China Nonferrous Metals News
CNIA: As of 26th February, the average operational rates of 1,093 surveyed members of CNIA were 76.5% with 72.2% of workers returning to work. During the COVID-19 epidemic period, the average capacity utilization rates of non-ferrous metals producers (the typical ten kinds of nonferrous metals) reached 85%, with utilization of 81.5% for copper, 87.6% for primary aluminium, and 80.2% for lead and zinc smelting respectively.
According to CNIA, the problems faced by domestic nonferrous metals producers include:
- Falling prices in both domestic and global market
- Risks of production cuts or suspensions due to raw material shortage or mounting inventory of sulfuric acid at heavy metals producers such as copper, lead and zinc producers
- Manpower shortage problems remain crucial for non-SOEs and downstream processers
- Liquidity and funding issues
- International trade and investment problems overseas, for instance the 14-day quarantine requirements for Chinese cargos and so on
Measures suggested by CNIA to tackle these issues are:
- Reservation of some nonferrous metals products
- Suspend the import of sulfuric acid and raw materials for sulfuric acid production