End of maintenance, improved profits boosted operation across primary lead smelters

SHANGHAI, Oct 11 (SMM) – Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces rebounded this week as higher treatment charges for domestic and seaborne concentrates improved margins at smelters, and as smelters in Henan and Yunnan returned from maintenance. 

An SMM survey indicated that the average run-rate across primary lead smelters in the three provinces climbed 2.9 percentage points from the week ended September 27 to stand at 59.6% in the week ending Friday October 11.

Operation accelerated in all the three areas as the average operating rate in Yunnan advanced 9.1 percentage points during the period to 37.8%, with the rates in Henan and Hunan rising 1 percentage point and 2.2 percentage points, respectively, to 76.2% and 43.3%.