With the surging price of zinc, there are signs of a reduction in the global demand for this non-ferrous metal in January 2007, on a y-o-y basis. According to the Portugal-based global industry body, International Lead and Zinc Study Group, the global demand for this metal was 891, 000 tonne in January 2007 as compared to 914, 000 tonne a year earlier. | |
| The industry group's statistics highlight that the slowdown in demand is primarily due to the reduced offtake from user industries in America and Asia (including India) |
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| The global production of zinc amounted to 941, 000 tonnes in January 2007 as compared to 883, 000 tonnes a year earlier. |
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| The slowdown in the global consumption of zinc has come at a time when the LME prices of zinc are hovering at $3,224 per tonne as compared to $2,462 per tonne a year earlier. The price of this metal at the beginning of CY 07 was $4259 per tonne. |
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| The global consumption of zinc amounted to 110, 34, 000 tonnes in CY 06 as compared to 106, 39, 000 tonnes a year earlier. Hindustan Zinc is the key domestic supplier of this non-ferrous metal. |
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| The company's production of refined zinc grew by 35 per cent y-o-y to 92,759 tonne in the December 2006 quarter, helped by its recently set up zinc smelter plant, coupled with a ramp-up of capacity at its Rampura Agucha mine in Rajasthan. |
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| Zinc is largely used in the galvanised steel industry, where it is one of the key inputs. Zinc is also an input in the manufacture of batteries. |
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