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

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.

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