Primary lead smelters operating rates rose to 56% this week

SHANGHAI, Jan 29 (SMM) — Operating rates across primary lead smelters in Henan, Hunan and Yunnan provinces gained 1.3 percentage points from the previous week to 56% in the week ended January 29, showed an SMM survey.

The average operating rate rose 2.3 percentage points to 68.3% in Henan as the red warning of environmental protection in Henan has little impact on electrolytic refining. Henan Shibin has completely resumed production, and Henan Xinling has started production, but no products have been produced yet. It is expected to resume production next week.

The average operating rate advanced 0.5 percentage point to 49.9% in Hunan as Hunan Yuteng increased its production slightly this week, involving the completion of the treatment of unqualified products in the previous weeks.

The average operating rates remained unchanged at 35.2% in Yunnan. Anhui Tongguan had no output this week, and the plan of producing lead ingots by the end of January remained unchanged.