China's primary aluminum output hits new high in Aug '14

Author: Paul Ploumis
22 Sep 2014 Last updated at 03:49:26 GMT
BEIJING (Scrap Monster): According to statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Chinese primary aluminum output touched new high during the month of August this year. The output totaled 2.03 million tons, 8.8% higher when compared with the production during the same month a year ago.

The higher production is mainly attributed to the rising aluminum prices. The cumulative primary aluminum output during the initial eight months of the year totaled 15.55 million tons, 7.6% higher when compared with the output during the corresponding eight-month period a year before. The aluminum output during January to August last year had totaled 14.45 million tons.

It must be noted that aluminum shipments from China had hit highest level in three years during the month of July this year. The data released by the General Administration of Customs indicate that the country shipped 380,000 metric tons of unwrought aluminum and aluminum products during the month, 23% higher when compared with a year earlier. Earlier in July 2011, the aluminum shipments from China had peaked at 390,000 metric tons.

China has witnessed many smelters being forced out of business. However, they have been adequately replaced by lower-cost smelters in northwest provinces such as Xinjiang. The aluminum smelters have restarted nearly 500,000 metric tons of idled capacity since May this year, said NBS.