Since August 2017, operations at about 60% of
zinc and lead mines in Sichuan province have been suspended due to ongoing environmental inspections. This is the fourth batch of environmental inspectors who have stationed themselves in eight provinces, namely Sichuan, Tibet, Qing hai, Xinjiang, Jilin, Zhejiang, Shandong and Hainan, which together accounted for 11.4% of China's mined zinc output in 2016.
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Despite higher zinc prices this year, Chinese zinc smelters have cut output due to tight concentrate supply, with the shortage expected to last into the next one to two years.
