China's aluminium output fell slightly in November from the previous month, official data showed on Wednesday, hit by an explosion at a smelter in the southwestern province of Yunnan and lingering curbs on energy consumption.
The world's top producer of the metal churned out 3.10 million tonnes of primary aluminium last month, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said, down from 3.132 million in October and 1.8% lower on the year.
On a daily basis, November output worked out to about 103,300 tonnes a day according to Reuters' calculations, versus about 101,000 tonnes in October.
"Some smelters have started to return to previous levels," said Paul Adkins, managing director of aluminium consultancy AZ China, based in the Shandong provincial city of Zibo.
"Generally, we don't see a rush to return (to production), but equally, the market is very stable right now," he said, adding that he expected output to stay at the current rate until the Lunar New Year, which begins on Feb. 1.
Several Chinese regions have cut production this year of energy-intensive aluminium in the face of pressure to reduce power consumption to meet climate goals and ease electricity shortages.
The power crunch was at its worst in October but there were also slight cuts in aluminium output in Qinghai, Guangxi and Chongqing last month due to energy use curbs and high costs, said consultancy Baiinfo, which also flagged an unexpected cut in Yunnan.
A roughly 300,000 tonnes per year aluminium smelting plant in Yunnan halted production after an explosion on Nov. 18.
Still, China's aluminium output 35.45 million tonnes in the period from January to November was up 5.7% on the year, on course for an annual record.
Output of 10 nonferrous metals, including copper, aluminium, lead, zinc and nickel, was 5.35 million tonnes in November, the statistics bureau said, up from October's 5.259 million, but down 0.7% on the year.
The other metals in the group are tin, antimony, mercury, magnesium and titanium.
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