Small zinc smelters, small impact? Chinese news fizzles

摘要

First seen as a potential quick fix for sagging world zinc prices, thernnews that a group of smallish Chinese zinc smelters were cutting their output by 10% caused barely a shudder in the zinc market, analysts said last week, as the large smelters in China that could affect the struggling market stayed on the sidelines.rn"I am doubtful of any major impact," analyst Paul Smith with the Lisbon-based International Lead and Zinc Study Group told Platts. "If the big producers would cut back 10% each, there would be an impact, but getting them on board would be a major undertaking."rnIt was an undertaking that failed early last week as the major Chinese smelters, including Zhuzhou Smelter Group,rnopted not to join 29 small- to medium-size smelters that agreed July 12 to cut back on their production by 10% through September.