or countervailing duties are set in separate notices and are not shown. Look up any code at hts.usitc.gov. These are the main codes for this mineral, not a complete list.
Source: U.S. International Trade Commission, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, general and column 2 rates (edition current when saved)
U.S. trade by country
U.S. imports in 2025 by source country, code 7901
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Canada | 57% · $1.2B |
| Mexico | 15% · $305.6M |
| Peru | 14% · $288.1M |
| Australia | 9% · $184.1M |
| Spain | 3% · $53.4M |
| Korea, South | 2% · $34.4M |
U.S. exports in 2025 by destination, code 2608
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Canada | 36% · $535.5M |
| Korea, South | 19% · $282.8M |
| Spain | 12% · $182.2M |
| Japan | 9% · $137.8M |
| Belgium | 9% · $136.3M |
| Australia | 7% · $109.1M |
2608 Zinc ores and concentrates
Top import sources Peru 57%, Ireland 21%, Canada 18%
Top export destinations Canada 36%, Korea, South 19%, Spain 12%
7901 Zinc, unwrought
Top import sources Canada 57%, Mexico 15%, Peru 14%
Top export destinations Canada 49%, Mexico 45%, China 3%
U.S. Census Bureau International Trade API, saved 2026-10-26. Imports are general imports (customs value) and exports are total exports, in U.S. dollars. Duty collected is Census's calculated duty on imports for consumption. Figures cover every 10-digit product under the code, so they can include goods beyond this mineral, and the duty shown is not split into Section 232, Section 301 or antidumping duties. Bars show the largest code for each direction. Group rows such as the EU or OECD are left out so no country is counted twice.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade API: U.S. imports and exports by HS code and country (calendar 2025, and January to Aug 2026) (data months 2025-12, 2026-08)
Value chain and risk
Where in the chain the bottlenecks sit, and what other governments and sources say about supply risk.
Value chain: where the bottlenecks are
Mining
Zinc was mined at six U.S. operations in five States in 2025, but mine output fell about 12% mostly because of lower grades at Alaska's Red Dog Mine. (U.S. activity)
The source says
“Zinc was mined in five States at six mining operations by five companies.”
“U.S. zinc mine production was estimated to have decreased by 12% in 2025 compared with that in 2024, mostly owing to a decrease in production at the Red Dog Mine in Alaska”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zinc (PDF page 216) (2026-02)
Middle Tennessee zinc mines have been suspended since November 2023; drilling during the closure defined more zinc, germanium and gallium resources. (partly U.S.)
The source says
“Operations at the Middle Tennessee zinc mines have been suspended since November 2023.”
“During the closure, drilling work was conducted to define additional zinc, germanium, and gallium resources.”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zinc (PDF page 216) (2026-02)
Ore processing and primary recovery
The Red Dog mine in Alaska grinds and floats its ore to recover zinc and lead, and all of its concentrates are exported. (U.S. activity)
The source says
“The Red Dog Mine is an open pit, truck-and-loader operation using grinding and flotation processes to recover zinc and lead.”
“The major Red Dog Mine facilities include the Red Dog Main Pit, Aqqaluk Pit, mill, Tailings Storage Facility, main waste stockpile,”
“All concentrates are exported to world markets via the DeLong Mountain Transportation System that connects the mine to port facilities on the Chukchi Sea.”
Source: Alaska Division of Mining, Land and Water, Red Dog Mine (2026)
Refining and separation
Two smelters, one primary and one secondary, made most U.S. commercial-grade zinc metal. (U.S. activity)
The source says
“Two smelter facilities, one primary and one secondary, operated by two companies, accounted for most of the commercial-grade zinc metal produced in the United States.”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zinc (PDF page 216) (2026-02)
Metal, alloy and chemical
Refined zinc imports came from Canada (57%), Mexico (15%) and Peru (8%) in 2021-24. (partly U.S.)
The source says
“Refined metal: Canada, 57%; Mexico, 15%; Peru, 8%; Republic of Korea, 7%; and other, 13%.”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zinc (PDF page 216) (2026-02)
Components and end use
Galvanized steel was the leading use of refined zinc in the United States. (U.S. role not stated)
The source says
“Galvanized steel was the leading use of refined zinc in the United States”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zinc (PDF page 216) (2026-02)
Recycling
U.S. smelters recover zinc from galvanizing residues and from electric arc furnace dust. (U.S. activity)
The source says
“These secondary materials included galvanizing residues and crude zinc oxide recovered from electric arc furnace dust.”
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Zinc (PDF page 216) (2026-02)
Pilot. Summaries are ours, from official pages; each quoted passage is checked against the saved page. “Bottleneck” (orange dot) is shown only where the quote shows one country dominating the stage or the United States relying on imports for it. “No sourced data yet” means we have not found a source, not that the stage is unproblematic.
Mines, plants and partners
Named facilities with their operators and locations, as each source describes them on the date shown. 7 sourced entries for Zinc.
Mining
Teck Alaska Incorporated (partnership with NANA Regional Corporation)
De Long Mountains, about 82 miles north of Kotzebue, Alaska, United States · Operating
The source says
“The Red Dog Mine is an open pit, truck-and-loader operation using grinding and flotation processes to recover zinc and lead.”
“The mine is located in northwestern Alaska, in the De Long Mountains of the Western Brooks Range, approximately 82 miles north of Kotzebue”
“The project is a partnership between NANA and Teck Alaska Incorporated (Teck) (the operator).”
Source: Alaska Division of Mining, Land and Water, Red Dog Mine (2026)
Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company (HGCMC)
Admiralty Island near Hawk Inlet, about 18 miles southwest of Juneau, Alaska, United States · Operating
The source says
“The Greens Creek Mine is an underground cut-and-fill and long-hole stoping operation using flotation and gravity processes to recover silver, gold, lead, and zinc.”
“The mine is located in southeast Alaska, in the Tongass National Forest near Hawk Inlet on Admiralty Island National Monument, approximately 18 miles southwest of Juneau”
“The project is operated by Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company (HGCMC).”
Source: Alaska Division of Mining, Land and Water, Greens Creek Mine (2026)
Nyrstar
Gordonsville, Tennessee, United States · Status not stated
The source says
“Nyrstar's Middle Tennessee Mines in Gordonsville, TN, announced today that it will temporarily pause production operations on 30 November 2023.”
“Production at Middle Tennessee Mines will resume as soon as it is economically viable or once the proposed gallium and germanium production capacity at Nyrstar Clarksville comes on line in the next few years.”
Source: Nyrstar, Middle Tennessee Mines operations to temporarily pause production (press release) (2023-10-31)
Ore processing and primary recovery
Teck Alaska Incorporated (partnership with NANA Regional Corporation)
De Long Mountains, about 82 miles north of Kotzebue, Alaska, United States · Operating
The source says
“The major Red Dog Mine facilities include the Red Dog Main Pit, Aqqaluk Pit, mill, Tailings Storage Facility, main waste stockpile,”
“All concentrates are exported to world markets via the DeLong Mountain Transportation System that connects the mine to port facilities on the Chukchi Sea.”
“The project is a partnership between NANA and Teck Alaska Incorporated (Teck) (the operator).”
Source: Alaska Division of Mining, Land and Water, Red Dog Mine (2026)
Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company (HGCMC)
Admiralty Island near Hawk Inlet, about 18 miles southwest of Juneau, Alaska, United States · Operating
The source says
“The major mine facilities include the underground mine, surface mill, dry stack tailings storage facility, wastewater treatment plant, administrative and camp facilities, ferry dock, and ship-loading facility.”
“The mine is located in southeast Alaska, in the Tongass National Forest near Hawk Inlet on Admiralty Island National Monument, approximately 18 miles southwest of Juneau”
“The project is operated by Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company (HGCMC).”
Source: Alaska Division of Mining, Land and Water, Greens Creek Mine (2026)
Refining and separation
Teck Resources
Trail, British Columbia, Canada · Operating
The source says
“Teck’s Trail Operations, located in the community of Trail in British Columbia, is one of the world’s largest fully integrated zinc and lead smelting and refining complexes.”
“The metallurgical operations produce refined zinc and lead, a variety of precious and specialty metals, chemicals and fertilizer products.”
Source: Teck Resources, Trail Operations (2026)
Nyrstar
Clarksville, Tennessee, United States · Status not stated
The source says
“to supply its customer, the Nyrstar Clarksville, TN smelter, with concentrates from its East Tennessee Mines’ operations”
“Nyrstar Clarksville is not expected to be affected by the temporary pause in production at the Middle Tennessee Mines’ operations.”
Source: Nyrstar, Middle Tennessee Mines operations to temporarily pause production (press release) (2023-10-31)
A curated list, not a complete register: it shows facilities we could confirm in a source page, and a missing name means we have not sourced it, not that it does not exist. Each quoted passage is checked against the saved page. Partnerships are listed only where the source states them.
Policy and funding
Federal items we track for this mineral, each linked to its original.
Federal awards already made
University of Illinois · Department of Energy · $4M obligated · started 2024-08-01
Source: usaspending.gov, retrieved 2026-10-29
Towson University · National Science Foundation · $311.3K obligated · started 2026-08-01
Source: usaspending.gov, retrieved 2026-10-29
University of Kentucky Research Foundation, The · Department of the Interior · $50.4K obligated · started 2023-08-01
Source: usaspending.gov, retrieved 2026-10-29
The 3 largest of 3 AI-tagged awards from USAspending (last 12 months, found by keyword; some are only loosely about this mineral). See all awards for Zinc.
Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, USAspending.gov: spending by award (contracts and grants, last 12 months) (award start dates per item)
Data tables
The USGS figures behind the charts. Click a column heading to sort.
Zinc: USGS tables
United States
| Measure | Unit | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption: Ores and concentrates | percent | E | E |
| Net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption: Refined zinc | percent | 73 | 73 |
| Production: Mine, zinc in concentrates | thousand metric tons | 759 | 670 |
| Production: Refined zinc, | thousand metric tons | 220 | 220 |
| Imports for consumption: Ores and concentrates | thousand metric tons | 18 | 20 |
| Imports for consumption: Refined zinc | thousand metric tons | 590 | 600 |
| Exports: Ores and concentrates | thousand metric tons | 660 | 630 |
| Exports: Refined zinc | thousand metric tons | 2 | 2 |
| Shipments from Government stockpile | thousand metric tons | NA | NA |
| Consumption, apparent, refined zinc | thousand metric tons | 808 | 820 |
| Price, average, cents per pound: North American | cents per pound | 144.2 | 149 |
| Price, average, cents per pound: London Metal Exchange (LME), cash | cents per pound | 126 | 130 |
| Stocks, reported producer and consumer, refined zinc, yearend | thousand metric tons | 110 | 110 |
| Employment, number: Mine and mill | number | 2,510 | 2,600 |
| Employment, number: Smelter, primary | number | 340 | 340 |
World production (thousand metric tons; top 6 of 10, plus other countries)
| Country | 2024 | 2025 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 4,000 | 4,100 | 32% |
| Peru | 1,270 | 1,500 | 12% |
| Australia | 1,100 | 1,100 | 8% |
| India | 866 | 870 | 7% |
| Mexico | 773 | 780 | 6% |
| United States | 759 | 670 | 5% |
| Other countries | 1,730 | 2,000 | 15% |
World total 2025: 13,000 thousand metric tons (as printed by USGS, rounded).
World reserves (thousand metric tons; top 6 of 10, plus other countries)
| Country | 2025 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 64,000 | 27% |
| China | 60,000 | 25% |
| Russia | 29,000 | 12% |
| Peru | 18,000 | 8% |
| Mexico | 14,000 | 6% |
| India | 10,000 | 4% |
| Other countries | 25,000 | 10% |
World total 2025: 240,000 thousand metric tons (as printed by USGS, rounded).
U.S. import sources: Ores and concentrates (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Peru | 50 |
| Canada | 19 |
| Turkey | 18 |
| Korea, Republic of | 7 |
| Other countries | 6 |
U.S. import sources: Refined metal (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Canada | 57 |
| Mexico | 15 |
| Peru | 8 |
| Korea, Republic of | 7 |
| Other countries | 13 |
U.S. import sources: Waste and scrap (gross weight) (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Canada | 64 |
| Mexico | 33 |
| Other countries | 3 |
U.S. import sources: Combined total (includes gross weight of waste and scrap) (percent of imports, 2021–24)
| Country | Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Canada | 56 |
| Mexico | 15 |
| Peru | 9 |
| Korea, Republic of | 7 |
| Other countries | 13 |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Zinc (February 2026)