SHANGHAI, Dec 7 (SMM) – Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces averaged 54.4% in the week through December 7, up 3 percentage points from the previous week, SMM data showed.
Smelters in Henan operated 5.9 percentage points higher this week, at 76.9%, as smelters resumed operation gradually after maintenance and environmental cutbacks. Some smelters have not reached full production on equipment testing.
Average operating rates across smelters in Hunan rose 2 percentage points to 40.5% this week as some smelters resumed full operation after tight supplies of raw materials eased.
A large-sized smelter in Yunnan lowered its planned daily output for December as it approached its annual production targets. This declined overall operating rates across Yunnan smelters by 1.5 percentage point, to 26.6%, on the week.
SMM learned that environmental impact on production of crude lead pushed most primary smelters to purchase crude lead, in order to guarantee annual production.
