SHANGHAI, May 9 (SMM) - China’s refined zinc production fell to 413,000 tonnes in April 2017, a drop of 3.95% month-on-month and 5.92% year-on-year, SMM data show. Total refined zinc output in the first four months of the year was 1.711 million tonnes, a fall of 1.84% on a yearly basis.

Lower zinc prices and domestic zinc concentrate TCs ate into profit at domestic zinc smelters. Besides, enhanced environmental protection in some regions affected mine production, tightening raw material supply for zinc smelters. An increasing number of smelters chose to conduct maintenance, SMM understands.

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China’s refined zinc production may slide further to 406,000 tonnes in May. Ongoing environmental protection inspections in Huayuan County, Hunan Province and Sichuan Province, combined with raw material supply tightness, will force smelters to undertake maintenance, SMM said. 

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