Operating rates across primary lead smelters fall on week

SHANGHAI, Jan 4 (SMM) – Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces averaged 57.8% in the week through January 4, down 1.5 percentage points from the previous week, SMM data showed.

Rates across plants in Henan slid 1.2 percentage points to 79.9% as a medium-sized plant lowered its output by 400 mt per week after the year-end rush to meet annual production target ended.

Rates across plants in Hunan dipped 0.7 percentage point to 41.2% as one plant cut its output by 150 mt per week.

Rates across plants in Yunnan slipped 2.9 percentage points to 34.1% as weekly output across the region shrank some 500 mt from the previous week.

In the first week of 2019, most large primary smelters held output unchanged from levels before the new year. Some plants are likely to begin to lower their daily output from mid-January.

SMM also learned that a plant in Hunan might begin annual maintenance from Chinese New Year.