Power restrictions prompt Anhui lead smelter cuts

Three Anhui-based secondary smelters, Dahua, Chaowei and Tianchang, each with refined lead capacity of 200,000 t/y, cut production temporarily on 9 August due to hot weather-related power restrictions. The cutback is expected to last for one week, with an estimated production loss of around 600 t/d at the three smelters. However, we understand that any production lost at these smelters will be offset by higher production at other smelters, as the majority of Chinese secondary smelters are underutilised and most of them purchase scrap through spot deals.