Trades in the domestic alumina market remained thin last week. Prices under negotiation and traded prices in north China were largely stable between 2,340-2,350 yuan/mt. Some aluminium plants in north-west China made purchase.

China’s copper cathode output increased month on month in November as the amount of new capacities continued to rise and as copper smelters stepped up production at the end of the year. In addition, rising inflow of high-quality copper scrap into domestic markets after the secondary copper resource policy took effect from November 1 boosted operating rates at copper scrap smelters.

Many northern regions have issued output control policies for the 2020-2021 heating season. SMM issued an article on October 31 that analysed the impact of the 2020-2021 heating season on aluminium and alumina industries. The followings are updates on the actual production restrictions.

China produced 914,000 mt of copper cathode in October, up 5.4% on the year, and for the first ten months of this year China’s copper cathode output totalled 8.36 million mt, with a year on year increase of 6.1%, according the data from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

China’s copper cathode output rose sharply in August due to minimal maintenance and ample supply of copper scrap.  

China imported 9.54 million mt of bauxite in May, down 3.98% from the previous month but up 3.57% from the same month of 2019, according to China customs data under HS code 26060000.

Last year, the Republic of Guinea, Australia, and Indonesia remained the top three bauxite exporters to China, with their combined volume accounting for over 94% of the China’s total bauxite imports

China imported 4.32 million mt of nickel ore and concentrate last month, down 27.91% from November

Net imports of alumina amounted to 1.01 million mt in the first eleven months of the year

NBS data showed that copper production in the first 10 months of 2019 amounted for 7.83 million mt, up 8.1% from the same period last year