Lead Scrap Price Keeps Flat in Wait-and-See Mood

Market price of lead scrap keeps flat at 85-100 yen per kilogram for high grade scrap, 45-60 yen per kg for electrode plate scrap, 80-95 yen per kg for typographic lead scrap and 35-50 yen per kg for low grade scrap. Japanese official lead ingot price was revised down by 19,000 yen per tonne on 7 July while overseas lead market rebounded on the same day. Lead scrap market is in wait-and-see mood since overseas lead price more than halved from the recent peak in March and still keeps downtrend.Scrap dealers and secondary lead smelters continue stable purchasing of lead scrap when lead scrap generation maintains short this year. Current generation volume is decreasing even more. A scrap dealer source said they can collect used lead batteries at a half volume year-on-year. A secondary lead smelter source said they would pay as high as 120 yen per kg for large-lot high grade scrap in order to meet output quota.On the other hand, another dealer said one of secondary lead smelter offered 100-110 yen per kg as lead scrap purchasing price. The price range is widening.