China's Feb aluminium production rises 21%, while total aluminium export dips 2.1% YoY

China's primary aluminium output is clearly on the rise. Despite news in the international media about the Chinese government halting production at many smelters to curb pollution, the first-hand production data collected by Shanghai Metals Market from the country's major aluminium smelters shows aluminium production in February this year has risen from the year ago period by 21.1 per cent to reach 2.838 million tonnes. The cumulative production for the last two months of the current calendar year stands at 5.876 million tonnes, up 21.6 per cent from the corresponding period previous year.

The final production data of January shows aluminium production in China totalled 3.038 million tonnes. In March, China is estimated to produce 3.155 million tonnes of the primary metal.

Total output of alumina, the key electrolytic agent for aluminium smelting through Hall–Héroult process, stood at 5.185 million tonnes in February, up 22 per cent from the same period previous year. The total alumina production for January-February was 10.769 million tonnes, up 21.8 per cent year-on-year. China's alumina output is estimated to reach 5.772 million tonnes in March 2017.

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According to the preliminary data from the General Administration of Customs, China's total export of unwrought aluminium and aluminium semis was 260,000 tonnes in February 2017, with year-to-date exports from January to February amounting to 650,000 tonnes, down 2.1 per cent YoY.