Secondary lead smelters operating rates steady on limited scrap supply

SHANGHAI, Apr 17 (SMM) – Operating rates across licensed smelters of secondary lead in Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Guizhou halted their increase and held flat at 49.6% in the week ended April 17, showed an SMM survey, as limited availability of raw material scrap deterred smelters purchases.

The average operating rates remained unchanged in all the four provinces, with the rates at 65.1% in Guizhou, 53.3% in Jiangsu, 45.5% in Henan and 40% in Anhui.

Secondary smelters found difficulties in procuring lower-priced battery scrap on the backdrop of reduced supply of waste battery amid slow consumption in the lead-acid battery market. Those smelters needed to raise purchasing prices to guarantee purchases.