(Introduction: On August 25, the Second Zinc Smelting and Environmental Protection Conference, hosted by the International Zinc Association in Chifeng, China, officially kicked off. Lou Yonggang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Lead and Zinc Branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, predicted that China’s zinc production in 2015 would reach 6.4 million tons, while the growth rate of consumption would further slow down, with total consumption reaching 6.55 million tons.)

　　On August 25, the Second Zinc Smelting and Environmental Protection Conference, hosted by the International Zinc Association in Chifeng, China, officially kicked off. Lou Yonggang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Lead and Zinc Branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, predicted that China’s zinc production in 2015 would reach 6.4 million tons, while the growth rate of consumption would further slow down, with total consumption reaching 6.55 million tons.

　　He believes that China’s current lead and zinc production has exceeded 10 million tons, and the country’s total output of lead and zinc now accounts for more than 40% of the world’s total. Among these, zinc production has ranked first in the world for 24 consecutive years. Although China’s zinc production experienced negative growth in 2012, it has since rebounded with rapid annual increases exceeding 500,000 tons. The supply of recycled zinc has gradually stabilized and is showing strong growth momentum. He forecasts that China’s zinc production will maintain a growth rate of 9.8% in 2015.

　　Supply continues to grow steadily, while the pace of consumption growth will continue to slow down. China's zinc consumption is primarily concentrated in five major sectors: galvanizing, die-casting zinc alloys, zinc oxide, brass, and batteries. Among these, the galvanizing industry accounts for as much as 57% of total zinc consumption.

　　He stated that over the decade from 2000 to 2015, the growth rate of refined zinc consumption in China slowed down year by year. In particular, from 2010 to 2015, the annual average growth rate of refined zinc consumption was 6%. Among these years, the galvanizing sector experienced relatively rapid growth in zinc consumption, with an average annual growth rate of 8.4%; the die-casting zinc alloy industry saw an average annual growth rate of 1.4%; and the copper alloys, zinc oxide, and battery industries recorded average annual growth rates in zinc consumption of 5.6%, 7.3%, and 3.9%, respectively.

　　In 2015, China’s zinc consumption will continue the slowing pace seen over the previous decade. Deputy Secretary-General Lou predicts that the growth rate of consumption in 2015 will further decline to 4.8%.