China June refined copper, lead and tin output rise

BEIJING: China's major copper smelters boosted cathode production in June by 0.6% year on year to 699,000 tonnes, Antaike, the research arm of the country's nonferrous metal association, said on Thursday.

The total was up 0.9% from a revised 693,000 tonnes for May due to a smaller impact on supply from maintenance among the 22 smelters surveyed. January-June output was down 0.8% year on year at 4.1 mln tonnes.

Maintenance was set to be lower still in July but tight copper concentrate supply and low processing fees would restrict production, said Antaike, which forecast output would stay around 700,000 tonnes in July.

China's refined lead production in June rose 13.2% year on year to 418,000 tonnes, Antaike said, adding that it saw output falling around 3,000 tonnes month on month in July due to overhauls at smelters in Yunnan, Hunan, and Jiangxi.

June refined tin output from 18 smelters rose 5.9% month on month to 12,081 tonnes, Antaike said, without giving a year on year comparison.

The jump came after China Tin came back from maintenance on June 15, Antaike said, adding that top smelter Yunnan Tin's own overhaul started on June 24 and could see July output fall even as raw material supply fears ease.