Zinc and lead in first 9 months of 2006Zinc shortfall was 120 000 t in first 5 months
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Zinc supply fell short of demand for the first five months of the year, because of higher consumption of the metal used to galvanize steel, the International Lead and Zinc Study Group said.
Zinc production was 120 000 tons less than demand, compared with a shortfall of 98,000 tons a year earlier, the Lisbon-based group said in a report on its Web site today. The group is funded by the governments of producing and consuming countries.
Demand rose 2,4% to 4,47-million t, the group said. Production grew 1,9% to 4,35-million t.
Lead production outpaced consumption in the first five months by 76 000 t, the group said. Demand rose 6,2% to 3,29-million t and supply jumped 10% to 3,36-million tons.