SHANGHAI, Nov. 18 (SMM) – Output of primary lead in China is expected to fall in 2015 due to falling profits, SMM predicted at its annual summit in Shanghai.
“Lead smelters mainly make profits from by-products, and prices of by-products, such as silver, have been falling since 2014, weakening their enthusiasm in production,” SMM lead analyst explained to the attendees at the SMM summit on Nov. 12-13.
According to SMM survey, the average utilization rate at major domestic lead smelters during the first 10 months of 2015 was down 0.96 on a yearly basis, despite the rise in TCs for lead concentrate.
“China is expected to produce 3.03 million tonnes of primary lead in 2015, down 80,000 tonnes from 2014’s,” the analyst predicted.
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