China Jan copper, lead and tin output fall from prior month

China's major copper smelters cut output by 10.5% month-on-month in January after racing to meet annual targets in December, while Daye Nonferrous carried out maintenance, state-backed research house Antaike said on Tuesday.

Cathode production from 22 companies surveyed was 735,500 tonnes last month, up 10% from a year ago, when smelters were hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

Daye's maintenance has just ended, a company official said, and most smelters have no maintenance plans for February, according to Antaike, which nonetheless sees output falling to around 725,000 tonnes in this shorter month.

Meanwhile, Antaike's China lead survey showed 75 primary and secondary producers churned out 382,000 tonnes of refined lead in January, up 14.3% year-on-year (y/y) but down by 39,000 tonnes month-on-month (m/m).

February lead production is seen slipping to 340,000 tonnes as recyclers reduce output for the Lunar New Year holiday beginning on Feb. 11.

Refined tin output from 20 smelters fell 5.8% m/m to 15,676 tonnes in January on tight feedstock supply despite a jump in orders from solder producers, said Antaike, which sees February output falling further due to holiday shutdowns.