Personally I think this lead export to China explanation is just an excuse for the Peruvian lead mines and brokers wanting to make more money on less goods. Actually you can't blame them. Why work a mine 3 shifts/day for 360 or so days per year and produce X tons of lead per year, when you can work it one shift/day, have less staff and overhead, produce 1/3 X, and make the same money? If it were my business that's what'd be doing and I believe 99% of us would be doing same.