China alumina output in Feb rose 10.9% on year

SHANGHAI, Mar 8 (SMM) – In February, China's production of alumina (metallurgical grade) registered 5.64 million mt, up 10.93% from a year ago, with average daily output at 201,000 mt. Annualised capacity in operation stood at 73.46 million mt. 

Refineries in Guangxi province completed maintenance in January, and operating rate in Guizhou province picked up as bauxite shortages eased last month. This, together with a smaller impact of production curbs in Henan and excess production in Shanxi, accounted for the higher output in February. 

Last month, Shanxi Zhaofeng retuned online after it shut during CNY on bauxite supply issues. Ore shortages drove Shanxi Xinghua to close some 350,000 mt of capacity. 

SMM expects the average daily output of alumina in March to rise 2,000 mt from February to 203,000 mt, as refineries in Shanxi will restart work after meeting ultra-low emission standards. Resumption of Bosai Minerals’ alumina project in Nanchuan of Chongqing, and Shandong Qixing project will also grow output. The environmental impact is expected to wane from March 15, when heating season curbs are lifted. 

Domestic alumina output is expected to climb 9.83% year on year, to 6.29 million mt in March. 

China produced some 2.68 million mt of primary aluminium in February, down 1.54% year on year. By the end of February, domestic primary aluminium capacity under operation stood at an annualised 35.9 million mt, down 130,000 mt/year from a year earlier. 

Despite new capacity at Inner Mongolia’s Chuangyuan and Guyang smelters, capacity cuts at Shaanxi Hengkang, Shandong Huayu, Shanxi Huasheng, Shanxi Huaze, Jiaozuo Wanfang, and Inner Mongolia Tongshun Aluminum kept operating capacity at lows in February. 

For March, SMM expects China’s output of primary aluminium to fall 1.6% from a year earlier, to 2.98 million mt. By the end of March, domestic primary aluminium capacity under operation is forecasted at an annualised 36.05 million mt, down 350,000 mt year on year.  

Unfulfilled capacity in 2018, as well as new and replacement capacity in Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, and Yunnan will continue to enter operation in March. Some capacity in Shandong will recover this month.