Chinese customs agents have impounded 16,000 tonnes of lead concentrates they allege is secondary waste material shipped into the country by Swiss miner-trader Glencore, sources with knowledge of the matter told Metal Bulletin.
The material has been classified by Chinese customs as "lead-rich slag", a type of solid waste prohibited from entering the country, sources said. A Glencore spokesman contacted by Metal Bulletin on Thursday May 24 said the company "refuted the allegation" that the material detained was not lead concentrate. The cargoes departed from Germany and was first shipped to Lianyungang of Jiangsu...