SHANGHAI, Dec. 3 (SMM) –

Alumina
China’s alumina output in October fell from September due to facility maintenance and tight natural gas supply, Shanghai Metals Market has learned.

Alumina output during October fell from September levels due to facility maintenance at producers in Guangxi province and tight supplies of natural gas in Shanxi province, which limited alumina production. SMM learned from producers in Guangxi province that output during November will likely recover to normal levels since maintenance has now been completed. However, alumina production in Shanxi province will continue to be affected by tight natural gas supplies.

However, China’s alumina output during October rose 25.32% YoY to 3.74 million mt. YTD output through October totaled 36.9 million mt, also up 13.84% YoY, according to the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA).

Aluminum 
China’s aluminum production hit new highs in October due to new capacity coming on stream.

China produced 1.95 million mt of aluminum during October, up 13.6% YoY and 5.02% MoM, according to the CNIA. Aluminum capacity in operation during October totaled 22.97 million mt/yr on an annualized basis, up 370,000 mt/yr from September levels.

Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group brought 480,000 mt/yr in new aluminum capacity online during October, and Qinghai Xinheng Aluminum Co. also put its new 60,000 mt/yr project into operation. Xinjiang Tianshan Aluminum Co.’s 350,000 mt/yr project was under partial operation. As a result, total aluminum output in October hit new highs.   

Aluminum Semis
China’s aluminum semis output during October hit 3.62 million mt, a gain of 28.89% YoY. Output during the first ten months of this year also grew by 24.51% YoY, to 32.15 million mt, according to the CNIA.