Mineral intelligence
Zinc / Lead mining assets in Africa
Zinc and lead are usually mined together from the same deposits, and both have quietly durable demand founded on corrosion protection and storage.
STRATUM does not yet publish verified zinc assets. Intelligence on this mineral is gathered continuously, and members are notified as assets clear verification.
What members see
Grades and assay results, resource and reserve estimates, evidence provenance, deal structure, infrastructure and power, and the geospatial layer. Identity of the operator is released only to compliance-cleared members on an approved request.
Zinc mining: uses, market and Africa’s position
What zinc is
Zinc and lead occur together in sedimentary exhalative and Mississippi Valley type deposits, as sphalerite and galena respectively, and are separated by flotation into two concentrates. Silver frequently reports to the lead concentrate and can contribute materially to project revenue.
What zinc is used for
Galvanising
The dominant use of zinc. Coating steel with zinc prevents rust, and consumption therefore tracks construction and infrastructure spending.
Batteries
Lead acid batteries remain the standard for vehicle starting, for backup power and for grid stabilisation, and lead is one of the most recycled materials in the world.
Alloys and chemicals
Brass and die casting alloys, zinc oxide in rubber, pigments and pharmaceuticals.
Zinc market outlook
Neither metal is a transition story, and that is part of the appeal: demand is tied to construction, infrastructure and vehicle fleets rather than to a single technology bet. Supply has been constrained by mine closures and by a shortage of new development, and the by-product silver credit can improve project economics substantially.
Zinc in Africa
Zinc and lead are produced in Namibia, Morocco, Algeria, Burkina Faso and South Africa, with further resources across the continent that have seen limited modern exploration.
What to check on a zinc asset
For a zinc lead asset, look at the combined metal grade, the cleanliness of the flotation separation, and the silver credit. Deleterious elements, particularly iron and cadmium, attract smelter penalties. And confirm which smelter would take the concentrate, because zinc smelting capacity is not evenly distributed.