Aluminum Corp of China Ltd expects to start work soon on an 800,000 ton-per-year alumina refinery in northern China, with the cost estimated at 'over 3 bln yuan,' according to Zhang Qing, Chalco's investor relations manager.

'We've gotten NDRC approval for the new plant, but haven't broken ground on the site yet,' Zhang told XFN-Asia, referring to the National Development and Reform Commission, China's central government economic planning agency.

Zhang cited a rule-of-thumb construction cost estimate of around 5,000 yuan per ton of capacity, which suggests overall costs nearer to 4 bln yuan.

However, Zhang would only say that the cost is expected to be 'over 3 bln yuan.'