Iranian primary aluminium production skyrocketed this spring, jumping by almost 20 thousand tons on the year to 60,677 metric tons across the months of mid-March through mid-May
Per domestic media, in the month ending on May 19, Persian smelters turned out 30,647 metric tons, good for a year-on-year increase of almost 20,000 metric tons. For the calendar year prior to that date, Iran produced 275,716 metric tons of the non-ferrous metal.
Experts say for the coming year the market should expect an even greater increase, forecasting a 63-percent jump by this time in 2021. This is expected to reverse last year’s trend, which showed an 8-percent decline in aluminium ingot production.
IRALCO posted the best year, said the report, increasing by 4 percent over the previous period. Output at the plant is expected to show an even greater increase going forward, as the country’s industry minister said that the addition of a new unit at the site will double production once it comes online.
The industry minister estimated the value of Iran’s aluminium sector at US$22 billion, noting the country’s self sufficiency and valuable exports of the metal. Iran is the 18th in the world for domestic aluminium production, but the addition to IRALCO’s plant is expected to bump it four spots higher, he said.
According to domestic media, Iran’s current target for production is 1.5 million metric tons of aluminium ingot by March 2026. At present the country hosts an estimated aluminium smelting capacity of 457 thousand metric tons per annum, with all but 20 thousand metric tons per annum of capacity currently online, and that idled on account of environmental concerns.