NBS: China's alumina output rises 8.5% YoY in Jan-Jul

China produced 52.67 million tonnes of alumina, including both metallurgical-grade and other types, during January-July this year, higher by 8.5 per cent from the same period in 2024, according to the latest data released by the country's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

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In July alone, national alumina output totalled 7.57 million tonnes, which was 4.6 per cent up on-year but marked a 2.4 per cent on-month decrease, the NBS data showed.

 Last month's decline in alumina output compared with June was mainly because supplies of domestic bauxite, a key raw material for alumina production, were tight in certain regions, according to market analysts. Equipment maintenance at some alumina producers had also led to production cuts or suspensions, they added.

Mining activity in some bauxite mines in North China's Shanxi province was restricted in July as the traditional rainy season there disrupted operations, while in Central China's Henan province, a new round of environmental inspections forced some mines to halt production, Mysteel Global notes.

Meanwhile, some alumina producers in East China's Shandong province and Southwest China's Guangxi autonomous region suspended operations during the month to undertake maintenance checks.

In addition, weakening profitability among domestic refiners also led them to curb output, analysts added. Mysteel’s survey of the 44 alumina producers regularly tracked showed that in July their average profit margin fell by 12 per cent from June to RMB 344.4 per tonne (USD 48 per tonne).

By region, Shandong, Shanxi, and Guangxi remained the country's top three alumina-producing hubs in July, Mysteel Global noted.

Shandong, China's largest alumina base, produced 2.66 million tonnes last month, down by 3.7 per cent from the prior month. Shanxi ranked second with its alumina production totalling 1.73 million tonnes – its output having risen by 3.9 per cent from June – while Guangxi followed with 1.36 million tonnes, lower by 7.7 per cent from a month earlier.

Table: China's July alumina output by region

Note: This article has been issued by MYSTEEL and has been published by AL Circle with its original information without any modifications or edits to the core subject/data.