China's 2022 aluminium output hits record high 40.21 million tonnes

(Corrects Guangxi and Yunnan to China's southwestern regions in paragraph 5)

BEIJING :China's annual aluminium output in 2022 rose 4.5 per cent from the previous year to a record high, official data showed on Tuesday, reaching 40.21 million tonnes with a boost from newly launched capacity and a relaxation of power supply restrictions.

Primary aluminium output for December was 3.43 million tonnes, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said, up slightly from 3.41 million tonnes in November and 10.3 per cent higher year-on-year.

Smelters' profitability also improved in December, with local industry information provider Mysteel estimating a monthly increase of 288 yuan ($42.63) a tonne in smelter profit because of higher spot prices.

On a daily basis, December output worked out to about 110,645 tonnes a day versus about 113,667 tonnes in November.

In general, 2022 brought a ramp-up in production among smelters due to a loosening of electricity use restrictions, coupled with the launch of new capacity, mainly in northern China's Inner Mongolia and in southwestern Guangxi and Yunnan provinces.

December production of 10 nonferrous metals - including copper, aluminium, lead, zinc and nickel – rose 7.3 per cent from a year earlier to 5.95 million tonnes.

Output for the full year was up 4.3 per cent at 67.74 million tonnes, a record high. The other non-ferrous metals are tin, antimony, mercury, magnesium and titanium.

($1 = 6.7565 Chinese yuan renminbi)