Zinc and Lead

Our zinc and lead business combines world-class assets with global marketing reach and expertise.

We mine and process zinc and lead ores in the key mining regions of Australia, South America, Kazakhstan and Canada. And, we smelt and refine zinc and lead at processing operations in Australia, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, the UK and Kazakhstan.

We also source and recycle zinc and lead materials in Europe and North America.

Through our marketing activities, we sell zinc and lead concentrates; zinc and lead metals produced from concentrates; and valuable by-products such as sulphuric acid.

We also sell gold and silver, which are typically mined together with zinc and lead ores.

We market zinc and lead not only from our own facilities, but also from third-party producers.

Zinc and lead in figures - 2020

$2.1bn

adjusted EBITDA from our zinc assets

1,170 kt

of zinc production from own sources

259 kt

of lead production from own sources

3.8 mt

of zinc and lead metal and concentrates sold via the marketing business

Uses of zinc and lead

Zinc

Zinc is mainly used to galvanise steel or iron – that is, to apply a zinc coating to stop it rusting. Galvanised steel is used in buildings, cars, white goods and electronics.

The strength and flexibility of zinc alloys mean they are widely used to create die casts for industrial uses – for example, in the production of car or machine parts. Zinc is also used to make brass and bronze.

Zinc oxide is mainly used in the production of rubber, while zinc sulphide has uses such as X - ray screens, in optics, and as a pigment.

Lead

Lead has a wide range of industrial uses including batteries, undersea cables, weights, solders and radiation protection.

Zinc and lead assets

Our combination of mines and smelters means we can produce, process and market zinc and lead across the world.

Kazzinc

Kazakhstan

Kazzinc (69.7%) is a large-scale fully integrated producer of zinc, lead, copper and gold.

McArthur River Mine

is a world-class zinc-lead mine in the Northern Territory.

Mount Isa Mines

Mount Isa Mines, which also includes the George Fisher zinc–lead mine and the nearby Lady Loretta zinc – lead mine in Queensland. It also produces lead/silver bullion refined at Britannia Refined Metals in the UK.

Glencore Port Operations

Our Port Operations business is an export gateway for the mineral resources of north-west Queensland.

Nordenham

Germany

Nordenham is zinc production plant, located in the north of Germany.

Portovesme

Italy

Portovesme is a lead and zinc smelting and refining facility, based in Sardinia, that processes a range of primary and secondary materials.

Asturiana de Zinc

Spain

Asturiana de Zinc is one of the world’s largest zinc smelters, processing zinc concentrates from our own mines as well as third parties.

Britannia Refined Metals

United Kingdom

Britannia Refined Metals is the largest primary lead producer in Europe, producing primary lead from Mount Isa and third party lead/silver bullion.

Kidd Operations

Canada

Kidd Operations is one of the deepest base metal mines in the world.

Matagami mine

Canada

Matagami mine is a zinc–lead mine in Matagami, Quebec.

Brunswick lead smelter

Canada

a primary lead–silver smelter

CEZinc

Canada

CEZinc (25%) is an electrolytic zinc smelter in Quebec.

Visit Glencore in Canada

Aguilar mine

Argentina

Aguilar mine produces zinc and lead concentrates.

Sinchi Wayra

Bolivia

Sinchi Wayra/Illapa operates four mining units in the Oruro and Potosi regions.

Los Quenuales

Peru

Los Quenuales owns and operates mines in the central Highlands of Peru.

Volcan

Peru

Volcan (23%) is a leading producer of mined lead, zinc and silver in concentrates.

Latest reports and results

Explore the latest reports and results, including financial results, production reports and our annual report.