China's refined bismuth production in May decreased

According to an SMM survey, China's refined bismuth production in May 2024 was 1,198.869 mt, down 34.89% MoM. After a rebound in March, production has sharply declined for two consecutive months. Compared to the same period in 2023, production also saw a significant drop. However, market participants had generally expected the sharp decline in production in May, which is driven by the current tight supply of bismuth raw materials. Additionally, the central environmental inspection team stationed in Hunan in May, which inevitably affected bismuth production in the region. Among the 24 surveyed producers by SMM, 8 saw a significant decline in production in May; only 2 saw a significant output increase, and 2 producers halted production for maintenance. This led to a sharp drop in overall bismuth ingot production in May compared to the previous month. The bismuth raw material supply remains tight, making raw material shortages a potential reason for further production declines in the future. However, with the central environmental inspection team completing their work in June, Hunan's bismuth production is expected to recover to some extent. Therefore, SMM predicts that China's refined bismuth production in June 2024 is likely to remain stable, with a potential slight rebound. However, it is unlikely to exceed the 2,000 mt mark in the short term.

Note: Since October 2022, SMM has published national refined bismuth production data. Thanks to SMM's high coverage rate in the bismuth industry, the total number of surveyed refined bismuth producers is 24, distributed across 8 provinces, with a total sample capacity exceeding 50,000 mt, covering more than 99% of the total capacity.