China Becomes Largest Aluminum Exporter in the World

Primary aluminum output of China surpassed 26000kt/a in 2011. Output of in construction and planning to build is 20000kt/a. If eighty percent of these projects are completed in 2015, the primary aluminum output will reach 42000kt/a, which takes up sixty four percent of world’s total output. Refining primary aluminum cost large amount of energy. Average AC power consumption in 2011 was 14000Wh/t, which is the leading level in the world. However, it is not good for that remaining was pollution and the world can not accept so much aluminum.

China is poor in quantity and quality of aluminum bauxite. Most of them can not be used for refining alumina. They need import aluminum in Korea and Taiwan regions. Meanwhile, some countries also need import some amount of aluminum, such as America, Germany, Italy, UK, and France. They close aluminum plant every year. We should study their aluminum industry’s development.

Experts said that it is a disaster for Chinese aluminum industry. If the production capacity can be reached ninety percent, the output will be 41400kt. Except of 26500kt in domestic, we should import about 14900kt. China will become the largest exporter of aluminum. In hence, China is not suitable for large-scale development of primary aluminum. However, China is a large country of aluminum consumption, so that we should develop it appropriately. It is appropriate for domestic primary aluminum to meet sixty percent of demand or less. We also could build factories in other sufficient resource countries or import aluminum. It is energy conservation.