SHANGHAI, Mar. 9 (SMM) –Chinese aluminum smelters, temporarily relieved by sharply falling power costs and rising aluminum prices, will potentially face growing costs. 

Alumina prices have been rising since after the 2016 Chinese New Year holiday. And coal prices have showed signs of recovery. These will add to aluminum costs, SMM noted. 

Power costs, which take up about 40% of aluminum smelting costs in China, fell 3.8% month-on-month in February at Chinese aluminum smelters in SMM’s survey sample. The big fall helped bring aluminum cost down by 1% in February compared with January. 

Alumina cost inched up 0.8%, while prebaked anode cost dipped 0.4% in February, according to SMM statistics.  

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