SMM, Dec. 19, 2025:
The SMM weekly operating rate for secondary lead smelters in four provinces was 41.61% from Dec. 12 to Dec. 18, 2025, down 3.75 percentage points WoW. This week, many areas in east and north China implemented environmental protection-related controls due to severe air pollution. Secondary lead smelters in Anhui, a major producing region, severely cut production, causing the regional operating rate to drop 11.88 percentage points MoM. If the controls are lifted this weekend, production will resume to normal levels. The operating rates in Henan and Jiangsu remained flat WoW. A secondary lead smelter in Inner Mongolia briefly suspended production last week due to equipment part replacement but resumed normal operations this week, leading to a rebound in the regional operating rate. However, local smelters indicated that pressure from tight raw material supply on production persists. In summary, if smelters in Anhui resume normal production this weekend, the secondary lead operating rate is expected to rebound next week. However, frequent winter haze may lead to environmental protection-related controls, posing potential limitations on secondary lead smelters' production. Additionally, the retirement volume of waste lead-acid batteries from EVs softened, and raw material supply pressure remains a major factor affecting the secondary lead operating rate.
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