SHANGHAI: China has forecast that annual output of 10 major metals will rise to 46 million tonnes by 2015 from 31.21 million tonnes in 2010, and apparent consumption will reach 49 million tonnes from 34.3 million tonnes, a Chinese website reported.
China, the world's largest consumer of most base metals, has set a 5-year plan between 2011 and 2015 for the development of the sector.
Beijing has put "industry restructuring" at the top of its list of priorities for the five-plan as it tries to curb pollution and energy waste, as well as encourage the development of new and high-tech sectors.
The 10 metals are copper, aluminium, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesium, titanium, tin, antimony and mercury.
China expects copper output to rise an average 7.3 percent between 2011 and 2015 and reach 6.5 million tonnes by 2015, according to a document posted on the website, which is owned by China Nonferrous Metals Industry Assocaition.
Apparent consumption of copper is expected to rise by an annual 5.2 percent between 2011 and 2015 and output will reach 9.7 million tonnes by 2015.
By 2015, China aims for aluminium output to reach 24 million tonnes by expanding 8.8 percent annually on average. Apparent consumption is expected to rise on average by 8.6 percent annually to 24 million tonnes by 2015.
Zinc and lead output are targeted to reach 5.5 million tonnes and 7.2 million tonnes, respectively, by 2015, which will rise an average of 6.9 percent and 5.2 percent annually between 2011 and 2015.
Apparent consumption of zinc is expected to rise 5.2 percent per annum on the average to 7.2 million tonnes by 2015.
Lead will rise on the average of 7.9 percent annual during the period to 6.2 million tonnes by 2015.
Between 2011 and 2015, China will close 300,000 tonnes of refined copper smelting capacity and 800,000 tonnes of aluminium smelting capcity.
A total of 1.2 million tonnes of lead smelting capacity and 400,000 tonnes of zinc smelting capacity will also be closed during the five years.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.