The global zinc mining industry is highly fragmented and it is impacted by a combination of factors such as fluctuating exchange rates, changing trade policy, general economic conditions and fluctuating demand from end user markets.
Zinc is a useful metal which retains its property even after recycling. Zinc is used in many areas, galvanizing steel to protect it from corrosion being the major one. Other significant uses of zinc are die casting and in the production of brass and bronze. Brass and bronze are used for roofing, gutters and downpipes. In addition, zinc is broadly used in dry cell batteries due to its malleable nature. Zinc is even used to increase the production capacity of soils lacking organic matter.
The global zinc mining industry can be segmented on the basis of production method and application areas. On the basis of application areas, the market is segmented into construction, transport, consumer goods, electrical appliances and general engineering. According to the production method, zinc mining market is divided into underground mining, open pit mining, underground mining and combination of both open pit & underground mining. The underground mining segment produces the largest share of zinc volume. However, with technological developments, zinc mining industry is witnessing a shift in preference from underground mining technique to open pit mining because it utilizes more efficient mineral processing methods to process lower grade ores in order to increase productivity.
The global zinc mining industry is also driven by rising demand for galvanized steel owing to rapid infrastructure development, growing number of automobiles and electrical appliances. In addition, increased demand for zinc fertilizers is further propelling the market for zinc. However, factors such as increasing energy cost and growing pressures to reduce cost while maintaining higher quality are some of the market challenges.
ASDReport.com has a good collection of reports on zinc mining market covering various topics and processes related to the industry.