China’s daily average alumina production in October rose 0.63% M-o-M

Shanghai Metals Market survey found China’s alumina output in October stood at 5.86 million tonnes, with metallurgical-grade materials accounting for 5.61 million tonnes. This brings the total alumina production in the first ten months in China to 57.6 million tonnes, down 0.95 per cent from the same period last year.

The daily average production of metallurgical-grade alumina in October stood at 181,000 tonnes, up 0.63 per cent from 179,859 tonnes in September. This rise could be attributed to SPIC’s project recovery from technical upgrading in Shanxi.

On the other hand, the year-on-year decline in China’s total alumina production in the first ten months could be because of the reversal of gains in alumina prices that restrained Xinfa’s refinery in Jiaokou and East Hope’s plants in Sanmenxia and Jinzhong from stepping up operations last month and domestic bauxite supply shortages, which affected alumina production at Xiaoyi Xinghua.

In November, China’s alumina production is expected to expand to 5.88 million tonnes, with metallurgical-grade materials taking up 5.63 million tonnes, while the daily output to extend its increase to 188,000 tonnes, bolstered by a ramp-up at East Hope Sanmenxia and the potential commissioning of Jingzi Tiangui’s first stage.

As of early November, metallurgical-grade alumina capacity in operation rose to 66.09 million tonnes on an annualised basis, found SMM.