Insight
Zinc mines in China: characteristics and cost drivers
*Please note that this report only includes an Excel data file if this is indicated in "What's included" below
Report summary
China is the world’s largest producer of zinc in concentrate accounting for 40% of global supply. Typically, low labour wages, consumable and freight costs give Chinese zinc miners an advantage over their counterparts in the rest of the world. However, most mines in China are very small and have poor productivity which coupled with higher power costs means that these advantages are frequently offset. In this insight we have compared some of the key characteristics of Chinese mines to their counterparts in the rest of the world.
Table of contents
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Executive summary
- Cash operating C1 cost for mines in China in 2016, on a country basis and a mine basis
- An overview of Chinese zinc mine characteristics
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An overview of key cost drivers for zinc miners in China
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Labour costs
- Delta between realised global benchmark TC and China domestic TC
- Exchange rate
- Conclusion
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Labour costs
Tables and charts
This report includes the following images and tables:
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Locations of the mines and smelters covered in Wood Mackenzie's cost serviceZinc mines in China: characteristics and cost drivers: Image 3China's standard for classification of mines
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Percentage of production by mine size for China and rest of worldEconomy of scale demonstrated by costed zinc mines outside ChinaKey identifiable cost metrics for zinc mines in China compared to rest of world averageZinc mines in China: characteristics and cost drivers: Image 1Comparison of 2016 labour earnings and productivity between major zinc producing countriesPower price and fuel cost comparison between China and other major zinc producing nationsZinc mines in China: characteristics and cost drivers: Image 9Evolution of exchange rate of major zinc producing countries since 2012
What's included
This report contains:
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