Secondary lead smelters operating rates declined on environmental inspections

SHANGHAI, Dec 25 (SMM) – Operating rates across licensed smelters of secondary lead in Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Guizhou averaged 47.6% in the week ended December 25, down 6.5 percentage points from the previous week, showed an SMM survey. 

The average operating rate in Anhui gained 0.7 percentage point on the week to 47.1% as Anhui Dahua recovered from maintenance.

The average operating rate in Henan lost 11.6 percentage points to 70.8% as Jinli reduced output and Yuguang only have one production line in operation.

Guizhou Jinlong, Sanhe, Dingxin, Yongxin and Huoqiling were required to restrict production by 50% for environmental inspections, which significantly lowered the average operating rate in Guizhou by 27 percentage points to 45.1%.

The average operating rate remained unchanged at 33.3% in Jiangsu.

Operating rates are expected to be stable or to rise slightly next week as the environmental inspections in Guizhou is likely to last to the end of this year while the resumption date for Henan Yuguang is undetermined.