Global Zinc mine output likely to down 9.4% excluding China in 2016

UNITED KINGDOM May 09 2016 5:14 PM     

LONDON (Scrap Register): A sharp  forecast fall in ex-China zinc mine production of 9.4% is due to a combination  of mine closures and recently announced production cutbacks, said International  Lead and Zinc Study Group.

Chinese output, which is reliant on production  from a large number of small mines, is forecast to grow by 12.4%. Overall global  zinc mine output is expected to fall by 1.4% to 13.27 million tons.

World  usage of refined zinc metal is expected to increase by 3.5% to 14.33 million  tonnes in 2016. This rise will be primarily driven by a further 4.5% increase in  China where demand is expected to benefit from continued infrastructure  investment.

After rising by 3.2% in 2015, usage in Europe is expected to  remain stable in 2016. Strong growth of 13.1% is anticipated in the Republic of  Korea. Increases are also forecast in India (4.1%), Japan (4.2%) and the United  States (3.1%).