Antimony smelting at Hunan Anhua Zhazixi Mining is expected to halt production in July [reported by SMM]

According to SMM news on June 25, official sources indicated that the antimony smelting operations of Hunan Anhua Zhazixi Mining Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hunan Gold Group, are planned to be suspended in July, affecting antimony production by over 500 mt. Since entering June, a large number of antimony smelters have halted production, including many domestic flagship smelters. Based on the current operational status of over 30 antimony smelters tracked nationwide by SMM, approximately 20 are currently in a state of suspension. Market participants have expressed that, as Hunan Anhua Zhazixi Mining Co., Ltd. is also a domestic flagship antimony smelter, the suspension in July may lead to a continued decline in domestic antimony production. Coupled with the current situation where ore resources are both expensive and difficult to procure, the antimony market prices are showing a clear trend of stabilization in the near term.