SHANGHAI, Jul 5 (SMM) – With 70.12 million mt of capacity on an annualised basis in operation, China's output of metallurgical-grade alumina came in at 5.76 million mt in June, down 3.42% year on year, with a daily average of 192,000 mt, showed an SMM survey on Friday July 5.

Production in May was revised down to 5.86 million mt from the previously reported 5.97 million mt. This brought output in January-June to 34.8 million mt, up 1.33% from the same period last year.

Output received a boost from Bosai Shuijiang, Chalco Huaxing, Chalco Mining, Xinghua Technology, SPIC Shanxi and Liulin Senze, but Xinfa’s Jiaokou plant and East Hope’s Jinzhong plant took a toll.

With 246,000 mt of output of non-metallurgical grade alumina, overall alumina capacity that ran in June stood at 73.1 million mt on an annualised basis.

Output of metallurgical-grade alumina is expected to rise to 5.94 million mt in July, up 0.55% from a year ago, with daily average output barely changed.

Greater production from the capacity ramp-up at East Hope’s Jinzhong plant and Bosai Shuijiang is expected to be offset by the return to normal production at refiners who stepped up operations in June when prices were high.