* Zinc shortfall expected starting in 2013
* Very few producing juniors left, mid-tiers may be next
By Julie Gordon and Aftab Ahmed
TORONTO/BANGALORE, June 28 (Reuters) - Zinc producers are betting on higher prices in coming years, bringing a possible round of consolidation as miners jockey to reap the benefits.
Even though experts predict a surplus of zinc this year, they expect prices to rise within the next two years, and refiners, mid-sized miners and major producers are already looking for juniors to snap up.
"I think zinc is a 2013 story," Stifel Nicolaus analyst George Topping said of the price of zinc, which is used to galvanize metals and prevent rust. "But if you're an industry player you need to be in earlier. Beat the rush."
Names like Trevali Mining and even mid-tier producer Lundin Mining crop up as potential targets, given that some company valuations have fallen as zinc prices sag.
The metal is down more than 6 percent at $2,273 a tonne so far this year and well off the 2006 high over $4,500.
If there is a rush coming, Belgian producer Nyrstar (NYR.BR: Quote) is ahead of it. It bid C$663 million ($674 million), including a dividend, for Canadian miner Breakwater Resources last month and bought Farallon Mining late last year.
The Breakwater bid will push Nyrstar closer to its goal of mining at least 50 percent of the concentrate that feeds its smelters around the world and it has focused attention squarely on the long-stagnant zinc industry.
"Nyrstar has been buying smaller zinc deposits over the last two years, but the move on Breakwater brought their strategy to the market's attention," said Topping. "If they're buying you have to take note of that. They're the experts."
At first sight it's an odd time to buy up juniors, given that zinc stocks in LME warehouses are at their highest level since 1995 and the International Lead and Zinc Study Group expects global refined production to exceed demand for the fifth year running in 2011.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
For a graphic on top zinc mining countries
r.reuters.com/jaj42s
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
About Canada Zinc Metals Corp.
Canada Zinc Metals is a mineral exploration company focused on unlocking the potential of a future long life mining district in British Columbia, Canada. The Company is the dominant land holder in a world class mineral belt called the Kechika Trough which hosts in excess of 80 million tonnes of base metal resources.
Canada Zinc Metals owns a total of 78,526 hectares in 233 claims which extend northwestward from the Akie property for a distance of 125 km.
The Company has filed a NI 43-101 report supporting the estimated inferred resource of 23.6 million tonnes grading 7.6% Zn, 1.5% Pb and 13.0 g/t Ag (at a 5% Zn cut off grade) at its flagship Akie property. Using this estimate, the deposit contains 3.95 billion pounds of zinc, 780 million pounds of lead and 8.95 million ounces of silver. The deposit remains open in all directions.
Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group and Lundin Mining are significant shareholders of the Company.
Please visit us at www.canadazincmetals.com