Exclusive: China's silicon metal output stood at 230,000 mt in June

SHANGHAI, Jul 8 (SMM) – SMM data showed that China's silicon metal output stood at 230,000 mt in June, up 41,000 mt or 21.7% from the previous month. Output of the other producing areas except for Xinjiang increased in varying degrees on a month-on-month basis. China's silicon metal output stood at 1.25 million mt in January-June, up 38.1% year on year.

Silicon plants in the southwest production area resumed production due to the arrival of the flood season. Most of the silicon plants in Sichuan have started construction, while the silicon plants in Yunnan did not start production until after the Dragon Boat Festival holiday due to power curtailments. Output in Yunnan increased by only 12,000 mt in June from the previous month, down 64% year on year.

In addition to the seasonal recovery of production capacity in Sichuan and Yunnan, production in the remaining production areas mostly increased month on month under the stimulus of profit. Only Xinjiang's production slightly decreased by 2% month on month due to safety rectification. The reduced production capacity is expected to resume in early July.

Yunnan's output will gradually increase from July to August, and it is expected that China's silicon metal output will increase to around 293,000 mt in July, maintaining a year-on-year growth.