China's alumina, primary aluminum production capacity to increase in2009

Shanghai. August 28. INTERFAX-CHINA - China is expected to see a rise inthe annual production capacity of alumina, primary aluminum, refinedcopper, refined lead and refined zinc in 2009, by 3 million tons, 2million tons, 50,000 tons, 200,000 tons and 300,000 tons respectively,according to a report from China's Ministry of Industry and InformationTechnology (MIIT) on Aug. 28. The MIIT said that recent rebounding nonferrous metals prices areattracting more investment into the sectors, which is leading to anincrease in China's nonferrous metals production capacity surplus. In July, the total output of China's 10 major nonferrous metals rose by2 percent year-on-year to 2.22 million tons, although over the firstseven months of the year, the total dropped by 4.3 percent on an annualbasis to 13.92 million tons, according to the report. The MIIT also said the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association(CNMIA) has advised the government not to approve new primary aluminumand alumina producing facilities to be built in the near future and toclose more outdated refined lead and zinc smelting facilities.