RE:Salman: "we will not have any zinc shortages until 2019."According to Salman Partners:
Friday, January 30, 2015
Zinc - I
1.3% of world’s zinc mining capacity should be waiting in the wings in the event of an improvement in zinc prices China-controlled Yukon Zinc Corp’s Wolverine zinc-copper-lead-silver-gold mine in southeastern Yukon, is, says Metal Bulletin, “ being put in care and maintenance for approximately three months due to low metal prices in the past year and high operating costs...
The Wolverine Mine, which has been operating at around 75% of capacity since October 2013, produced 83,962 tonnes of zinc concentrate… in 2013”.
We estimate that this output was equivalent to about 1.3% of the world’s output of mined zinc in Q4 2013.
According to CBC News, Yukon Zinc is “in violation of its agreement to pay money into a security fund to ensure taxpayers aren't left paying for the clean up when the mine closes for good”.
Zinc - II
“Stealth zinc” in China
Metal Bulletin says that “China’s refined zinc imports dropped for the sixth consecutive month in December, while exports remained high ... China imported 17,469 tonnes of refined zinc in December, down 71% from the same time last year... Zinc exports were 15,140 tonnes in December, a huge 78,874% higher year-on-year. Total exports for 2014 were 131,369 tonnes, 3,736% higher than the previous year.”
We continue to believe that a principal cause of this trend is “stealth zinc”: the recent run-up in zinc prices has prompted scores – hundreds? - of “Mom-and-pop” mines in China to ramp up their production.