Chinese zinc concentrate market quiets down

BEIJING (Asian Metal) 20 Jan 14 - The trading went slowly in Chinese zinc concentrate market these days, as more zinc mining companies halted production for Spring Festival holiday and most zinc smelters finished zinc concentrate purchasing plan.

A source from a Yunnan-based zinc smelter reported that they have piled up about 10,000t of zinc concentrate. “With the raw material, our zinc smelter can keep normal production for over one month,” said the source.Asian Metal Copyright “The zinc ingot prices kept relatively stable in January,” said the source.Asian Metal Copyright “We will not continue to purchase the material before Spring Festival holiday.”

The source revealed that many small-sized zinc mines halted production in January and some traders left the market for holiday, so the trading slowed down in the zinc concentrate market recently.

The source revealed that the zinc concentrate 50%min prices kept stable at about RMB10,000/metal ton (USD1,639/metal ton) delivered to their smelter, almost the same level compared with those in early January.

The smelter demands about 5,000-6,000t of zinc concentrate per month.

A source from a Hunan-based zinc mining company reported that their mine has been out of production since January 15th. “As the Spring Festival holiday is coming, many local mining companies will be out of production in the coming days,” said the source.Asian Metal Copyright “Most zinc smelters have stockpiled enough raw materials in recent two months, so they will not continue to purchase the material in the second half of January.Asian Metal Copyright “We cleared out the zinc concentrate in the past days.Asian Metal Copyright “With the raw material, our zinc smelter can keep normal production for over one month,” said the source.Asian Metal Copyright The trading becomes very slow in the spot market now.”

The source said that the zinc concentrate 50%min prices kept about RMB9,900-10,000/metal ton (USD1,623-1,639/metal ton) delivered to local zinc smelters in January. “The zinc ingot prices kept relatively stable in January,” said the source.Asian Metal Copyright” The mine’s zinc concentrate output is about 2,000tpm and it has no zinc concentrate in stock.Asian Metal Copyright “Most zinc smelters have stockpiled enough raw materials in recent two months, so they will not continue to purchase the material in the second half of January.Asian Metal Copyright “We will not continue to purchase the material before Spring Festival holiday.Asian Metal Copyright The trading will be worse in the coming days.”

The mine’s zinc concentrate output is about 2,000tpm and it has no zinc concentrate in stock.
.Asian Metal Copyright “With the raw material, our zinc smelter can keep normal production for over one month,” said the sourceAsian Metal Copyright