Global Lead and Zinc Market Size By Type (Lead, Zinc), By Source (Primary Lead (From Mining), Secondary Lead (From Recycling)), By Zinc End Use (Galvanizing, Zinc Alloying), By Lead End Use (Batteries, Cable Sheathing), By Geographic Scope And Forecast

Lead and Zinc Market Size And Forecast

Lead and Zinc Market size was valued at USD 27.35 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 39.53 Billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.20% from 2024 to 2031.

One of the major elements influencing the demand for zinc and lead is the growing usage of lead-acid batteries, which are found in computers, forklift trucks, emergency systems, and other equipment. Another important factor is the growing use of zinc as a galvanizing agent. Due to increased demand from both existing and emerging industries, such as galvanizing, construction, the automotive industry, renewable energy, and batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles, the global zinc industry also saw exponential expansion. Other factors driving the industry forward include the incorporation of contemporary technologies and the usage of cutting-edge mining methods.

Global Lead and Zinc Market Definition

In the periodic table, zinc has an atomic number of 30. Lead is a thick, ductile, extremely soft, highly malleable, bluish-white metal with a brilliant luster and low electrical conductivity. Additionally, due to its great corrosion resistance, it is utilized to hold corrosive liquids. In most cases, lead is removed along with zinc, silver, and copper from ore that also contains these other metals. Galena is the principal lead mineral (PbS). Angelsite and cerussite (PbCO3) are two further prevalent types (PbSO4). Shiny, bluish-white lead is a metal. It conducts electricity rather poorly and is soft, malleable, and ductile. It is very resistant to corrosion, however, it tarnishes when exposed to air. Lead is produced by each of the three series of naturally occurring radioactive elements.

Zinc is a moderately reactive metal that may react with dilute acids to produce hydrogen as well as interact with oxygen and other non-metals. Zinc is widely available in nature. The first mile of the earth’s crust beneath the surface is thought to contain 224,000,000 million tonnes of zinc. However, these estimates do not take into account whether or not it is feasible economically or environmentally to use these resources. Sphalerite, sometimes referred to as zinc blende, is the most typical zinc mineral. This mineral, which is present in practically all commercially mined zinc resources, crystallizes as pure zinc sulfide from the hydrothermal solution. Among other metals, lead, copper, silver, and zinc are frequently mined together.

Global Lead and Zinc Market Overview

The primary factor driving zinc demand is the production of galvanized steel, which is extensively used in a range of industries including construction, infrastructure, and automobiles as well as home appliances, machinery, and shipbuilding. The primary drivers of this market are the expansion of the infrastructure in developing countries like India, Brazil, and Indonesia as well as the rising demand for galvanized steel. Also, The market is expanding most significantly in the industries where the use of steel alloys is rising. Zinc metal makes up the majority of these alloys.

Due to the substantial consumption of these materials during the past few years, there has been a growth in the use of steel and zinc in industry. This is one of the key elements that contribute to the global Lead and Zinc Market’s expansion. The market has expanded as a result of ongoing building and infrastructural projects. It is also kept tabs on how well the biggest zinc mines and mining firms performed globally. With investments from manufacturers around the world, the number of production facilities worldwide is also growing. Since more machinery and tools will be produced as a result, the demand for lead is anticipated to rise. The expansion of the Japanese aerospace industry will aid in the expansion of the market.

Demand for lead and zinc rises as metal alloy production does. The US-China trade war and a drop in inventory levels are minor drawbacks that are hindering the market. On the other hand, the availability of replacements and the environmental restrictions placed by various nations on the use of lead is anticipated to impede the market’s expansion. Sodium oxide, which is caustic and violent when exposed to water, carbon monoxide, which is hazardous to humans and animals, ozone-forming, and carbon dioxide are unwanted byproducts of zinc synthesis. Additionally, the sector is growing as a result of the ongoing technological development of the method.

Market Attractiveness

The image of market attractiveness provided would further help to get information about the region that is majorly leading in the Global Lead and Zinc Market. We cover the major impacting factors that are responsible for driving the industry growth in the given region.

Porter’s Five Forces

The image provided would further help to get information about Porter’s five forces framework providing a blueprint for understanding the behavior of competitors and a player’s strategic positioning in the respective industry. The porter’s five forces model can be used to assess the competitive landscape in the global Lead and Zinc Market, gauge the attractiveness of a certain sector, and assess investment possibilities.

Global Lead and Zinc Market Segmentation Analysis

The Global Lead and Zinc Market is segmented on the basis of Type, Source, Zinc End Use, Lead End Use, and Geography.

Lead and Zinc Market, By Type

• Lead
• Zinc

Based on Type, The market is bifurcated into Lead and Zinc. Zinc is the fourth most widely used basic metal in the world, with uses ranging from well-established ones like building and transportation to developing ones like clean energy. According to the Analyst, The mine production of zinc has increased by 544 Thousand tonnes while mine production of lead has risen by 89 Thousand tonnes since 2020. In addition, a low-carbon economy currently relies heavily on zinc. Zinc-ion batteries, for instance, are seen by some as a more secure and cost-effective alternative due to their use of water-based chemistry. Lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles are hence resistant to starting fires. This essential material is mostly used to coat other metals like steel and iron in a corrosion-resistant protective layer. Because solar panels and wind turbines are protected from rust by zinc coatings, the metal is also essential for green technology.

Lead and Zinc Market, By Source 

• Primary Lead (From Mining)
• Secondary Lead (From Recycling)
• Primary Zinc (From Mining)
• Secondary Zinc (From Recycling)

Based on Source, The market is bifurcated into Primary Lead (From Mining), Secondary Lead (From Recycling), Primary Zinc (From Mining), and Secondary Zinc (From Recycling). The primary sector or mining sector holds the largest share throughout the forecasted period .with over 80% of all zinc being mined below the Earth’s surface. Eight percent of zinc is extracted from open pits, while the remaining twelve percent is extracted using both techniques. The Red Dog Mine in Alaska is the world’s biggest zinc mine, although there are also zinc mines in 50 other nations. Canada, Australia, China, Peru, and the United States are the top five producers of zinc in the world out of these more than 50 nations. Within this decade, a few zinc mines will close as a result of depletion in Canada, Australia, Ireland, and Namibia. Sediment-hosted, volcanic-hosted, intrusion-related, Broken Ore type, or Mississippi Valley-type deposits are the main types of zinc ore deposits that are typically discovered.

Typically, lead can be found in ore along with other metals like zinc, silver, and frequently copper. Lead is typically found in the ore that also contains zinc, silver, and frequently copper and is extracted as a co-product of these metals. lead is typically found in the ore that also contains zinc, silver, and frequently copper. But more than half of the lead we consume is recycled, primarily from defunct automobile batteries.

Lead and Zinc Market, By Zinc End Use

• Galvanizing
• Zinc Alloying
• Brass and Bronze
• Zin-Semi Manufactures
• Chemicals
• Others

Based on End Use, The market is bifurcated into Galvanizing, Zinc Alloying, Brass and Bronze, Zin-Semi manufacturing, Chemicals, and Others. Galvanising has the largest market share among all worldwide market segments. This is because zinc is used in a wide variety of industrial and household items due to its well-known efficiency in galvanizing steel to prevent corrosion and its ability to die-cast complicated components. It is an essential part of nutrition and has substantial markets in the metals, chemicals, and construction industries. This market is dominated by the segment of zinc alloying, which is closely followed by galvanizing. The main advantage of employing zinc in so many alloys is that it has built-in corrosion resistance. With the exception of aluminum, the majority of metals are susceptible to corrosion. Zinc can be used to transform metal into a corrosion-resistant alloy.

Lead and Zinc Market, By Lead End Use

• Batteries
• Cable Sheathing
• Rolled and Extruded Products
• Shot Ammunition
• Alloys
• Pigments and Other Compounds
• Others

Based on Lead End Use, The market is bifurcated into Batteries, Cable Sheathing, Rolled and Extruded Products, Shot Ammunition, Alloys, Pigments and Other Compounds, and Other. The main consumers of lead are batteries, rolled and extruded goods, and pigments. In actuality, 80% of all applications for lead are in lead-acid batteries. Vehicles, emergency systems, and industrial batteries found in computers and forklift trucks all employ lead-acid batteries. Despite the increased attention being paid to lithium-ion batteries, lead-acid batteries are anticipated to remain in high demand.

Lead and Zinc Market, By Geography

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East and Africa

On the basis of Regional Analysis, The Global Lead and Zinc Market is segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. The cheap price and easy accessibility of chemical fertilizers are the main drivers of market expansion in the Asia Pacific region. The use of zinc sulfate as a fertilizer additive in chemical fertilizers in Asia-Pacific nations has increased the demand for zinc. China and India are the two biggest drivers of growth in the Asia-Pacific market. Furthermore, the market for zinc is expanding due to the rising need for renewable energy sources.

In addition, the growing acceptance of electric vehicles is anticipated to fuel demand for zinc alloys, and expansion in the construction sector is anticipated to support market expansion. Increasing demand from end users including the automotive sector and electronics manufacturers, rising consumer knowledge of zinc’s advantages, and rising R&D expenditures for fresh uses of mining methods for zinc minerals round out the main reasons propelling the expansion of the Lead and Zinc Market. However, the market’s expansion is being constrained by elements including rising production costs and environmental concerns.

Due to the region’s rapidly rising demand for electric vehicles, China and India are anticipated to have one of the fastest expanding markets. Due to the widespread and extensive use of chemical derivatives of zinc, this region is considered to be the leading region. As a result, the demand for zinc chemicals in this area will increase. The market is further divided into Galvanizing, Die Casting, Brass and Bronze, and Other Applications. Over the forecast period, growth will be driven by the government initiative to encourage the use of electric vehicles in order to significantly reduce pollution. The primary driver of zinc in this region is anticipated to be rapid development in developing nations.

Key Players

The “Global Lead and Zinc Market” study report will provide valuable insight with an emphasis on the global market including some of the major players such as Hudbay Minerals Inc., Pan American Silver Corp., Glencore PLC, Hindustan Zinc Ltd, Teck Resourcrd Ltd, Zijin Mining Group, Nexa Resources SA, BHP, XSTRATA, Exon Mobile Corporation, and Southern Copper Corporation are the key market participants.

Our market analysis also entails a section solely dedicated to such major players wherein our analysts provide an insight into the financial statements of all the major players, along with its product benchmarking and SWOT analysis. The competitive landscape section also includes key development strategies, market share, and market ranking analysis of the above-mentioned players globally.

Key Developments

• In January 2023, The board has approved the sale of the assets of Zinc International to Hindustan Zinc for a cash payment of USD 2,981 million, according to Vedanta company. After Hindustan Zinc announced that it will purchase the assets of Zinc International from parent firm Vedanta, its shares fell by 9% in trading. The news tainted the Anil Agarwal firm’s otherwise consistent performance for the December 2022 quarter.
• In January 2023, Excellon Resources revealed that it has signed a legally binding deal to buy the licensed, formerly productive La Negra Ag-Zn-Cu-Pb mine in Mexico from an investment fund run by Orion Resource Partners for a total of $50 million.The total consideration, according to the company, consists of upfront payments totaling $20 million, payable in common shares of the company, and an additional $30 million in contingent, deferred consideration, payable in common shares of the company or in cash at the company’s discretion, following the restart of commercial production.
• In December 2022, Orion Minerals, an Australian copper mining firm, signed agreements with a few Triple Flag Precious Metals companies for a financial package totaling $87 million to advance the development of its Prieska copper-zinc project in South Africa.This bundle includes a $80 million stream of precious metals. During the copper-zinc mine’s construction, it may be withdrawn in installments together with other bank or outside finance.
• In February 2022, The Pine Point Project, one of the most interesting zinc development assets in the world with fast access to supported infrastructure and one of the cleanest concentrates, is being advanced quickly by Osisko Metals.One of Canada’s main producers of zinc and lead, the Pine Point Project, is about to resume production thanks to Osisko Metals.Both the zinc and the lead concentrates Pine Point would generate are distinguished by their very high purity and grade. Due to the extremely minimal amount of harmful elements included in these high-quality concentrates, Osisko Metals does not expect to face any smelter or refinery penalties.

Ace Matrix Analysis

The Ace Matrix provided in the report would help to understand how the major key players involved in this industry are performing as we provide a ranking for these companies based on various factors such as service features & innovations, scalability, innovation of services, industry coverage, industry reach, and growth roadmap. Based on these factors, we rank the companies into four categories as Active, Cutting Edge, Emerging, and Innovators.