Lead Scrap Market Price Drops by 2-5 Yen/kg, Tokyo

Lead scrap market price lowered by 2-5 yen per kilogram around Tokyo on Monday when Mitsubishi Materials revised down its electrolytic lead selling price, the market indicator, by 10,000 yen to 220,000 yen per tonne. Scrap dealers purchase high grade lead scrap at around 90-100 yen per kg, electrode plate scrap at around 95-105 yen per kg and typographic lead scrap at around 70-80 yen per kg. The price down range was relatively wide for high grade scrap due to slow demand from secondary lead smelters while narrow for electrode plate scrap and typographic lead scrap to reflect supply tightness.

Secondary lead smelters’ ingot shipment is stable for brass bars while stays stagnant for other applications such as bobs. Several smelters around Tokyo said they hold enough lead scrap inventories for several months consumption. The supply of high grade lead scrap doesn’t tighten despite of low scrap generation. Local secondary lead smelters lowered their purchasing price to around 110-115 yen per kg.

As to typographic lead scrap, spot generation is very little in the market. Some consumers such as lead alloy makers are concerned about material shortage. Some consumers still seem to pay around 100 yen per kg for a certain lot of typographic lead scrap.