US Zinc Mine Production Sees Notable Increase in December 2023

In December 2023, the United States witnessed a significant uptick in zinc mine production, underscoring a robust month for the sector amidst a year of stable output levels. According to recent data, the total recoverable zinc mine production for 2023 remained steady at 753,000 metric tons, mirroring figures from 2022. However, December stood out with a production of 79,700 metric tons, marking a 40% increase over the previous month and a 24% rise compared to December 2022.

This surge in production brought the average daily mine output in December to 2,570 metric tons, contributing to the overall stable annual production. Despite the production boost, the North American premium to the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price experienced fluctuations. The 2023 average premium was reported at 31.1 cents per pound, a slight 3% decrease from the previous year. Furthermore, December's average premium fell to 22.0 cents per pound, showing a 13% reduction from November and a notable 40% drop compared to the same month in 2022.