New environmental checks barely affect operation of licensed secondary lead smelters

SHANGHAI, May 17 (SMM) – Licensed smelters of secondary lead across Anhui, Henan and Jiangsu provinces maintained regular operation in the week to Friday May 17, with minimal impact from the recent environmental probes, which mainly targeted small, unlicensed smelters. 

SMM data showed that the operating rates across licensed secondary lead smelters across the three areas averaged 51.31% in the week through May 17, flat from the previous week. 

This week, smelters in Anhui operated at an average rate of 41.31%, smelters in Henan at 65.83%, and Jiangsu smelters at 50%.

About 100-200 mt of secondary lead output at unlicensed smelters was affected per day in Guangdong province, after Beijing-led environmental inspection teams visited the province this week. The impact was relatively small as a falling lead market had kept unlicensed smelters operating at lows before the checks. Large smelters of secondary lead in Guangdong saw minimal impact.

In Jiangxi provide, a couple of licensed secondary smelters were ordered to close, for no longer than four days, SMM learned.