It is understood that this week (September 11–17, 2026), the combined operating rate of primary lead smelters across the three provinces was 65.86%, up 2.34 percentage points WoW.
This week, a large primary lead smelter in Hunan completed maintenance and resumed normal production, driving the weekly operating rate higher. A mid-sized primary lead smelter in Yunnan continued to ramp up production following its production resumption, also contributing to the increase in the operating rate. In Henan, mid-sized and large smelters remained under maintenance, with some enterprises carrying out equipment upgrades expected to conclude as early as next week. Additionally, a large smelter in Inner Mongolia is about to complete maintenance, and the operating rate of primary lead smelters is expected to rise further going forward.
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