Domestic zinc concentrate survey enterprises coverage rate rose to 62.31%, operating rates in March increased by 26.21%

SHANGHAI, Apr 20 (SMM) — SMM has adjusted the sample size of zinc concentrate enterprises to 147 companies in January. The sample production capacity was 3.25 million mt/year in metal content (coverage rate reached 62.31%), of which idle production capacity stood at 348,000 mt/year in metal content. The following unified name is the new sample enterprise of domestic zinc concentrate.

Note: SMM monthly report, database, data package are still the old sample enterprise data of domestic zinc concentrate. The new sample data will be presented in Renrenkan.

New sample: according to SMM survey, output of zinc concentrate in March was 285,100 mt (Zn content), up 26.21% month-on-month or 59,200 mt (Zn content), and the comprehensive operating rates of zinc concentrate were 64.9%, up 13.5 month-on-month.

Output of SMM zinc concentrate in April stand at 317,500 mt (Zn content), up 11.34% month-on-month or 32,300 mt (Zn content). According to the SMM survey, most of the mines that stopped production during CNY have resumed normal production. Some mines resumed their mining systems in March, and beneficiation plants resumed production in mid-April, which is in line with the seasonal production pace. Under the influence of Inner Mongolia’s energy consumption control policy, a mine in reduced production by two-thirds to 3,180 mt in metal content in March. In April, the policy has no impact on mines and the output rose 10,000 mt in metal content, which contributed to the main increment in April. Guangxi,Yunnan and Guizhou mines offered the remaining increase with the restoration of the beneficiation system, while mines in high-altitude areas planned to resume normal production in May and June. Arrivals of imported zinc ore in April and May are expected to return to a high level during the year. With the recovery of the overall domestic zinc ore supply, the raw materials at smelters will be significantly supplemented.