SHANGHAI, May 28 (SMM) – China's refined copper output increased by 15,000 tonnes on the month in April, a survey of 24 large Chinese copper smelters undertaken by Shanghai Metals Market showed. The result largely differs from a 10,000-tonne decline reported by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The NBS data revealed China produced 584,300 tonnes of refined copper in April.

Several reasaons were behind the higher output during April, including completion of maintenace at Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group's Jinchang smelter in Gansu, and rising production at new projects of Henan Yuguang Gold and Lead Co., Guangxi Jinchuan Nonferrous Metals Co., as well as Northern Copper Industry Co.

Ample raw material supply also allowed smelters to run at high operating rates. China registered a 22.2% spike in its copper concentrate imports year-on-year through the first four months of this year, and import volumes of anode copper and blister copper also surged 28.81% in the first quarter.

With new capacity continuing to come online throughout the year, the accumulative growth in refined copper output is expected to accelerate from the same period last year.