SMM, February 21:
During the week, lead prices declined, prompting stores and scrap battery recyclers to sell off due to fears of further price drops. The delivery of raw materials to secondary lead smelters improved, with some companies reporting an increase in vehicles queuing for unloading and a surge in raw material inventory. Meanwhile, companies lowered their procurement prices for scrap batteries by 50-100 yuan/mt. As of February 21, 2025, the mainstream tax-inclusive procurement price for scrap EV batteries ranged between 9,950-10,150 yuan/mt.
The production of secondary crude lead by smelting enterprises remained limited, with scarce supply and high costs. Some quotations were inverted compared to secondary refined lead. As of February 21, 2025, the mainstream tax-inclusive delivery-to-factory price ranged between 16,650-16,800 yuan/mt.
