World Lead Demand and Supply Statistics for 2017

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The International Lead and Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) has announced the release of supply and demand data for lead metal during the whole year 2017. The preliminary data published by the group provides detailed overview of lead market trends during the previous year.

According to ILZSG, global refined lead demand exceeded supply by 165 kt in 2017. The reported inventory of the metal totaled 473 kt at the end of the year, registering a decline of 40 kt, when compared with the previous year. The end-2016 inventories had totaled 512 kt, ILZSG noted.

The overall lead mine output declined marginally by 0.9% from 4.790 million tonnes in 2016 to 4.749 million tonnes in 2017. The Australian lead mine output extended its decline in 2017, falling by 22.2%. It must be noted that the output had recorded sharp decline of nearly 33% in 2016. The U.S. lead mine output dropped sharply by 10.4%, whereas the output from China was down marginally by 0.9%. The decline in output by above countries outclassed production rises in other countries such as Bolivia, India, Kazakhstan and Turkey.

The world refined metal production edged higher marginally by 0.7% in 2017 to total 11.320 million tonnes. The output had totaled only 11.242 million tonnes in 2016. The rise in production by Europe, Canada, China, India and Kazakhstan more than offset production declines in the US, Australia and the Republic of Korea.

Overall global usage increased by 2.3% from 11.226 million tonnes in 2016 to 11.485 million tonnes in 2017. The Chinese usage registered a growth of 3.1% over the previous year. The European usage too was up sharply by 3.5%. The other countries to witness jump in refined lead metal usage were Japan, the Republic of Korea and the US.