Primary lead smelters operating rates rose this week

SHANGHAI, August 21 (SMM) — Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces averaged 57.3% in the week ended August 21, up 0.9 percentage point from the previous week, showed an SMM survey.

The average operating rate for smelters in Henan gained 1.9 percentage point to 71.5%, and rates for Yunnan and Hunan remained unchanged at 35.8% and 47.2% respectively. 

Henan Jinli’s crude lead production lines were still under maintenance this week, but output increased steadily as it purchased crude lead. Hunan Jingui plans to restart production in September, and West Mining’s lead smelting system may undergo maintenance at the end of August.