Discover Zinc - LME 3-month (ZNC3M) Historical Prices with this API

Discover Zinc - LME 3-month (ZNC3M) Historical Prices with this API
In the ever-evolving landscape of metal markets, the demand for accurate and real-time data has never been more critical. Zinc, represented by the symbol XZN, is a vital industrial metal that plays a significant role in various applications, from galvanizing steel to producing alloys. Understanding the historical prices of zinc is essential for traders, investors, and analysts alike. With the Metals-API, accessing historical prices and real-time data has become seamless and efficient. This blog post will delve into the capabilities of the Metals-API, focusing on how to retrieve historical prices for zinc and explore the broader implications of digital transformation in the metal markets.
About Zinc (XZN)
Zinc is a crucial metal in the global economy, primarily used for galvanizing steel to prevent corrosion. Its applications extend to the manufacturing of die-castings, batteries, and various alloys. As industries continue to innovate and evolve, the demand for zinc is expected to grow, driven by technological advancements and the increasing need for sustainable materials.
The digital transformation in metal markets has opened new avenues for data analytics and insights. With the integration of smart technologies, stakeholders can now leverage real-time data to make informed decisions. The Metals-API stands at the forefront of this transformation, providing developers with the tools necessary to build next-generation applications that can analyze and visualize metal prices, including zinc.
Metals-API Overview
The Metals-API is a powerful tool that offers comprehensive access to metal prices and currency conversion data. It provides a suite of endpoints that allow users to retrieve real-time and historical data for various metals, including zinc. The API is designed with developers in mind, offering a user-friendly interface and extensive documentation to facilitate integration into applications.
One of the standout features of the Metals-API is its ability to deliver real-time exchange rate data, updated frequently based on the user's subscription plan. This capability is crucial for traders who need to stay informed about market fluctuations and make timely decisions. Additionally, the API provides historical rates dating back to 2019, enabling users to analyze trends and patterns over time.
Key Features and Endpoints
The Metals-API offers a range of endpoints that cater to different needs. Here are some of the key features:
- Latest Rates Endpoint: This endpoint provides real-time exchange rate data for metals, including zinc. Depending on your subscription plan, the API can return updates every 60 minutes, every 10 minutes, or even more frequently. This feature is invaluable for traders who need to monitor price changes closely.
- Historical Rates Endpoint: Users can access historical rates for most metals, including zinc, dating back to 2019. By appending a specific date to the endpoint, developers can retrieve historical price data, which is essential for trend analysis and forecasting.
- Bid And Ask Endpoint: This powerful feature allows users to retrieve real-time bid and ask prices for metals. Understanding the bid-ask spread is crucial for traders looking to optimize their buying and selling strategies.
- Convert Endpoint: The Metals-API includes a currency conversion endpoint, enabling users to convert amounts from one metal to another or to/from USD. This feature is particularly useful for businesses operating in multiple currencies.
- Time-Series Endpoint: This endpoint allows users to query the API for daily historical rates between two dates of their choice. It is particularly useful for analyzing price movements over specific periods.
- Fluctuation Endpoint: Users can track how metal prices fluctuate on a day-to-day basis. This endpoint provides insights into market volatility, helping traders make informed decisions.
- Open/High/Low/Close (OHLC) Price Endpoint: This endpoint provides open, high, low, and close prices for a specific time period, allowing users to analyze market trends and make predictions.
- Historical LME Endpoint: For those interested in the London Metal Exchange (LME) prices, this endpoint provides access to historical rates dating back to 2008, specifically for LME symbols.
- API Key: Each user is assigned a unique API key, which must be included in the API requests to authenticate and authorize access to the data.
- API Response: The API returns exchange rates relative to USD by default, ensuring consistency and ease of use for developers.
- Supported Symbols Endpoint: This endpoint provides a constantly updated list of all available metal symbols, ensuring users can easily find the data they need.
- News Endpoint: Users can retrieve the latest news articles related to various metals, keeping them informed about market developments and trends.
API Endpoint Examples and Responses
Understanding how to interact with the Metals-API is crucial for developers. Below are examples of API responses for various endpoints:
Latest Rates Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1747526919,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2025-05-18",
"rates": {
"XAU": 0.000482,
"XAG": 0.03815,
"XPT": 0.000912,
"XPD": 0.000744,
"XCU": 0.294118,
"XAL": 0.434783,
"XNI": 0.142857,
"XZN": 0.344828
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
The response above shows the latest rates for various metals, including zinc (XZN). The rates object contains the current price per troy ounce, which is essential for traders looking to make quick decisions based on the latest market data.
Historical Rates Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1747440519,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2025-05-17",
"rates": {
"XAU": 0.000485,
"XAG": 0.03825,
"XPT": 0.000915,
"XPD": 0.000748
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
This example illustrates how to retrieve historical rates for a specific date. The date field indicates the day for which the rates are provided, while the rates object contains the prices for various metals, excluding zinc in this case. Developers can use this data to analyze past performance and identify trends.
Time-Series Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timeseries": true,
"start_date": "2025-05-11",
"end_date": "2025-05-18",
"base": "USD",
"rates": {
"2025-05-11": {
"XAU": 0.000485,
"XAG": 0.03825,
"XPT": 0.000915
},
"2025-05-13": {
"XAU": 0.000483,
"XAG": 0.0382,
"XPT": 0.000913
},
"2025-05-18": {
"XAU": 0.000482,
"XAG": 0.03815,
"XPT": 0.000912
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
The time-series endpoint allows users to retrieve data for a specific period. The start_date and end_date fields define the range, while the rates object contains daily prices for the specified metals. This data is invaluable for analyzing trends over time.
Convert Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"query": {
"from": "USD",
"to": "XAU",
"amount": 1000
},
"info": {
"timestamp": 1747526919,
"rate": 0.000482
},
"result": 0.482,
"unit": "troy ounces"
}
The convert endpoint allows users to convert amounts between different metals or currencies. In this example, 1000 USD is converted to troy ounces of gold (XAU). The result field provides the converted value, while the rate field indicates the conversion rate at the time of the request.
Fluctuation Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"fluctuation": true,
"start_date": "2025-05-11",
"end_date": "2025-05-18",
"base": "USD",
"rates": {
"XAU": {
"start_rate": 0.000485,
"end_rate": 0.000482,
"change": -3.0e-6,
"change_pct": -0.62
},
"XAG": {
"start_rate": 0.03825,
"end_rate": 0.03815,
"change": -0.0001,
"change_pct": -0.26
},
"XPT": {
"start_rate": 0.000915,
"end_rate": 0.000912,
"change": -3.0e-6,
"change_pct": -0.33
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
This endpoint tracks price fluctuations between two dates. The change and change_pct fields provide insights into how prices have moved, which is essential for traders looking to capitalize on market volatility.
OHLC (Open/High/Low/Close) Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1747526919,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2025-05-18",
"rates": {
"XAU": {
"open": 0.000485,
"high": 0.000487,
"low": 0.000481,
"close": 0.000482
},
"XAG": {
"open": 0.03825,
"high": 0.0383,
"low": 0.0381,
"close": 0.03815
},
"XPT": {
"open": 0.000915,
"high": 0.000918,
"low": 0.00091,
"close": 0.000912
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
The OHLC endpoint provides a comprehensive view of price movements within a specific time frame. The open, high, low, and close fields are crucial for traders who rely on candlestick patterns and other technical analysis tools.
Bid/Ask Endpoint
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1747526919,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2025-05-18",
"rates": {
"XAU": {
"bid": 0.000481,
"ask": 0.000483,
"spread": 2.0e-6
},
"XAG": {
"bid": 0.0381,
"ask": 0.0382,
"spread": 0.0001
},
"XPT": {
"bid": 0.000911,
"ask": 0.000913,
"spread": 2.0e-6
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
The bid/ask endpoint provides current bid and ask prices for metals. The spread is an important metric for traders, as it indicates the cost of executing a trade. Understanding the bid and ask prices helps traders make informed decisions about when to enter or exit positions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Metals-API is a transformative tool for accessing real-time and historical prices of metals like zinc. Its comprehensive suite of endpoints allows developers to build applications that can analyze market trends, track fluctuations, and convert between different metals and currencies. As the metal markets continue to evolve, leveraging such innovative technologies will be essential for staying competitive.
By utilizing the Metals-API, developers can harness the power of data analytics and smart technology integration to create applications that provide valuable insights into the metal markets. Whether you are a trader, investor, or analyst, understanding how to access and interpret this data will empower you to make informed decisions in a rapidly changing environment.
For more information on how to get started with the Metals-API, refer to the Metals-API Documentation and explore the Metals-API Supported Symbols to find the data you need. Embrace the future of metal trading with the power of real-time data at your fingertips.