Global refined zinc usage dropped slightly in the month of June while mine production rose by 1.9% in the first half of 2019.
According to the latest International Lead & Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) report dated Wednesday August 21, refined zinc consumption totaled 1.1207 million tonnes in June this year compared with 1.1465 million tonnes in May and 1.1939 million tonnes in April. The ILZSG did not specify year-on-year metal usage comparisons for June. Some 6.513 million tonnes of refined zinc was produced globally in the first six months of 2019, compared with 6.542 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year. Higher refined zinc production in China, Mexico and Peru was offset by decreases in Canada, India and Russian Federation, resulting in a 0.4% decline globally. Global refined zinc metal usage in the first six months of the year posted a modest 0.2% increase year on year to 6.647 million tonnes from 6.632 million tonnes in January-June 2018. This was mainly as a consequence of rises in South Korea, South Africa and the US that...