Zinc
Galvanizes steel against corrosion and is the main source of by-product germanium, indium and cadmium.
Galvanized steel for data-center structures and transmission towers; its refining yields germanium and indium.
Where it's produced
Share of 2025 world mine production (thousand metric tons). Source: USGS MCS 2026.
Where the reserves are
Share of known economic reserves (thousand metric tons). World total: 240M t. ≈ 18 years at 2025 output.
Who calls it critical
Membership on each government list. “Strategic” marks a higher tier where the list has one; “group” means included as part of a group such as rare earths or PGMs.
Zinc: key questions
- Where is zinc mined or produced?
- According to USGS 2025 data, the largest producers are China (32%), Peru (12%) and Australia (8.5%) of world mine production.
- Is zinc a critical mineral?
- Zinc appears on 6 of the 10 official lists we track (United States, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada).
- Is zinc in short supply?
- Our supply status: Adequate. null
- Why does zinc matter for AI infrastructure?
- Galvanized steel for data-center structures and transmission towers; its refining yields germanium and indium.
Related minerals
ExplorerAluminum
WatchLight, conductive and recyclable — used in transmission lines, server chassis, heat sinks and building structures. Made from bauxite (Guinea, Australia).
Copper
DeficitThe metal of electrification. Copper wires the grid, the substation, the busbar and the chip — and it is the single largest mineral input to AI infrastructure.
Silver
WatchThe most electrically conductive element — used in solar cells, electrical contacts, brazing and electronics.