SHANGHAI, Mar 14 (SMM) - Alumina refineries in Shanxi significantly lowered their purchase prices of liquid caustic soda by 800 yuan/mt MoM to 2,700 yuan/mt (50% ion membrane, 100% concentration, delivery to factory) in March. According to SMM calculations, the alkali consumption of producing 1 mt of alumina using domestic ore was about 200-240 kg, thus the decline in caustic soda prices reduced alumina refineries’ alkali costs by about 200 yuan/mt. It only required 100-140 kg of alkali to produce 1 mt of alumina using imported ore, and lower caustic soda prices translated into a 90 yuan/mt drop in refineries’ alkali costs.