Japan Official Zinc and Lead Prices Decline

Mitsui Mining & Smelting announced on Thursday the firm revised down official zinc ingot price by 33,000 yen to 489,000 yen per tonne for domestic shipment in January. The price became to below 500,000 yen again when overseas zinc market continued weakening. The monthly average became to 502,100 yen.Japanese official zinc price was set unchanged at 543,000 yen per tonne on January 4 from the end of December 2006, which plunged by 58,000 yen to 485,000 yen on January 10 and rebounded by 37,000 yen to 522,000 yen on January 15. The domestic price is unstable in January when overseas zinc market roughly fluctuates.Mitsubishi Materials announced on Thursday the firm decreased official lead ingot price by 5,000 yen to 232,000 yen per tonne for domestic shipment in January. The price declined to the lowest level since 223,000 yen on November 21, 2006 due to weak lead market at overseas. The monthly average became to 236,900 yen.