Lead-Zinc Mines in Guangdong Yangshan Close on Safety Inspections

SHANGHAI, Feb. 5 (SMM) – Lead-Zinc Mines in Yangshan County, in the northwestern part of Guangdong Province, all have closed due to the ongoing safety inspections, according to Shanghai Metals Market sources. 

The local government launched the county-wide inspections on production safety after a flooding accident happened at one local mine, called Wugongtou Lead-Zinc Mine, on Jan. 19. 

The inspections will continue to March 30, SMM understands.  

The round of production suspension at those mines is expected to have little impact on overall lead concentrate supply, SMM foresees, due to small-size mines and healthy inventories at lead and zinc smelters sourcing goods from those mines.  

There are five lead-zinc mines in the region, all small ones. 

These mines, with high zinc content, and low lead content, are able to produce 1,000-1,500 tonnes of zinc concentrate and 500 tonnes of lead concentrate, respectively, per month, both on metal content basis, according to SMM.   

Guangdong produced 69,000 tonnes of lead concentrate and 139,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate in 2014, according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, also both on metal content basis.