The 6th China International New Materials Industry Expo, held recently, exhibited the latest products in more than 10 segments such as graphite new materials and advanced non-ferrous metal materials. Photo by Liu Yang (Middle Channel Vision)

The recently issued "Non-ferrous Metals Industry steady growth Work Plan" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan") proposed that from 2023 to 2024, the main objectives of the steady growth of the non-ferrous metals industry are: The output of copper, aluminum and other major products maintained steady growth, and the output of ten non-ferrous metals increased at an average annual rate of about 5%. Positive progress was made in the development of domestic resources such as copper and lithium, and the supply quality of deep-processing products for non-ferrous metals was further improved, and a dynamic balance between supply and demand was basically achieved. Business income maintained growth, investment in fixed assets continued to grow, trade structure continued to improve, green and intelligent transformation and upgrading accelerated, and unit energy consumption of copper, lead and other smelting products fell by more than 2% annually.

In recent years, the non-ferrous metals industry has shown a continuous trend of good development, but in the process of development, there are still problems such as insufficient growth momentum in traditional consumption areas, reduced exports, and high dependence on foreign countries for some strategic minerals and high-end materials. The non-ferrous metal industry will put stable growth in a more prominent position, and "three arrows" will be fired in improving supply capacity, strengthening technological transformation, and enhancing the level of opening up.

We will accelerate the development and utilization of strategic resources

"Accelerating the development and utilization of strategic resources, strengthening the supply and stable price of key products, supporting the research and development and application of key materials, and cultivating high-quality backbone enterprises are the inevitable choices for the non-ferrous metals industry to comprehensively deepen the supply-side structural reform and consolidate the foundation for stable development." Ge Honglin, Secretary of the Party Committee and president of the China Non-Ferrous Metals Industry Association, pointed out that improving the supply capacity of non-ferrous metals is the first work initiative of the Plan, and accelerating the development and utilization of strategic resources is an important part of improving the supply capacity. It is necessary to intensify domestic exploration and development and formulate an overall plan for industrial development. We will encourage key regions to formulate resource industry plans and lists of development projects, and strengthen policy support and factor guarantees.

Mo Xinda, deputy director of the light metal Department of the China Non-Ferrous Metals Industry Association, said that aluminum metal is widely used, and in order to ensure the security of the aluminum industrial chain and supply chain, Chinese enterprises have invested a certain amount of bauxite resources overseas, but the source is concentrated, and there are certain concerns about stable supply. To this end, while improving the diversification of import sources, China should also increase the exploration of bauxite resources, promote the technological research and industrial application of alternative resources such as high-aluminum dust ash, strengthen the feasibility study of the development of aluminum resources under coal, and make strategic reserves for future resource supply.

In the face of new market demand and strategic needs, the non-ferrous metal industry must improve the research and development of key materials, and strive to achieve development from traditional structural materials to high comprehensive performance. Focusing on the fields of new energy vehicles, new generation information technology, aerospace, energy saving and carbon reduction, support the research and development and industrialization of high-end materials such as high specific energy cathode materials, ultra-high purity metals, and high-quality semiconductor materials.

Cultivating high-quality backbone enterprises is one of the necessary means to promote high-quality development of non-ferrous metal industry. It is necessary to cultivate "chain master" enterprises in the industrial chain of important non-ferrous metals such as copper, lithium, nickel, tungsten and antimony, and benchmark world-class enterprises in terms of resource allocation, brand value, innovation ability and internationalization degree. Focusing on the strategic direction of energy transformation metals, lightweight materials, integrated circuit materials and so on, cultivate a group of specialized and special new "little giant" enterprises and single champion enterprises.

"These measures will help comprehensively enhance the international competitiveness of the non-ferrous metals industry." Ge Honglin said that in recent years, the overall strength of the head enterprises in China's non-ferrous metals industry has been significantly improved. The conditions for promoting factor resources to further gather to advantageous enterprises have been met, which will further enhance the intensification of China's non-ferrous metal resources development and smelting, and achieve high-quality development of the industry.

Guo Zhaohui, chief analyst of commodities at the Research Department of CICC, believes that the cultivation of specialized and special new "small giant" enterprises and single champion enterprises and other initiatives have put forward new requirements for the development of the non-ferrous metals industry, which will help promote the structural optimization and industrial upgrading of China's non-ferrous metals and middle and downstream industries.

Promote green, low-carbon and mature technologies

"Maintaining an appropriate scale of fixed asset investment not only supports the development of industries, but also plays an important role in optimizing the industrial structure." Ge Honglin said that supporting the construction of major projects and promoting the high-end, intelligent and green development of the industry will help the non-ferrous metal industry enhance its development vitality.

Electrolytic aluminum production is the "nose" of aluminum metal to achieve the goal of "double carbon". Mohinda introduced that a series of fruitful work has been carried out in this industry. Including the continuous development of power consumption reduction technology, the current industry average ton of aluminum comprehensive AC power consumption has reached 13,500 KWH below, in the world's best level; Electrolytic aluminum enterprises have increased the proportion of clean energy consumption to 25% through production capacity replacement, distributed new energy consumption, power trading, etc. The use of recycled materials in aluminum processing enterprises increases the substitution of electrolytic aluminum, and the carbon reduction effect is remarkable.

It is understood that in the next step, the non-ferrous metal industry will organize the implementation of the industry carbon peak implementation plan, around the low-carbon technology development roadmap, accelerate the promotion of green and low-carbon mature technologies, develop key common technologies and disruptive technologies, and improve the level of green development of the whole process.

Ge Honglin said that the non-ferrous Metals Industry Association will accelerate the optimization and upgrading of non-ferrous metals standards, implement the "Guide to the Construction of Intelligent Manufacturing Standard System for Non-ferrous Metals Industry (2023 version)", and accelerate the development of standards such as information identification, intelligent production of key varieties, and intelligent factory evaluation. At the same time, diagnostic consultation and intelligent experience cloud sharing will be carried out to speed up the development of intelligent solutions with good economy, quick effect and wide application, and promote manufacturing technology breakthroughs and process innovation.

Duan Xiangdong, secretary of the Party Group and chairman of the Aluminum Corporation of China, said that the research and development and use of high-end non-ferrous metal products will boost the sustained and stable growth of the non-ferrous metal industry. The group will establish a joint laboratory with downstream customers, establish a cooperation model of early access to research and development and subsequent continuous improvement, accelerate the development of high-end products of non-ferrous metal materials in aerospace, electronic information, new energy vehicles, and other aspects, and drive a wider range of industrial innovation and upgrading.

We should pursue opening-up and cooperation in a two-pronged manner

Over the past decade, the scale of China's non-ferrous metal imports and exports increased from 132.3 billion US dollars in 2013 to 329.9 billion US dollars in 2022, with an average annual growth rate of about 10.7%, and the proportion of foreign trade rose from 3.2% to 5.2%.

Experts believe that to enhance the level of open cooperation in the non-ferrous metals industry, a two-pronged approach is required.

On the one hand, we should expand the international market. Support enterprises to participate in overseas exhibitions to expand orders; Encourage the export of deep-processed products such as aluminum and products, copper and products, and magnesium products, and increase the added value of non-ferrous metal exports; Support enterprises to expand Southeast Asia and other surrounding markets; Give full play to the advantages of non-ferrous metal industry equipment, materials, technology, standards, services, etc., and strengthen industrial cooperation with countries and regions along the "Belt and Road".

On the other hand, we should encourage the import of primary products. We will support smelting enterprises in signing long-term purchase agreements with foreign mining enterprises, and increase imports of raw materials such as copper concentrate, bauxite and nickel concentrate. We will improve the standard system for recycled raw materials and expand the scope and scale of imports of high-quality recycled raw materials. We will improve import inspection standards for mineral products and renewable resource products, support rapid inspection capacity building, and improve the efficiency of product import clearance.

Xiao Lu, deputy director of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, said that the Ministry of Commerce will take multiple measures together with various localities and departments to promote the stability and quality of foreign trade in various industries such as non-ferrous metals. On the one hand to provide service guarantee. The Ministry of Commerce will regularly issue Foreign Trade Promotion Information and Foreign Trade Guidelines to collect information on overseas market supply and demand and publish it regularly on the Ministry's website. On the other hand to promote supply and mining docking. We will host a number of important exhibitions and support foreign trade enterprises in participating in overseas exhibitions.