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Top Zinc Exporters by Country

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Zinc exports from all countries totaled US$14.6 billion in 2025.

That dollar amount results from an average 19% upturn for all shippers of zinc over the 5-year period starting in 2021. Back then, exported zinc ores and concentrates were worth a total $12.3 billion.

Year over year, the value of globally exported zinc accelerated by an average 19% compared to $11.8 billion for 2024.

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, United States of America, Bolivia and Mexico. Collectively, those 5 major suppliers generated well over half (52.5%) of the overall dollar spend on exported zinc ores or concentrates during 2025.

Among continents, zinc suppliers located in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean exported the highest dollar worth of shiny-greyish metal during 2025 with shipments valued at $4.3 billion or 29.2% of the worldwide total. In second place were zinc exporters based in Europe at 20.1%, trailed by suppliers in North America at 15.8% then providers in Oceania’s Australia at 12.4%.

Smaller percentages came from sellers located in Africa (12.3%) and Asia (10.3%).

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 260800 for zinc ores and concentrates.

Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of zinc during 2025.

Peru: US$2.2 billion (15.1% of total zinc exports)
Australia: $1.8 billion (12.4%)
United States: $1.47 billion (10.1%)
Bolivia: $1.42 billion (9.7%)
Mexico: $770 million (5.3%)
Russia: $615.6 million (4.2%)
Belgium: $595.3 million (4.1%)
Sweden: $507.5 million (3.5%)
Türkiye: $479.3 million (3.3%)
Democratic Republic Congo: $440.7 million (3%)
Chile: $413.4 million (2.8%)
South Africa: $411.4 million (2.8%)
Zambia: $382.2 million (2.6%)
Kazakhstan: $321.8 million (2.2%)
Portugal: $280.7 million (1.9%)
Mongolia: $234.4 million (1.6%)
Eritrea: $225.1 million (1.5%)
Namibia: $199.4 million (1.4%)
Italy: $190.2 million (1.3%)
Spain: $167 million (1.1%)
Ireland: $144.6 million (1%)
Saudi Arabia: $138.1 million (0.9%)
Finland: $135.4 million (0.9%)
Cuba: $92.4 million (0.6%)
Nigeria: $83.4 million (0.6%)

By value, the listed 25 countries shipped 94% of globally exported zinc in 2025.

Among the listed exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of zinc since 2024 were: Ireland (up 1,253%), Nigeria (up 463%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (up 346.4%) and Zambia (up 228.2%).

Major suppliers that posted year-over-year declines in their international sales of zinc were: Eritrea (down -18.8% from 2024), Cuba (down -13.5%) and Kazakhstan (down -4.3%).

Countries Generating Greatest Surpluses from Global Zinc Trade

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for zinc during 2025. 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$2.1 billion (net export surplus up 22.8% since 2024)
United States: $1.42 billion (up 5.8%)
Australia: $1.42 billion (up 11%)
Bolivia: $1.42 billion (up 0.3%)
Mexico: $770 million (up 33.4%)
Russia: $550.2 million (up 52%)
Sweden: $507.5 million (up 302.5%)
Türkiye: $468.7 million (up 16.5%)
Democratic Republic Congo: $440.7 million (up 346.4%)
Chile: $413.4 million (up 4.3%)
South Africa: $411.3 million (up 39.6%)
Portugal: $280.7 million (up 46.5%)
Mongolia: $234.4 million (up 27.9%)
Eritrea: $225.1 million (down -18.8%)
Kazakhstan: $168.6 million (up 52.8%)

World-leading zinc exporter 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 2025. 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$5.9 billion (net export deficit up 36% since 2024)
Poland: -$1.9 billion (up 1282.9%)
South Korea: -$1.7 billion (up 3.8%)
Canada: -$950 million (up 22.1%)
Spain: -$917.5 million (up 2.2%)
Belgium: -$822 million (up 118.5%)
Japan: -$720.3 million (up 0.4%)
Finland: -$564.2 million (up 17.9%)
Netherlands: -$415.7 million (up 25.3%)
Norway: -$368.9 million (up 22%)
Germany: -$312.5 million (up 34.9%)
France: -$201.1 million (down -8.3%)
Brazil: -$132.8 million (up 1%)
Bulgaria: -$85.3 million (up 7.4%)
Namibia: -$16.5 million (reversing a $32.5 million surplus)

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 2025 in terms of shipment tonnage.

By weight, the 15 major suppliers below generated 81.1% of the total 12.4 billion tons of globally exported zinc in 2025.

Peru: 2,070,670 tons (16.7% of the world total)
Australia: 1,928,736 tons (15.5%)
Türkiye: 700,494 tons (5.6%)
Belgium: 656,883 tons (5.3%)
United States: 640,039 tons (5.2%)
Russia: 591,940 tons (4.8%)
Mexico: 565,692 tons (4.6%)
Bolivia: 515,685 tons (4.2%)
South Africa: 437,523 tons (3.5%)
Democratic Republic Congo: 415,844 tons (3.4%)
Kazakhstan: 406,635 tons (3.3%)
Sweden: 405,261 tons (3.3%)
Chile: 383,016 tons (3.1%)
Zambia: 340,384 tons (2.7%)
Portugal: 317,168 tons (2.6%)

Recording increases among the top zinc shippers as measured by weight were the Democratic Republic of the Congo (up 366.1% from 2024), Zambia (up 203.9%), Russia (up 53%), South Africa (up 35.9%) and Belgium (up 22.8%).

The percentage decliners year over year were: Türkiye (down -6.4% from 2024), Kazkhstan (down -5.7%), Chile (down -4.1%), Bolivia (down -3.9%) and the United States of America (down -3.7%).

Average Unit Prices for Zinc Exports

The world average unit price in 2025 was $1,176 per ton, inflating by 8.8% from $1,081 per ton for 2024.

The leading zinc exporter by dollar value, Peru, charged an average $1,063 per ton for 2025, below the world average specified above.

The 15 zinc sellers below averaged the lowest average unit prices per ton.

Georgia: $52 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
Philippines: $59 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
Taiwan: $68 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
Kenya: $74 per ton (down -15.9% from 2024)
Mozambique: $75 per ton (down -3.8%)
Senegal: $88 per ton (down -56.4%)
Ivory Coast: $95 per ton (down -93.8%)
Rwanda: $115 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
Romania: $149 per ton (up 38%)
Libya: $208 per ton (up 13%)
Afghanistan: $290 per ton (down -27%)
Guinea: $312 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
Ghana: $313 per ton (up 1,856%)
Jordan: $315 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
Indonesia: $320 per ton (down -51%)

From 2024 to 2025, there were 5 double-digit percentage declines in terms of average prices for the listed low-cost zinc exporters. These belong to: Ivory Coast (down -93.8% from 2024), Senegal (down -56.4%), Indonesia (down -51%), Afghanistan (down -27%) and Kenya (down -15.9%).

The following 15 zinc exporters demanded the highest average unit prices per ton in 2025.

Bulgaria: $2,830 per ton (up 3.2% from 2024)
Bolivia: $2,753 per ton (up 4.4%)
United States: $2,302 per ton (up 10.7%)
Czech Republic: $2,000 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
Colombia: $1,859 per ton (up 33%)
Armenia: $1,858 per ton (up 22.1%)
Ireland: $1,674 per ton (up 1%)
Mongolia: $1,571 per ton (up 8.2%)
Hong Kong: $1,523 per ton (up 100.9%)
France: $1,454 per ton (up 12%)
Finland: $1,447 per ton (up 13.9%)
Italy: $1,430 per ton (up 5.5%)
Canada: $1,415 per ton (up 30.1%)
South Korea: $1,389 per ton (up 5.5%)
Mexico: $1,361 per ton (up 14.7%)

The greatest increases in unit prices for exported zinc ores and concentrates were charged by suppliers in Hong Kong (up 100.9% from 2024), Colombia (up 33%), Canada (up 30.1%), Armenia (up 22.1%) and Mexico (up 14.7%).

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.