China’s aluminium production in October 2024 rose year-on-year as a positive demand outlook and higher aluminium prices offset rising raw material costs. Official data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that China, the world’s largest aluminium producer, produced 3.72 million metric tons of primary aluminium last month, marking a 1.6% increase from October last...
READ MOREChinese zinc producers are racing to deliver between 30,000 and 40,000 metric tons of refined zinc to warehouses registered with the Shanghai Futures Exchange (ShFE) ahead of the November contract expiry on Friday, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the situation. This significant delivery is expected to raise zinc stocks in the ShFE...
READ MOREChinese copper smelters may cut production or extend maintenance periods next year to address ongoing feedstock shortages, as discussed by participants at an industry conference in Shanghai. The shortage of copper concentrate is leading to increased competition among smelters, with production cutbacks seen as a possible solution to alleviate the situation. Earlier this year, global...
READ MOREAccording to data from Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), China’s aluminium production in October 2024 reached 3.7025 million tonnes, a 1.7% increase compared to the same month last year. In September, the year-on-year increase was estimated at 1.5%. For the ten-month period of 2024, Chinese aluminium producers exceeded last year’s output by 4.0%, with a total...
READ MOREChina’s copper cathode production in October 2024 amounted to 995,500 tonnes, according to the Shanghai Metals Market (SMM). This figure marks a 0.9% decline from September but a slight increase of 0.2% compared to October 2023. Overall, Chinese companies produced 9.96 million tonnes of copper in the first ten months of the year, reflecting a...
READ MOREOn November 13, 2024, the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA) stated that increased utilization of aluminium and recycled copper could help China manage its limited copper resources. Ge Honglin, Chairman of CNIA, emphasized that Chinese smelters face challenges due to constrained copper concentrate supplies, which is impacting their profitability. He noted that smelter profits...
READ MOREChinese copper smelters are under mounting pressure to scale back their rapid expansion, which is impacting profitability across the global industry. China, the world’s largest consumer of copper, is on course to produce about half of the world’s refined copper this year after an aggressive wave of smelter construction aimed at securing essential supplies for...
READ MOREChina’s cobalt powder production increased by 3.97% month-on-month in October, reaching 773.5 tonnes, while also rising 7.28% compared to the same period last year. From January to October, total production reached 7,978 tonnes, marking a year-on-year growth of 12.29%. In October, overall demand for cobalt powder was moderate, and the market saw the presence of...
READ MOREJiaxin New Materials Company has successfully conducted a trial production of its new 7-series high-end aluminium alloy round ingot product. This development marks a major milestone for the China-based company as it expands its product line with a high-strength aluminium alloy designed for demanding applications. The newly developed alloy primarily uses zinc as its main...
READ MOREOn October 15th, Inner Mongolia Weiwang Aluminum Products Processing officially began the trial production phase of its aluminium alloy ingot project. With an investment of RMB 100 million (approximately $13.7 million USD), the facility is set to produce 60,000 tonnes of aluminium alloy ingots annually, using 70,000 tons of recycled aluminium. The project began construction...
READ MOREChina’s Zinc Smelter Purchasing Team (CZSPT) has set the domestic processing fees for zinc concentrate at between 2,000 yuan ($281.57) and 2,500 yuan per metric ton for the first quarter of 2025, according to media reports. The new fees reflect the industry’s ongoing difficulties, including tight ore supplies and declining smelting margins. For imported zinc...
READ MORECopper, the third most used metal globally, is crucial for the energy transition, particularly in electrification and renewable energy applications. Recent developments, including China’s stimulus measures, have led to significant volatility in copper prices, adding uncertainty to the metal’s future. China’s economic actions have been a major driver of this volatility. Copper futures are actively...
READ MORETight supply, improving demand in China, and falling inventories are expected to push zinc prices up by around 8% in the short term, analysts say. The zinc market has faced mine setbacks this year, tightening zinc ore and concentrate supplies, noted Daniel Hynes, senior commodity strategist at ANZ Research. Sibanye-Stillwater recently suspended operations at its...
READ MORERussia has significantly increased its alumina imports from China, largely due to supplies from the Hebei Wenfeng New Materials (HWNM) plant, where Russian aluminum giant Rusal acquired a 30% stake. From January to September 2024, alumina imports from China to Russia rose by 43% year-on-year, reaching 1.2 million tons, according to data from the General...
READ MORECopper prices fell on Tuesday as the dollar strengthened, and uncertainty loomed over China’s economic recovery following weak economic data and a lack of details regarding Beijing’s stimulus efforts. The three-month copper contract on the London Metal Exchange (LME) declined by 1.2%, trading at $9,547 per metric ton by 0722 GMT, marking its lowest point...
READ MOREChina’s imports of unwrought copper increased in September compared to the previous month, driven by seasonal demand improvements and a positive consumption outlook for the industrial metal, according to customs data released on Monday. Imports of unwrought copper and related products reached 479,000 metric tons last month, marking a 15.4% rise from August, data from...
READ MOREChina’s aluminium consumption growth is expected to slow to slightly below 5% this year, compared to a 6% gain in 2023, as demand cooled during the third quarter amid economic challenges, despite robust growth from the energy and transportation sectors, local analysts reported to MNI. Gu Fengda, chief nonferrous metals analyst at Guoxin Futures, noted...
READ MOREXinjiang Technology officially launched its Phase II aluminium and titanium alloy production project on September 5. The project, located in Haimen District, builds on the company’s Phase I success in magnesium alloy production and represents a significant provincial industrial initiative in collaboration with China Aerospace Equipment. The total investment in the new titanium alloy project...
READ MORESince Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEx) acquired the LME in 2012 for $2.2 billion, the exchange has aimed to open warehouses in China. Registering facilities in Hong Kong would be a key step towards this goal, as it would offer companies in the region a viable alternative to mainland storage. In a December 2023...
READ MOREChina’s aluminium industry is poised for increased output as demand remains robust and power supplies improve. However, rising costs for essential raw materials like bauxite and alumina are expected to limit producer profits, posing challenges for the country’s aluminium sector. Improved power availability, especially in Yunnan province, will support higher production levels. Analysts from Shanghai...
READ MOREChina’s shipments of antimony products saw a sharp increase in August 2024, driven by international concerns over Beijing’s upcoming export restrictions on the critical mineral. Antimony, used in various applications from fire retardants to military equipment, has become the focus of a rush in stockpiling abroad. The export restrictions, set to take effect on September...
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China’s nickel buyers, the world’s largest purchasers of the metal, have asked producers to switch to Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) contracts to price their supplies next year. Who The sources, who asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak to the press, possess direct knowledge of the matter. Why it matters If...
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