Update - Zinc Prices to Stay at High Levels This Week, SMM Foresees

Time flies as the midpoint of 2026 approaches. The zinc concentrate market has witnessed another extraordinary price cycle this year. As of June 12, domestic zinc concentrate treatment charges (TCs) plunged to -50 yuan per metric ton of zinc metal, marking the arrival of negative TCs. Meanwhile, TCs for imported zinc concentrate tumbled to -71.2 US dollars per dry metric ton, both hitting all-time record lows.

Central Asia Metals (CAML) announced that, thanks to improved operational efficiencies, its copper and zinc production for the first five months of 2026 both surpassed the same period last year. Copper output from the Kounrad operation in Kazakhstan totalled 5,141 tonnes, a near 4% increase over the last year. Meanwhile, the Sasa mine in North Macedonia produced 7,566 tonnes of zinc in concentrate, up over 2% compared to last year. In terms of pricing, the company reported significantly higher realized metal prices during the period. The average price of copper reached $13,076 per tonnes, representing a massive jump of nearly 40% over the last year, while average zinc prices rose 19% to $3,299 per tonne. In addition, historically low treatment charges for lead, which have turned negative, further boosted Sasa’s revenues. CEO Gavin Ferrar noted that the group is shaping up to deliver strong profitability and cash generation in the first half of 2026. Currently, the company is actively pushing forward with its acquisition of Australia's Cygnus Metals, announced last week, to expand its footprint into a high-grade copper-gold project in Quebec, Canada. The company remains highly confident in meeting its full-year production guidance (12,000–13,000 tonnes of copper, 18,000–20,000 tonnes of zinc concentrates, and 26,000–28,000 tonnes of lead concentrates).

[SMM Zinc Morning Meeting Summary: LME Inventory Running at Low Levels LME Zinc Fluctuates at Highs]: Overnight, LME zinc opened at $3,591/mt, fluctuated upward after opening, touched a high of $3,623/mt, then pulled back all the way, dipped to $3,568/mt during the session, and finally closed up at $3,584.5/mt, up $1.5/mt, or 0.04%. Trading volume dropped to 11,715 lots...