According to foreign news on April 18, data released by Kazakhstan's statistics office on Tuesday showed that copper cathode production in the first quarter fell 14.5% year-on-year to 104,734 mt, while production in March was 37,443 mt, up 20.2% from 31,158 mt in February, but down 13.4% from the same period last year.

Data show that refined zinc production in Kazakhstan rose slightly by 0.1% year-on-year to 74,167 mt in the first quarter, while production in March was 31,736 mt, up 46.3% from 21,698 mt in February and up 29.1% from a year ago.

Kazakhstan's first quarter crude steel production dropped 15.3% year-on-year to 923,324 mt; production in March was 337,374 mt, up 27.6% from 264,429 mt in February, but down 11.7% from a year ago.

Kazakhstan's first-quarter alumina and unwought aluminum production dipped 10.1% year-on-year to 364,091 mt; March production was 133,625 mt, up 14.3% from 116,889 mt in February, but down 8.4% from a year ago.

Ferroalloy production in the first quarter declined 9.0% year-over-year to 442,134 mt; March production was 163,177 mt, up 19.4% from 136,612 mt in February, but down 7.7% from a year ago.

Copper miners KAZ Minerals and Kazzinc, a subsidiary of Glencore, account for a significant portion of Kazakhstan's metal production.

ArcelorMittal owns the country's only large steel plant.