How to efficiently Get LME Zinc (LME-ZNC) prices using this API
Introduction
In today's fast-paced financial landscape, accessing real-time data is crucial for making informed decisions. For those interested in the metal markets, particularly Zinc (LME-ZNC), leveraging an efficient API can significantly enhance your ability to track prices and market trends. The Metals-API provides a robust solution for developers looking to integrate real-time and historical data into their applications. This blog post will explore the intricacies of Zinc, its markets, and how the Metals-API can be utilized to access LME Zinc prices effectively.
Metals-API Information
About Zinc (XZN)
Zinc, represented by the symbol XZN, plays a vital role in various industries, including construction, automotive, and electronics. As a key component in galvanization, Zinc protects steel from corrosion, making it indispensable in infrastructure development. The digital transformation in metal markets has led to a surge in technological innovations, allowing for better data analytics and insights into market trends.
With the integration of smart technologies, stakeholders can now access real-time data, enabling them to make informed decisions swiftly. The future of Zinc trading is poised for further advancements, with possibilities such as automated trading systems and enhanced predictive analytics becoming more prevalent. As developers, understanding how to harness these technologies through APIs like Metals-API is essential for staying competitive in the market.
API Description
The Metals-API is designed to provide developers with seamless access to real-time and historical metal prices, including Zinc. This API empowers users to build next-generation applications that can analyze market trends, perform currency conversions, and retrieve historical data. With its focus on innovation and technological advancement, the Metals-API transforms how developers interact with metal market data.
For comprehensive guidance on utilizing the API, the Metals-API Documentation is an invaluable resource. It outlines the various endpoints available, including the latest rates, historical data, and conversion functionalities, ensuring that developers can implement the API effectively.
Key Features and Endpoints
The Metals-API boasts a variety of endpoints, each designed to cater to specific needs in the metal market. Here are some of the key features:
- Latest Rates Endpoint: Depending on your subscription plan, this endpoint provides real-time exchange rate data for metals, updated every 60 minutes or more frequently. This feature is crucial for traders who need up-to-the-minute pricing information.
- Historical Rates Endpoint: Access historical rates dating back to 2019 by appending a specific date to your query. This is particularly useful for analyzing trends over time and making informed predictions.
- Bid And Ask Endpoint: Retrieve real-time bid and ask prices for metals, allowing traders to understand market dynamics better and make strategic decisions.
- Convert Endpoint: This feature enables users to convert any amount from one metal to another or to/from USD, facilitating easier transactions across different currencies.
- Time-Series Endpoint: Query the API for daily historical rates between two dates of your choice, providing insights into price movements over specific periods.
- Fluctuation Endpoint: Track how metal prices fluctuate on a day-to-day basis, which is essential for understanding market volatility.
- Lowest/Highest Price Endpoint: This endpoint allows users to query the API for the lowest and highest prices over a specified period, aiding in market analysis.
- Open/High/Low/Close (OHLC) Price Endpoint: Get detailed OHLC data for a specific time period, which is crucial for technical analysis.
- Historical LME Endpoint: Access historical rates for LME symbols dating back to 2008, providing a long-term view of market trends.
- API Key: Your unique API key is essential for accessing the API and should be included in your requests to authenticate your access.
- API Response: The API delivers exchange rates relative to USD by default, ensuring consistency in data interpretation.
- Available Endpoints: The Metals-API offers 14 different endpoints, each serving a unique function, allowing for extensive data retrieval.
- Supported Symbols Endpoint: This constantly updated endpoint returns all available metal symbols, ensuring you have the latest information at your fingertips.
- News Endpoint: Retrieve the latest news articles related to various metals, keeping you informed about market developments.
List of Symbols
The Metals-API provides access to a comprehensive range of metal symbols. For a complete list of all supported symbols and their specifications, refer to the Metals-API Supported Symbols page.
API Endpoint Examples and Responses
Understanding the API's response structure is crucial for effective implementation. Below are examples of various endpoints and their JSON responses:
Latest Rates Endpoint
Get real-time exchange rates for all available metals.
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1767658104,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2026-01-06",
"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"
}
This response indicates the success of the request, the timestamp of the data, the base currency (USD), and the rates for various metals, including Zinc (XZN).
Historical Rates Endpoint
Access historical exchange rates for any date since 1999.
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1767571704,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2026-01-05",
"rates": {
"XAU": 0.000485,
"XAG": 0.03825,
"XPT": 0.000915,
"XPD": 0.000748
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
This response provides historical rates for the specified date, allowing for trend analysis.
Time-series Endpoint
Get exchange rates for a specific time period.
{
"success": true,
"timeseries": true,
"start_date": "2025-12-30",
"end_date": "2026-01-06",
"base": "USD",
"rates": {
"2025-12-30": {
"XAU": 0.000485,
"XAG": 0.03825,
"XPT": 0.000915
},
"2026-01-01": {
"XAU": 0.000483,
"XAG": 0.0382,
"XPT": 0.000913
},
"2026-01-06": {
"XAU": 0.000482,
"XAG": 0.03815,
"XPT": 0.000912
}
},
"unit": "per troy ounce"
}
This response shows the exchange rates for a specified time period, which is useful for analyzing trends over time.
Convert Endpoint
Convert any amount from one metal to another or to/from USD.
{
"success": true,
"query": {
"from": "USD",
"to": "XAU",
"amount": 1000
},
"info": {
"timestamp": 1767658104,
"rate": 0.000482
},
"result": 0.482,
"unit": "troy ounces"
}
This response indicates the successful conversion of an amount from USD to Gold (XAU), providing the conversion rate and result.
Fluctuation Endpoint
Track rate fluctuations between two dates.
{
"success": true,
"fluctuation": true,
"start_date": "2025-12-30",
"end_date": "2026-01-06",
"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 response provides insights into how prices have fluctuated over a specified period, which is essential for traders looking to capitalize on market movements.
OHLC (Open/High/Low/Close) Endpoint
Get OHLC data for a specific time period.
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1767658104,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2026-01-06",
"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"
}
This response provides detailed OHLC data for specific metals, which is crucial for technical analysis and trading strategies.
Bid/Ask Endpoint
Get current bid and ask prices for metals.
{
"success": true,
"timestamp": 1767658104,
"base": "USD",
"date": "2026-01-06",
"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"
}
This response provides the current bid and ask prices for various metals, allowing traders to make informed decisions based on market conditions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Metals-API offers a powerful tool for developers looking to access real-time and historical data for Zinc and other metals. By understanding the various endpoints and their functionalities, developers can create applications that provide valuable insights into market trends and price fluctuations. The integration of this API into your projects can enhance decision-making processes and improve overall market analysis.
For further exploration of the API's capabilities, refer to the Metals-API Documentation and the Metals-API Supported Symbols page. By leveraging the power of real-time data, you can stay ahead in the competitive landscape of metal trading.