Earthquake hits lead and zinc production

The domestic lead and zinc market may be affected by the earthquake in Ludian county in Yunnan province because of the disruption to transport and suspension of some mining operations, analysts said on Tuesday.

"It is difficult to give an exact estimate at the moment, because zinc miners and smelters are out of reach for now, but it has raised some concerns regarding the market because lead and zinc deliveries have been hindered by the earthquake," said Bian Binbin, an expert specializing in lead and zinc.

The earthquake will not have too much of an impact on the lead and zinc smelting capacity in the area, Bian said.