Chinese refined lead production is forecast to fall 4% this year as tightened environmental standards bite. New minimum performancestandards for the lead and zinc smelting sector are targeting not just improvements in emissions, but are also aiming to introduce newminimum size restrictions on plants in order to meet water recycling targets. New zinc mines must have a minimum capacity of 100ktpa of ore(up from 30ktpa previously), which will impede the development of China’s dispersed and topographically challenged resources.
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