London, 01 May 2009 

Production of most metals in 2008 was virtually unchanged from 2007. The weighted average figure for mine production rose by only 0.9 per cent. This compared with an 8.3 per cent increase between 2006 and 2007. The index for refined metals rose by 3.1 per cent compared with 8.0 per cent for the previous year and demand rose by only 0.6 per cent compared with 7.6 percent.

For zinc and antimony, mine output rose substantially almost entirely as a result of increased Chinese activity. For all other mined metal products increases, if any, were very small. Output of refined metals were mostly between 2 and 4 per cent higher than in 2007 as this element of the supply seemed to be the last to succumb to the global economic crisis at the end of the year.

Detailed continental and country data covering the ten year period 1999 to 2008 are included in the latest edition of World Metal Statistics Yearbook which is published today.

The above data are taken from World Metal Statistics Yearbook published today.

Ends --

World Bureau of Metal Statistics

www.world-bureau.co.uk