Primary lead smelters operating rates stable on week

SHANGHAI, Apr 10 (SMM) – Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces averaged 53.8% in the week ended April 10, unchanged from a week ago, showed an SMM survey.

Primary lead smelters in all the three provinces maintained stable operations, with the average operating rate at 65.9% in Henan, at 38% in Yunnan and 43.5% in Hunan. 

Production has not felt the impact from the mining front and primary lead smelters in China have mostly stockpiled raw materials that could guarantee production for about a month. No maintenance schedule has been heard at Chinese primary lead smelters for next week and the near-term maintenance is expected between end-April and early-May.