US: Zinc imports and exports up by 15% and 16% y-o-y in CY'22

US' imports of zinc were recorded at 736,357 tonnes (t) in 2022 (CY'22) against 642,590 t, an increase of 15% from CY'21. Zinc exports volumes from the US stood at 899,516 t in CY'22, an increase of 16% compared to 773,403 t in 2021.

Import overview

The m-o-m import volumes of the US were up by 61% to 106,982 t in December 2022 against 66,646 t in November 2022.

Out of total imports, zinc semi-finished products increased by 15% to 725,427 t and zinc scrap imports dropped by 13% y-o-y to 10,929 t in CY'22.

Imports of zinc in December 2021 stood at 47,905 t, drastically up by 123% in December 2022 y-o-y.

Country-wise imports

• Exports from Canada in CY'22: Export volumes stood at 385,293 t in CY'22, a decrease of 19% from 475,239 t in CY'21. Export volumes were also down by 40% y-o-y from 32,382 t in December 2021.
  
  
• Exports from Mexico in CY'22: Mexico's exports to the US were largely stable with a slight decrease of 1% to 115,526 t in CY'22 as against 116,340 t in CY'21. Shipments increased in December by 18% from 10,871 t in December 2021.
  
  
• Exports from Australia in CY'22: Australia was not a regular exporting destination to the US, yet shipped a significant quantity of zinc to the US in CY'22 that impacted on the overall rise in the import volumes of US. Exports from Australia in CY'22 stood at 68,952 t. The country exported 30,619 t in December, 2022.
  
  

Export overview

The country's zinc exports fell by 50% m-o-m to 20,809 t in December 2022 compared to the previous month.

Exports of ores or concentrates continued to remain stable with a slight fall of 1% to 650,847 t, semi-finished zinc products rose by 7% to 58,488 t and exports of zinc scrap surged 196% to 190,182 t in CY'22.

The export volume of zinc fell by 32% in December 2022 from 30,463 t in December 2021 y-o-y.

Country-wise exports

• Imports by Canada in CY'22: US' exports to Canada stood at 276,213 t in CY'22, down marginally by 2% from 283,138 t in CY'21. The export volume of the US was up by 11% from 6,356 t in December 2021 y-o-y.
  
  
• Imports by Malaysia in CY'22: Exports from the US to Malaysia were at 99,441 t in CY'22, boosted by 729% from 11,996 t in CY'21. Exports in December fell by 89% y-o-y from 4,811 t in December 2021.
  
  
• Imports by Spain in CY'22: Spain is not a regular export destination of US in the past, but in CY'22 the export volume of the US to Spain adds up to the overall rise in the export volume of the nation. Spain imported 83,366 t of zinc from the US in CY'22 as against CY'21, where the export volumes of the US were negligible.