World Lead Market Ended in Surplus

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The latest edition of the monthly ‘Lead and Zinc Statistics Bulletin’ published by the International Lead and Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) suggests that global market for refined lead metal ended in surplus during the first ten months of the previous year, when compared with the corresponding period a year before.

According to provisional data released by ILZSG, world lead metal supply exceeded demand, thereby pushing the market to a deficit of 15,000 tonnes during the initial ten-month period in 2021. The total reported lead stock levels increased by 31,000 tonnes during this period.

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The global lead mine production increased modestly by 4.6% from January to October in 2021. The rise in mine output was primarily due to higher output by Bolivia, China, India, Mexico and Peru, which balanced reduced output in Poland. The lead mine output totalled 3.838 million tonnes in Jan-Oct ‘21.

The refined lead metal production during this period surged higher modestly by 3.9% to total 10.118 million tonnes. The production reported decline in Australia, Kazakhstan and Germany. Meantime, Belgium, China, India, Mexico and Poland recorded higher output levels over the previous year.

The global lead metal usage rose by 5.2% year-on-year to total 11.754 million tonnes, mainly influenced by increases in Europe, Brazil, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico and the United States, ILZSG data said.

The ILZSG monthly statistics suggest that monthly global lead mine output totalled 415.4 kt in October 2021. The global refined lead metal production totalled 998.4 kt, whereas global lead metal usage totalled 1,038.6 kt during the month.