where are we heading?, page-4

Actually, the smelter shutdown has more to do with basic economics than anything else. There is a global glut of aluminium supply, due to prices marching steadily upwards until mid last year. Since then, prices are down 25%. Hence, either the price (i.e. demand) has to rise enough at the present volume for the smelter to produce profitably, or volume must be reduced in order to push the price back up (by closing marginal smelters).

Nothing that can really be done; smelting is just a cyclical business that depends primarily on cheap electricity and high aluminium prices.