China's antimony ingot output grew

According to SMM survey statistics, China's antimony ingot output (including antimony ingot, crude antimony equivalent, antimony cathode, etc.) in May 2024 was 6,497.93 mt, up 6.77% MoM from 6,086.115 mt in April. After a significant rebound in antimony ingot output in April, the output in May increased slightly again, in line with market expectations. However, the output still did not recover to above the 7,000 mt mark. Due to raw material shortages and the arrival of environmental protection inspection teams in Hunan, some manufacturers stopped production. A few manufacturers increased or decreased output, but no manufacturers resumed production. Currently, raw material resources are still relatively concentrated in the hands of a few manufacturers, and many manufacturers still find it difficult to resume production or continue to increase production.

Among the 33 surveyed enterprises by SMM, 18 manufacturers stopped production, an increase of 5 compared to the previous month; 11 manufacturers reduced output, a decrease of 8 compared to the previous month; 4 manufacturers maintained normal output, an increase of 3 compared to the previous month. SMM expects that the domestic output of antimony ingot in June 2024 will likely increase slightly compared to May, but the extent of the increase will depend on changes in the supply of imported and domestic antimony raw materials.

Note: Since May 2022, SMM has published the domestic output of antimony ingot (including antimony ingot, crude antimony equivalent, antimony cathode, etc.). Thanks to SMM's high coverage rate of the antimony industry, SMM's survey includes 33 antimony ingot production enterprises, distributed in 8 provinces nationwide, with a total sample capacity of over 20,000 mt, and a total capacity coverage rate of over 99%.