According to a market source claiming knowledge of the matter, Aluminum Corp of China (Chalco) is planning to start a second production line at its Huasheng alumina refinery.
Fastmarkets reported on Monday that the refinery at Fangchenggang Port in Guangxi would soon open the new line, which would add another one million metric tons per annum to the refinery’s capacity upon full ramp-up.
“I heard their second operation line was ready for production and they began putting raw material into the newly-built operation line in late October,” the source relayed to Fastmarkets earlier this week.
Other sources indicate that the start of production at the second line will boost its output this month to over 100 thousand metric tons.
The plant first opened in August of this year, with production at its first line commencing in mid-September. Initial production began at a rate of between 40 thousand and 50 thousand metric tons per annum. Production began shortly after the firm secured a lease on a 100,000 m2 bonded bauxite warehouse nearby in Guanxi.
All in, the plant’s new nameplate capacity is about 2 million metric tons per annum of refined alumina.