On March 27, the 2026 SMM (21st) Lead & Zinc Conference and Industry Expo, organized by SMM, wrapped up successfully at Howard Johnson Agile Plaza in Chengdu, Sichuan!
For over two decades, the SMM Lead & Zinc Conference and Industry Expo has been the defining force in the lead and zinc industry. What began as a pivotal meeting point has grown into China’s largest conference and expo, uniting 3,000+ participants, 70+ expert speakers, and 100+ exhibitors.
Featuring six dedicated forums under one roof, the conference has brought together leading enterprises, experts, scholars and government officials from the global lead and zinc industry chain — both in China and overseas — to analyze and decode core drivers shaping the sector, including market trends, price dynamics, policy shifts and technological breakthroughs across the entire supply chain.
- Main Forum
- Global Lead & Zinc Trading & Investment Forum
- Battery Application Market Forum
- Lead & Zinc Market Forces & Strategic Shifts Forum
- Lead & Zinc Green & Smart Technology Forum
- Smelting Technology and Resource Utilization Forum
Throughout the conference, SMM provided live text, photo, and video coverage of the summit.
> Click to View the Photo Gallery of this Conference
Main Forum
Opening Remarks:
Launch Ceremony of the SMM Secondary Lead (Shoutai) Price Center
This launch aligns with the macro trend in the development of the lead industry. Earlier this month, the Shanghai Futures Exchange officially revised its rules to incorporate secondary lead into the futures delivery system, providing enterprises across the industry chain with more comprehensive risk management tools. The launch of the SMM Secondary Lead (Shoutai) Price Center can effectively complement innovation in the futures market.
The spot price index is an important foundation for the effective operation of the futures market. An authoritative and transparent spot price center could provide a more reliable spot anchor for the futures market, helping real-economy enterprises carry out hedging and other operations with greater precision, and jointly build a multi-level, three-dimensional risk management ecosystem for the lead industry chain to support the green and low-carbon transformation and upgrading of the nonferrous metals industry. The launch of the SMM Secondary Lead (Shoutai) Price Center is not only a major highlight of this industry event, but also marks an important step toward a more refined and professional market information service system amid the green transformation of the lead industry and the profound restructuring of the supply chain landscape.
Meanwhile, five award ceremonies were also held during this conference.
- China Lead and Zinc Metal Supply Chain Stability Economics Award
- 2026 SMM Plaque Awarding Ceremony for Price Submitters of Lead Concentrate TCs
- 2026 SMM Plaque Awarding Ceremony for Price Submitters of Lead Ingot Prices
- 2026 SMM Plaque Awarding Ceremony for Price Submitters of Zinc Concentrate TCs
- 2026 SMM Plaque Awarding Ceremony for Price Submitters of Zinc Ingot Prices
March 26
Keynote Speeches at the Main Forum
[Keynote Speech] World's Secondary Lead Market and Operations
Guest Speaker: Mark Stevenson, Technical Director, Global Lead Technologies
[Panel Discussion] Outlook 2026: Global Lead and Zinc Landscape Changes and Solutions
Moderator: Logan Lu, CEO, SMM
Panelists:
Yilong Song, General Manager of Lead, Zinc, Precious & Rare Metals Department, Minmetals Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd.
Zhenqi Wang, General Manager, Xinjiang Zijin Non-Ferrous Metals Co., Ltd.
Xingzheng Dai, Deputy General Manager, Yunnan Chihong Zinc Germanium Co., Ltd.
Yongxiang Zhu, General Manager, Sichuan Chengtun Zinc Germanium Technology Co., Ltd.
[Keynote Speech] New Energy Technology Empowers Green Transformation of the Lead-Zinc Industry
Guest Speaker: Shu Yang, Vice President, WHES Technology Co., Ltd.
March 25
Global Lead & Zinc Trading & Investment Forum
[Keynote Speech] Current Status and Development Trends of the Secondary Lead/Lead-acid Battery Recycling Industry in the Middle East
Guest Speaker: Mohamed Jabir, Director Operations, DUBATT RECYCLING
Rapid Rise in Secondary Lead Exports From the Middle East
• Historically, lead production in the Gulf region was extremely low; scrap was mostly exported;
• At present, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have entered the world’s top 25 lead exporters;
• The UAE’s 2024 export value of lead (lead ingots/alloys) was about $136 million;
• Saudi Arabia’s 2024 lead export value was about $121 million;
• Oman’s 2024 exports doubled (up 102%)
Keynote Speech: Introduction to Overseas Enterprises and Main Businesses
Guest Speaker: Melody Dong, Head of Commodity Research, Appian Capital Advisory LLP
March 25
Battery Application Market Forum
Keynote Speech] Analysis of the Current Export Status of China's Lead-Acid Batteries Under the Impact of Middle East Tariffs
Guest Speaker: Jianhua Ye, Director of Industry Research, SMM
According to SMM forecasts, due to factors such as the SHFE/LME price ratio for lead, changes in tariff policies, the release of new capacity for lead-acid batteries outside China, and the shift and substitution of China’s lead-acid battery exports, lead-acid battery exports are expected to weaken in 2026. Both starter lead-acid batteries and other lead-acid batteries are expected to decline to varying degrees from 2025 levels. As the Middle East is a major export destination for China’s lead-acid batteries, changes in tariff policies in the region in 2026 will affect exports of starter lead-acid batteries there, turning them into a downward trend.
China’s Lead-Acid Battery Exports Increased Year by Year in Recent Years, but Turned Negative in 2025, While the Share of Major Export Destinations Declined
According to customs data, China’s lead-acid battery exports totaled 219 million units in 2025, down 12.79 YoY.
In 2025, China’s lead-acid battery exports were adversely affected by factors including volatile international trade policies, tariff adjustments by multiple countries, and a widening SHFE/LME price ratio for lead, the main raw material for lead-acid batteries. Meanwhile, the share of China’s major export destinations also declined year by year.
[Keynote Speech] Opportunities and Challenges for Lead Batteries Under the Impact of Sodium-Ion and Lithium Batteries
Guest Speaker: Guoyou Hou, General Manager, Qiantan Energy Storage Technology Company
Facing competition from lithium and sodium batteries, lead-acid batteries retain their rigid demand in traditional sectors like low-speed EVs and backup power due to low costs and a mature recycling system. Meanwhile, lithium batteries continue rapid growth in NEVs and energy storage, while sodium-ion batteries enter mass production in 2025, accelerating substitution in lead-acid strongholds. Together, they form a more differentiated competitive landscape.
March 26
Lead & Zinc Market Forces & Strategic Shifts Forum
[Panel Discussion] Discussion on the Lead and Zinc Market in 2026
Moderator: Yueang He, Senior Lead&Zinc Analyst, SMM Global UK Ltd.
Panelists:
Chris Galbraith, Manager, Market Research Department, Teck Resources Limited
Weixin Shen, Chairman, Jiangsu Haibao New Energy Co., Ltd.
Yong Wang, Deputy Manager, Chihong Industry Development(Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Kun Zhang, Deputy Chief Economist, Anhui Jiuhua New Materials Co., Ltd.
Chunlin Wu, Market R&D Center Manager, Chihong Industry Development(Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Xiaomei Zhang, Deputy General Manager and General Manager of the Integrated Trading Department, Shanghai Eagle Metal Materials Co., Ltd.
[Keynote Speech] Analysis of Lead Price Drivers and Market Forecast for 2026
Guest Speaker: Wenming Xia, Senior Analyst at SMM
She stated that, looking ahead to the lead market in 2026, SMM expected lead ingot supply to shift to a slight surplus trend in 2026. Specifically, in Q1 2026, due to the customary mismatch in holiday schedules between upstream and downstream enterprises during the Chinese New Year holiday in China, lead ingot inventories built up as scheduled; in Q2, the traditional off-season for lead-acid batteries will arrive, and coupled with expectations of imported lead arrivals at port, there will also be an inherent risk of inventory buildup, but losses at the smelting end will widen, and smelters will plan maintenance, which might offset the increase in supply, easing the pressure from lead ingot inventory buildup. From Q3 to Q4, the lead consumer market will enter the traditional peak season, which will provide phased consumption support for lead price movements.
Lead & Zinc Green & Smart Technology Forum
Keynote Speech: Technology and Practice of Hematite Iron Removal Process in Zinc Smelting
Guest Speaker: Hongzhen Wang, Chief Engineer, China ENFI Engineering Technology Co., Ltd.
The national “dual carbon” goals, the demand for green development, and industry involution have driven the accelerated transformation and upgrading of zinc smelting processes. Centered on “reduction (leaching) - hematite iron removal,” zinc smelting processes and zinc slag treatment technologies offer advantages such as high metal recovery rates, low energy consumption, waste residue reduction, and iron resource utilization, providing a new process pathway and option for the future green development and process upgrading of the zinc smelting industry. The national “capacity renewal” policy has supported equipment renewal and technological upgrading in the zinc smelting industry.
[Keynote Speech] Analysis of Pumping Challenges in the Lead-Zinc Hydrometallurgy Process and Customized Metal and 5.5 Million Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Pump Solutions
Guest Speaker:, Lei Zhang, Sales Director, Anhui Changyu Pump and Valve Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Development Trends in China's Nonferrous Metals Industry
From 2024 to 2026, the global lead-zinc industry shows supply growing faster than demand, shifting from tight balance to ample supply. ILZSG forecasts a surplus of 93,000 mt for zinc and 82,000 mt for lead in 2025, limiting price upside.
Against this backdrop, China’s role has grown more pronounced. As the world’s largest producer and consumer, China is expected to see modest demand recovery in 2025 supported by infrastructure investment, while smelting capacity continues expanding, shifting its role from a major demand country to a key hub with export capability.
March 27
Smelting Technology and Comprehensive Resource Utilization Forum
[Panel Discussion] How to Strengthen "Core Capabilities"? Exploring New Forms of the Lead-Zinc Industry
Moderator: Liang Xu, Chief Engineer, China ENFI Engineering Technology Co., Ltd.
Panelists:
Hongjun Fang, Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer, Henan Wanyang Zinc Industry Co., Ltd.
Chen Chunlin, PhD, Yunnan Chihong Zn & Ge Co., Ltd.
Changmao Liao, Head of the Technology R&D Department, Sichuan Chengtun Zinc & Germanium Technology Co., Ltd.
Yongming Chen, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, Central South University
Ling Zhang, Chief Engineer of Chalco Group at Changsha Engineering & Research Institute Ltd. of Nonferrous Metallurgy and Deputy Director of the Scientific Research Center of Changsha Institute
Check-in & Exhibition Tour Activities
Networking among Upstream and Downstream Players in the Lead and Zinc Industry
The exhibition zone hosted more than 100 exhibitors, including DUBATT, a leading UAE‑based lead recycling company, which joined us at Booth B29. Visitors not only engaged in in-depth discussions with industry peers on the latest market insights and trends, but also received exquisite gifts on site.
Field Trip
SMM organized an 8-day field trip, visiting 8 leading enterprises in China's lead-zinc industry in Chengdu, Kunming, Qujing, Honghe and Shaoguan. On the afternoon of March 27th, it led the members of Nyrstar, Nexa Resources and Befesa to visit Sichuan COSCO Shipping Logistics Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd.
The 2026 SMM (21st) Lead&Zinc Conference and Industry Expo has successfully concluded. We would like to express our gratitude to all industry colleagues for your support. See you next year!
