Primary lead smelters operating rates rose to 56.9% this week

SHANGHAI, Feb 5(SMM) — Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces gained 0.9 percentage point from the previous week to 56.9% in the week ended February 5, showed an SMM survey.

The average operating rate rose 3.9 percentage points to 72.2% in Henan as Henan Xinling resumed some production. Henan Shibin reduced output slightly due to equipment maintenance, and is expected to recover after the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday.

The average operating rates lost 7.2 percentage points to 42.7% as Hunan Yuteng overhauled its crude lead production line, and Shuihoushan started a 10-to-15-day maintenance this week.

Yunnan Mengzi recovered from maintenance this week, and Zhenxing Lead stepped up production, which lifted the average operating rate in Yunnan by 5 percentage points to 40.2%.