SMM Minor Metals Summit: 2019 unlikely to see new smelters amid environmental restrictions

CHENZHOU, Apr 3 (SMM) – The minor metals industry in China is unlikely to see new smelting capacity come online in 2019 as the government continues its efforts in environmental protection, said Huang Di, senior minor metals analyst at SMM.

The growth of base metals sector will keep supplies of raw materials for minor metals sufficient, as many of minor metals are companion metals associated with base metals minerals, Huang told delegates at the SMM Minor Metals Summit on Wednesday April 3 in Chenzhou, Hunan province.

With capacity expansion across copper, zinc and lead smelting, supplies of indium, selenium, bismuth, tellurium are likely to grow this year.

As environmental restrictions started from a couple of years ago have phased out a raft of small, substandard minor metals plants, most existing firms have passed environmental checks and their production is insusceptible to environmental probes.

Huang sees a possible increase in tellurium output in anticipation of growing demand.