Henan, Hebei secondary lead smelters resume operations as environmental review ends

SHANGHAI, Jun 27 (SMM) – Some secondary lead smelters in Henan and Hebei provinces have partially resumed operations last week, while the rest are expected to restart this week, SMM learned. 

This followed the first round of environmental review by the central government came to an end in late June. Inspection teams are set to leave the two provinces this week. 

Affected secondary refined lead output in Hebei, around 1,000 mt per day, would recover within this week. Henan also saw its small-scale smelters eager to come back to operations on high profits. 

However, some secondary refined lead smelters in Jiyuan city of Henan will continue to face suspension this week due to China's initiative to  "make skies blue again". This is expected to have temporary impact on refined lead supply in the region.  

In Anhui province, some 900 mt per day of secondary refined lead supply was recovered as of Wednesday June 27 as a large-scale smelter resumed production last week on eased environmental probe. 

Affected output in Jiangxi province will gradually recover from early July, as most local smelters began to restock raw materials this week.