Last month, the capacity in operation reduced in Xinjiang, Sichuan and Shaanxi. Continued raw materials shortage kept major silicon plants in Xinjiang from resuming the capacity that has been shut down since February. Meanwhile, falling silicon prices prompted some medium-scale producers to cut output or undergo maintenance in the second half of March. 

Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces averaged 53.8% in the week ended April 3, up 1.3 percentage points from the prior week, showed an SMM survey.

In early February, raw materials shortage due to suspended logistics and disrupted operations at mines weighed on production at silicon mills in Xinjiang, Sichuan, Guizhou and Heilongjiang. This outweighed ramped-up production in Fujian, Guangxi and Chongqing and accounted for the declines in overall operating rates in February.

Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces averaged 46.6% in the week ended February 28, up 2.8 percentage points from the prior week, showed an SMM survey.

Overall inventories of silicon metal remained in a downward trend as of February 28, but inventory at ports increased as the resumption of motor traffic in south China accelerated the shipments of...

The average operating rate stood at 12.6% in the week ended February 14, flat from last week, showed an SMM survey

The volume of silicon deliveries from warehouses at ports rebounded this week as export trades picked up

Shibin in Henan, Shuikoushan Jinxin in Hunan and Honghe Zhenxing in Yunnan have decided to delay their resumption

Operating rates across Jiangsu, Anhui and Henan provinces averaged 15.5% in the week ended February 7

This marked a fourth consecutive week of decline in battery maker operations