Primary lead smelters operating rates dipped this week

SHANGHAI, Jul 10 (SMM) — Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces averaged 52.5% in the week ended July 10, down 0.8 percentage point from the previous week, showed an SMM survey. 

The average operating rate for smelters in Henan dipped 1.1 percentage points to 63.2%, that for Hunan lost 1.7 percentage points to 42.8%, while that for Yunnan rose 1.5 percentage points to 39.5%.

Hunan Jingui started a 40-day maintenance in early July, while output at Jinxin increased this week amid improved crude lead supply. Chihong Zinc & Germanium completed its maintenance, while Gejiu Chuangyuan is still grappling with raw materials shortage. Output at Henan Yuguang continued to shrink, but Henan Shibing and Minshan raised output slightly.