The New Development Era of Secondary Aluminium under China’s Carbon Strategy

SHANGHAI, Oct 13 (SMM) - In China, the domestic aluminium scrap accounted for 89% of the total raw materials of secondary aluminium, meaning that the production of secondary aluminium has been more independent. China’s secondary aluminium production capacity has reached 14 million mt, accounting for about 30% of the global total secondary aluminium production. And it has become the world's largest producer of secondary aluminium.

The whole industry has been developing in a more balanced pattern. While the scaled recycling enterprises have also become an important supply channel for aluminium scrap, indicating heightening industry concentration ratio.

During the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, China's secondary aluminium output totalled about 34.8 million mt, reducing the extraction of aluminium ore by 139.2 million mt, conserving the utilisation of standard coal and water by 120 million mt and 770 million cubic metre, respectively, and reducing the discharges of carbon dioxide and solid waste by 380 million mt and 696 million mt, respectively.

China's secondary aluminium industry has made great achievements in the past, but it should also be pointed out that China’s proportion of secondary aluminium in the total aluminium production is still at the level of developed countries in the eighties.

According to the resource and consumption forecast, China's aluminium consumption is expected to reach a peak by 2024, after which it will basically be in a plateau period, with primary aluminium production gradually shrinking due to policy and economic reasons; while the production of secondary aluminium will ramp up year by year, and the proportion in total consumption will gradually increase.

By 2025, China's secondary aluminium production will reach 11.5 million mt; the aluminium scrap utilisation efficiency and the added value of products will both be improved; the technical level of secondary aluminium and the equipment will be significantly enhanced; the degree of harmless treatment of aluminium ash and the utilisation rate of resources will be further improved. By 2030, the output of secondary aluminium will reach 18 million mt; the secondary aluminium processing technology will reach the international advanced level; a sophisticated industrial system will be formed; and the utilisation rates of aluminium ash and other solid wastes will reach 100%.