According to Mysteel survey of 22 sample enterprises across China, refined nickel production in China reached 33,751 tonnes in May 2026, down 4.25% month-on-month and 6.23% year-on-year. From January to May, the cumulative production stood at 174,163 tonnes, a year-on-year decrease of 0.95%. Current equipment capacity among Chinese refined nickel producers is 52,265 tonnes, with operating capacity at 50,432 tonnes, an operating rate of 96.49% and capacity utilization of 64.58%.
The decline in refined nickel production continued in May. A large-scale producer in Gansu saw a slight increase in output, while a medium-sized producer in Xinjiang suspended production for maintenance during the month, affecting production by about 800 tonnes (maintenance has since been completed now). A large producer in Quzhou continued to see output decline due to factors such as sales and raw material supply. A newly launched refined nickel production line in Zhoushan continued to ramp up, exceeding 1,000 tonnes during the month. A medium-sized producer in Ganzhou saw a slight increase in production following the commissioning of its Indonesian intermediate product project, which increased raw material supply. The production from other small and medium-sized enterprises remained largely unchanged.
For June 2026, China's refined nickel production is estimated at 34,245 tonnes, up 1.46% month-on-month but down 0.78% year-on-year.
Written by Cora Ji, jiruyan@mysteel.com
