The world's leading zinc-mining countries ranked by estimated 2025 mine output in thousand tonnes of zinc content, from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
China is the world's largest zinc miner, with an estimated 4,100 thousand tonnes of zinc content in 2025. Peru is second at 1,500 thousand tonnes and Australia third at 1,100 thousand tonnes. The ranking uses USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026) estimates of 2025 zinc mine production, measured as zinc content of concentrates and direct shipping ores.
World zinc mine production rose to an estimated 13,000 thousand tonnes in 2025, from 11,900 thousand tonnes in 2024, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In the United States, most of the zinc consumed in 2025 was used to produce galvanized steel, followed by brass and bronze, zinc-base alloys and other uses. This list ranks countries by zinc mine production using the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
China mined an estimated 4,100 thousand tonnes of zinc in 2025, up from 4,000 thousand tonnes in 2024, and leads the USGS table by a wide margin. Its reserves, 60,000 thousand tonnes, were revised in this edition based on company and government reports.
Peru produced an estimated 1,500 thousand tonnes in 2025, up from 1,270 thousand tonnes in 2024. It supplied 50% of U.S. imports of zinc ores and concentrates in 2021-24.
Australia mined an estimated 1,100 thousand tonnes in 2025, unchanged from its 2024 output of 1,100 thousand tonnes. USGS lists reserves of 64,000 thousand tonnes, the largest in the table, of which 19 million tonnes are JORC-compliant or equivalent.
India produced an estimated 870 thousand tonnes in 2025, the same as the USGS estimate for 2024. Its reserves of 10,000 thousand tonnes were revised based on company and government reports.
Mexico mined an estimated 780 thousand tonnes in 2025, up slightly from 773 thousand tonnes in 2024, and holds reserves of 14,000 thousand tonnes.
U.S. mine output fell to an estimated 670 thousand tonnes in 2025 from 759 thousand tonnes, mostly because of lower production at the Red Dog Mine in Alaska, where ore grades fell as the operation approached the end of its mine life. In 2025 zinc was mined in five states at six mining operations.
Bolivia produced an estimated 500 thousand tonnes in 2025, down from 512 thousand tonnes in 2024. USGS lists its reserves as "not available".
Russia mined an estimated 430 thousand tonnes in 2025, up from an estimated 310 thousand tonnes in 2024, the largest percentage rise of any country in the USGS table. It holds reserves of 29,000 thousand tonnes.
Kazakhstan produced an estimated 360 thousand tonnes in 2025, down from an estimated 380 thousand tonnes in 2024. Its reserves of 7,400 thousand tonnes were revised based on company and government reports.
Sweden mined an estimated 230 thousand tonnes in 2025, against 239 thousand tonnes in 2024. Its reserves of 4,100 thousand tonnes were revised in this edition.
| # | Name | 2024 output (kt) | Share of world 2025 | Reserves (kt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 4000 | 31.5% | 60000 |
| 2 | Peru | 1270 | 11.5% | 18000 |
| 3 | Australia | 1100 | 8.5% | 64000 |
| 4 | India | 870 | 6.7% | 10000 |
| 5 | Mexico | 773 | 6.0% | 14000 |
| 6 | United States | 759 | 5.2% | 9300 |
| 7 | Bolivia | 512 | 3.8% | Not available |
| 8 | Russia | 310 | 3.3% | 29000 |
| 9 | Kazakhstan | 380 | 2.8% | 7400 |
| 10 | Sweden | 239 | 1.8% | 4100 |
Ranked by estimated 2025 zinc mine production in thousand metric tons of zinc content (concentrates and direct shipping ores), from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026) zinc chapter, World Mine Production and Reserves table. USGS reports exactly 10 countries individually, and all 10 are ranked; the 'other countries' group (an estimated 2,000 thousand tonnes combined in 2025) is excluded, so a country inside that group could in principle exceed the lower entries here. There are no ties in the 2025 figures; had there been, the higher 2024 output would break them. Share of world uses the USGS rounded world total of 13,000 thousand tonnes. 2025 figures are USGS estimates and may be revised; the 2024 figures for India, Kazakhstan and Russia are also USGS estimates. Reserves are as published by USGS: Bolivia's are not available, Australia's total includes reserves that are not JORC-compliant (19 million tonnes are JORC-compliant or equivalent), and reserves for China, India, Kazakhstan, Peru, Sweden and the United States were revised in this edition based on company and government reports. Refined zinc output is not counted.
China, with an estimated 4,100 thousand tonnes of zinc content in 2025 according to the USGS, about 31.5% of the rounded world total of 13,000 thousand tonnes. Peru (1,500 thousand tonnes) and Australia (1,100 thousand tonnes) follow.
An estimated 13,000 thousand tonnes of zinc content in 2025, up from 11,900 thousand tonnes in 2024. USGS puts world reserves at 240,000 thousand tonnes and identified resources at about 1.9 billion tonnes.
Australia, at 64,000 thousand tonnes in the USGS table (19 million tonnes of that are JORC-compliant or equivalent), followed by China at 60,000 thousand tonnes and Russia at 29,000 thousand tonnes.
USGS estimates U.S. mine production decreased by 12% in 2025, mostly owing to lower production at the Red Dog Mine in Alaska, where ore grades fell as the operation approached the end of its mine life. The Middle Tennessee zinc mines have been suspended since November 2023.
No. The 2025 numbers are USGS estimates published in February 2026 and may be revised.