World's Largest Zinc Mine, world record in Alaska, United States

October 8, 2025

Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, United States--The Red Dog Mine in Alaska, United States, operated by the Canadian mining company Teck Resources on land owned by the NANA Regional Corporation, produces significant amounts of zinc, lead, and silver; the mine accounts for 10% of the world's zinc production, setting the world record for being the World's Largest Zinc Mine, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"The world's largest zinc mine is the Red Dog Mine in Alaska, United States, operated by Teck Resources, which produces significant amounts of zinc, lead, and silver. Other major zinc mines include the Rampura Agucha mine in India and the Antamina mine in Peru. (AI Overview)

Here are the top zinc mines:

Red Dog Mine

Location: Alaska, United States.
Operator: Teck Resources.
Details: A large open-pit mine that has been a top zinc producer, accounting for a significant portion of global output.

"Zinc mining is the process by which mineral forms of the metal zinc are extracted from the earth through mining. A zinc mine is a mine that produces zinc minerals in ore as its primary product. Common co-products in zinc ores include minerals of lead and silver.

"Global zinc mine production in 2020 was estimated to be 12 million tonnes. The largest producers were China (35%), Australia (12%), Peru (10%), India (6.0%), United States (5.6%) and Mexico (5.0%), with Australia having the largest reserves.

"The world's largest zinc mine is the Red Dog open-pit zinc-lead-silver mine in Alaska, with 4.2% of world production. Major zinc mine operators include Vedanta Resources, Glencore, BHP, Teck Resources, Sumitomo, Nexa Resources, Boliden AB, and China Minmetals." (Wikipedia)

"The Red Dog mine is a large zinc and lead mine located in the CDP of Red Dog Mine, part of the Northwest Arctic Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. Located about 80 miles (130 km) north of Kotzebue, the facility is operated by the Canadian mining company Teck Resources on land owned by the NANA Regional Corporation.

"The mine is the world's largest producer of zinc and has the world's largest zinc reserves. Red Dog accounts for 10% of the world's zinc production. Red Dog accounted for 66% of the mineral value produced in Alaska in 2018. In 2008 the mine produced 515,200 metric tons (507,100 LT; 567,900 ST) of zinc, 122,600 metric tons (120,700 LT; 135,100 ST) of lead, and 283 metric tons (9,100,000 ozt) of silver, for a total metal value of over one billion dollars.

"At the end of 2008 the mine had reserves of 61,400,000 metric tons (60,400,000 LT; 67,700,000 ST) of zinc at a grade of 17.1% and 61,400,000 tonnes (60,400,000 LT; 67,700,000 ST) of lead at a grade of 4.5%, as well as significant additional zinc and lead in the less well-measured resource category." (Wikipedia)

"Teck Resources Ltd.'s Red Dog Mine in Alaska produced a whopping 555,600 metric tons (1.22 billion pounds) of zinc during 2024, accounting for roughly 5% of all the galvanizing metal mined on Earth last year.

"The phenomenal Northwest Alaska zinc-lead-silver-germanium mine, however, has reached its apex. Over the coming years, Red Dog's output and status as the world's largest zinc-producing mine is expected to fade as crews mop up the last of the ore that has fed the mill for more than three decades," the North of 60 Mining News reports.

"Red Dog Operations is one of the world's largest zinc mines, located about 170 kilometers (105 miles) north of the Arctic Circle in northwest Alaska, near Kotzebue," the Tech Resources Limited says.

"In 1982, Red Dog Operations was developed through an innovative operating agreement between the operator Teck and the land-owner NANA, a Regional Alaska Native corporation owned by the Iñupiat of northwest Alaska. The mine and concentrator properties are leased from, and were developed under the agreement with NANA.

"Red Dog is an open-pit truck-and-loader operation, using conventional drill and blast mining methods. Concentrates produced at Red Dog are shipped to our metallurgical facilities in Trail, British Columbia, and to customers in Asia and Europe."

"The second largest mining deal in world history, announced last week, could hand one of Alaska’s largest mines — and a linchpin of the economy of Northwest Alaska — to a new operator," the Alaska Beacon reports.

"Canada-based Teck Resources, which has long operated Northwest Alaska’s massive Red Dog zinc mine, and United Kingdom-based Anglo American said on Sep. 8 that they intend to merge into a $53 billion giant.

"The new company, to be called Anglo Teck, would take control of Red Dog, a major driver of the regional economy and an important source of revenue for the Northwest Arctic Borough and Alaska Native corporations across the state."

"The Red Dog Mine is located in the DeLong Mountains north of Noatak, about 90 miles north of Kotzebue and approximately 55 miles inland from the Chukchi Sea, in the western end of the Brooks Range of Northern Alaska.

"Red Dog mine is located on land owned by the NANA Regional Corporation, Inc. Teck Cominco Alaska Inc. operates the mine. Operations began in 1989," the State of Alaska says.

"The Red Dog mine is a large lead and zinc mine, located in northwest Alaska. The mine is the world’s largest producer of zinc and has the largest zinc reserves in the world," NASA says.

"The mine is operated by the Canadian mining company Teck Resources on land owned by the NANA Regional Corporation, a Native American entity. Profits are split equally between the two partners.

(The image was acquired June 24, 2024, covers an area of 11.1 by 11.3 km, and is located at 68.1 degrees north, 162.9 degrees west.)

"NANA’s lands are rich with mineral resources and metal deposits. Responsible resource development provides a sustainable economic base for NANA and the region," NANA Regional Corporation says.

Red Dog Mine produces zinc and lead.
The Ambler Mining District contains deposits of copper, gold, lead, zinc, silver and cobalt.
The Upper Kobuk area includes Bornite, an under-explored copper deposit, and Arctic, one of the highest-grade copper deposits.

Red Dog Mine

Production at the Red Dog Mine started in 1989, under an innovative operating agreement between NANA, the land owner, and Teck Alaska, the mine operator. The mine was founded on the principles of consensus, cooperation and mutual respect.

Photos: World's Largest Zinc Mine, world record in Alaska, United States

(1) NANA Regional Corporation

(2,3,4) NANA Regional Corporation

(5) NANA Regional Corporation

(6) Based on an evaluation of the permafrost and soil on the site, ground improvements were identified as a prudent measure to counteract the effects of potential melting permafrost. To this end, BAUER Foundation Corp. was tasked by Teck with carrying out field tests using the jet grouting and Cutter Soil Mixing (CSM) methods. Bauer Group

(7) Red Dog Operations is one of the world's largest zinc mines, located in northwest Alaska, USA./Teck Resources

(8) The Red Dog open pit mine in northwestern Alaska, a major zinc producer. Photo: Karen Duttweiler Kelley/U.S. Geological Survey

(9) Red Dog Mine, Alaska./NASA

(10) NANA Natural Resources