Armenia`s metallurgical industry closed 2024 in the black

ArmInfo. In 2024, Armenia's metallurgical industry saw a turnaround from a 5% decline to a 1% growth. According to the data of the RA Statistical Committee, the improved dynamics were due to the production of copper concentrate, zinc concentrate, and steel pipes.  During January-December 2024, Armenia produced 301.6 thousand tons of copper concentrate, shifting  from a 5.8% decline to a 4.1% growth compared to the previous year.

Zinc concentrate production in 2024 reached 10.5 thousand tons,  marking a change from a 17.9% decline to a 28.7% growth. The  production of steel pipes, hollow sections and fittings  in  January-December 2024 totaled 24.8 thousand tons, showing a decrease  from 43.4% to 16.8%. At the same time, the production of molybdenum  concentrate experienced a negative shift, moving from a 4.6% growth  to a 26.9% decline, with a total production of 17.1 thousand tons.  The decline was delayed by the production of ferromolybdenum and the  output of aluminum foil. As a result, the production of  ferromolybdenum increased during the decline from 15.6% to 42%,  totaling 4489.8 tons, and the production of aluminum foil increased  during the decline from 21.1% to 23.2%, totaling 19.7 thousand tons. 

According to the RA Customs Service, in the first half of 2024,  copper concentrate export volumes increased by 14.5% to 168.4  thousand tons, with a 17.1% increase in customs value to $267.6  million. The main destinations for copper concentrate were China  (71.6%), Bulgaria (13.9%), Serbia (5.6%), Switzerland (4.4%), the  Russian Federation (2.5%), and Iran (1.8%). Zinc concentrate supplies  increased by 17.7% year-on-year in the first half of the year - up to  5 thousand tons, increasing in value terms by 17% - up to $7.3  million. Belgium accounted for the entire volume, as in previous  years.  Molybdenum concentrate exports increased by 49% during the  reporting year, surpassing 6 thousand tons, with a 26% increase in  customs value - up to $112.5 million. Molybdenum concentrate was  supplied from Armenia to  Belgium (35.5%), Russia (17.3%), Hong Kong  (12.2%), Korea (10.5%), China (10.1%), Thailand (9.8%), the  Netherlands (3.9%), and Slovenia (0.4%). In the same reporting  period, Armenia exported 10.1 thousand tons of aluminum foil, which  is 22.8% lower than the same period last year (compared to a decline  from 8.6% to 16.5% a year earlier). The customs value of exported  foil dropped by 35.9% to $31.6 million. Foil was mainly exported to  Germany (21.4%), followed by Poland (20.9%), the Netherlands (13.6%),  Spain (11.7%), Italy (11.5%), France (6.6%), Russia (5.3%), Slovenia  (2.7%), the Czech Republic (1.7%), the United Kingdom (1.5%), Greece  (1.2%), with the remaining volume going too Belgium, Albania,  Hungary, Georgia, and Kazakhstan.