Secondary lead smelters operating rates rose on production resumption at smelters

SHANGHAI, Mar 5 (SMM) – Operating rates across licensed smelters of secondary lead in Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Guizhou averaged 56.5% in the week ended March 5, up 7.3 percentage points from the previous week, showed an SMM survey.

The average operating rate remained unchanged on the week at 69.5% in Anhui.

Henan Jinli ramped up production after CNY, and Huarui recovered to operate at full capacity this week, which lifted local average operating rate by 21.7 percentage points to 77.2%.

The average operating rate in Jiangsu gained 28 percentage points week on week to 46.7%, as New Chunxin stepped up production after procurements of battery scrap recovered.

Guizhou Sanhe, Dingxin and Jinlong were all required to suspend production on concerns of environmental protection, which reduced local operating rate by 10.5 percentage points to 2.4%.

Secondary lead operating rates are expected to be stable or rise slightly next week.