European producers are sounding the alarm over a scarcity of aluminium. Stocks will be exhausted at the end of November, says the Wirtschaftsvereinigung Metalle (Germany), According to accounts in European media, this is due to a stop in production of magnesium in China, due to climate measures.
The city of Yulin issued an order last September, to drastically reduce energy consumption. This is hitting energy-intensive industries, especially magnesium. The province produces 60% of Chinese magnesium. China produces 90% of world magnesium, a key component to produce aluminium. Magnesium is abundant on earth, but in order to be extracted it must be smelted at over 1000 degrees temperature.
