Secondary lead production recovers in Anhui, Guizhou

SHANGHAI, Aug 30 (SMM) – Secondary lead production recovered in Anhui and Guizhou provinces this week, SMM research found.

A large secondary lead smelter in Anhui returned to production on Monday August 27 after the end of maintenance that began in the middle of July. This brought output of secondary lead across the province back to levels at the start of July, about 1,300 mt per day.

Operating rates across smelters in Guizhou also improved as environmental probes wound down and as profit margins widened. Daily output of secondary lead across the region now stood at 700-800 mt.

SMM also learned that the ongoing environmental inspections in Shandong province barely affected secondary lead production across the province, as smelters had been operating at relatively low rates due to previously thin profits. There are also fewer secondary lead smelters in the province as most have left the province.