Metalnewsnet 1 June ：

Reuters quoted the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said China, the world top producer of steel and some base metals will close down more outdated metals production capacity this year.

China has said it will close a total 300,000 tonnes of copper smelting capacity, 600,000 tonnes of lead and zinc capacity, 800,000 tonnes of aluminium capacity and millions of steel capacity under a three year plan which started last year to reduce overcapacity and cut down pollution.

China has pledged to cut the amount of carbon dioxide produced from each unit of economic growth by 40% to 45% by 2020 compared with the 2005 level.

According to the report posted on the central government web site (www.gov.cn) and the ministry web site (www.miit.gov.cn) which said the closed capacity details were given in a two day meeting starting this year that Beijing target is to shut down outdated capacity of 339,000 tonnes of aluminium, 117,000 tonnes of copper smelting, 113,000 tonnes of zinc and 243,000 tonnes of lead.

It said some 8.25 million tonnes of outdated steel capacity, 30 million tonnes of iron production capacity, 21.27 million tonnes of coke capacity and 1.44 million tonnes of ferroalloy capacity would also be closed this year.

( from Reuters)