Secondary lead smelters operating rates rose slightly this week

SHANGHAI, Mar 12 (SMM) – Operating rates across licensed smelters of secondary lead in Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Guizhou averaged 55.1% in the week ended March 12, up 0.4 percentage points from the previous week, showed an SMM survey. (Last week’s operating rates were revised as 54.7% as Anhui Camel Group’s output was corrected.)

The average operating rate in Anhui lost 1.8 percentage points on the week to 64.1% as the Camel Group reduced output by 25%. 

Henan Yuguang ramped up production after purchasing sufficient battery scrap, which lifted the local average operating rate by 11.6 percentage points to 88.8%.

The average operating rate in Jiangsu lost 2.4 percentage points to 44.3% as New Chunxing is upgrading technology.

Stepped-up production at Guizhou Cenxiang boosted local average operating rate by 0.5 percentage points to 2.9%.

Operating rates are expected to be stable or rise slightly next week as Guizhou Cenxiang will return to normal production.