China primary lead output inched up 1.1% in May

SHANGHAI, Jun 8 (SMM) – China’s primary lead output continued to rise in May as a rally in lead prices lifted sentiment among smelters, but the growth in production was moderate as gains on recovery from maintenance were largely offset by losses caused by new maintenance.

The output increased 1.07% from April to 265,000 mt in May, 5.13% higher than the same month of 2019, showed an SMM survey. Output in the first five months of 2020 was 2.42% lower than the same period the year before, compared to a decline of 4.3% in the January-to-April period.

Smelters including Henan Minshan and West Mining ramped up production from maintenance last month, while there were maintenance works going on in Anhui Tongguan, Yunnan Mengzi and Chifeng Shanjin.

China’s production of primary lead is expected to increase to 272,000 mt in June following the end of maintenance at some smelters, with the growth limited by ongoing production line upgrading in Henan Yuguang and routine maintenance at Yunnan Chihong and Hunan Jingui.