SMM, December 27:
This week, orange alerts for smog were reissued in Anhui and Shandong provinces, leading to production halts and restrictions at secondary lead smelters, which caused a decline in production and stabilized battery scrap procurement quotes. On Thursday morning, the smog alert in Shandong was lifted, and local smelters resumed production. Due to recent environmental protection-related controls and production restrictions, the raw material inventory digestion rate at secondary lead smelters in Anhui, Shandong, and other regions has slowed, resulting in a slightly more comfortable inventory level. Meanwhile, after a sharp drop in lead prices on Friday, most smelters actively lowered their raw material procurement quotes. As of December 27, the mainstream tax-inclusive procurement price for EV battery scrap ranged from 9,900-10,100 yuan/mt. Secondary crude lead supply remained tight, with suppliers following market trends, while downstream enterprises cautiously purchased based on rigid demand. As of December 27, the mainstream tax-exclusive ex-factory price for secondary crude lead was 16,000-16,200 yuan/mt.
