China's refined zinc output rises 1.74% in Aug

SHANGHAI, Sep 10 (SMM) – China's production of refined zinc continued its increases in August as smelters moved up a gear after resumed from maintenance, an SMM survey showed on Tuesday September 10. 

About 499,200 mt of refined zinc was produced across China last month, up 1.74% from July and up 19.24% from August 2018. Surveyed capacity remained unchanged at 6.085 million mt/year. Production in January-August amounted to 3.73 million mt, up 6.02% from the same period last year. 

Recovery of smelters including Henan Yuguang, Shaanxi Zinc, and Anhui Tongguan contributed to the higher output in August. Despite overhaul in some smelters in Yunnan province, production of the area accounted for a great share of the overall growth. Hanzhong Zinc in Shaanxi hiked its output. Maintenance in Inner Mongolia, though concluded by the end of August, capped the increase in domestic production last month. 

For September, ramped-up output in Inner Mongolia after maintenance and production enthusiasm on high treatment charges for zinc concentrate will extend increases in overall refined zinc output, despite new maintenance at some smelters in south China. 

SMM expects China’s output of refined zinc to increase by 1.1% on the month and by 12.98% on the year, to stand at 504,700 mt in September. Output in January-September will expand 6.81% from a year ago to 4.24 million mt.