COMMENTRAY/Demand

摘要

Table 2 and the chart show the movement of metallurgical alumina demand, measured on an annual rate basis. Table 3 shows metallurgical alumina consumption by country. In the most recent period smelter production has surged in China and smelters there are running at an annual rate of about 11 million tonnes. This results from continuing additions to capacity, despite government attempts to limit such investments, and a high utilisation of capacity, as smelters were able to take advantage of falling alumina prices late in 2006. Outside China the world's' smelting industry has responded to high metal prices by increasing production. Some idle US capacity is scheduled to restart (Intalco, Columbia Falls and Ormet) in the coming weeks. In Europe closures occurred in 2005 at Hamburg (128,000 t/y), Lannemezan in France (44,000 t/y) and Steg in Switzerland (45,000 t/y). Early In 2006 the smelter in Hungary closed (35,000 t/y) and late in 2006 the smelter at Stade in Germany (73,000 t/y) closed. On the other hand, in 2007 Trimet is attempting to purchase and restart the smelter in Hamburg.