Weekly operating rate of primary lead smelters (July 11, 2025 - July 17, 2025) [SMM Weekly Review of Primary Lead Smelting Operating Rates]

This week (July 11, 2025 - July 17, 2025), the operating rate of primary lead in the three provinces fell by 1.06 percentage points WoW to 65.82%. A smelter in Henan province implemented minor production cuts due to routine maintenance before the new crude lead capacity was put into stable operation. Smelters that had previously undergone maintenance and production cuts resumed production this week, but production had not yet stabilized. Spot supply in Henan was briefly tight, with pre-sales and cargo pick-up observed. Overall, operating rates in Hunan and Yunnan provinces remained stable. Outside the sample of the three provinces, a smelter in north China undergoing routine maintenance is expected to resume production as scheduled next week, while another smelter in east China may implement a longer-term maintenance plan in Q4.