Magnesium alloy is called "green and environmentally friendly structural material in the 21st century". It has very good application performance. It is the lightest metal structural material at present. Large, excellent electromagnetic shielding performance, no biological toxicity, good corrosion resistance to organics and alkalis, and abundant resources. With the continuous improvement of processing technology, the scope of application of magnesium alloys has expanded rapidly, and the market demand has continued to increase. The rapid development of the magnesium alloy strategic industry is of great significance to the development of China's national economy and national defense technology industry.
China's magnesium land resources account for more than 35% of the world's total proven reserves, ranking first in the world, with abundance reaching more than 500 years. Among them, the total amount of magnesite resources is 3.145 billion tons, and the primary and secondary mines that meet the requirements of magnesium smelting account for 78%; the proven reserves of dolomite resources are more than 4 billion tons. In 2019, the global production and sales of primary magnesium are 1 million tons, China's is 844,800 tons, accounting for 85% of the world, and the rest is a small amount of output from Russia and Israel. Domestic production is mainly distributed in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Ningxia and other places, including 517,600 tons in Shaanxi, 117,100 tons in Shanxi, and 58,500 tons in Ningxia. At present, about 45% of the global raw magnesium is used for the production of magnesium alloys, 70% of which is used in the automotive industry, and the remaining 20% and 10% are used in the fields of 3C and military industry, building materials and flying aircraft.
Market prospects
In the field of transportation equipment: First, in automotive applications, under the premise of using the same power and transmission system, the lightweight of automotive wheels, covers, engine cases, battery compartments and other components is the largest incremental market for magnesium alloys. . According to the statistics of Volkswagen in Germany, every 10% reduction in vehicle weight can save 5% fuel. For every 10 kg of magnesium alloy, the car can lose about 4 kg; for every 100 kg of dead weight, fuel consumption can be reduced by 0.7 liters per 100 kilometers; One liter of fuel can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2.5 grams and annual emissions by more than 30%. More than 60 parts of foreign cars have been converted to magnesium alloys. For example, the European Passat and Audi A4 have reached more than 14 kg per car. Some cars in North America and Japan have reached 3.8 kg and 9.3 kg, and some even exceeded 28. kg. According to China's road map for lightweight vehicles, by 2020, 2025 and 2030, magnesium alloys for bicycles should reach 15 kg, 25 kg and 45 kg, respectively. According to the calculation of the production of 35 million vehicles in 2025 and the consumption of 25 kg of magnesium alloy per bicycle, the demand is 875,000 tons. Calculated based on the 45 kg bicycle usage in 2030, it will require 1.72 million tons. In 2019, China produces 1.3 million pure electric cars and 30 million small passenger cars. If only the cover of each car is changed to 65 kg of magnesium alloy sheet, 2.03 million tons will be needed. Car companies such as Changchun FAW, SAIC Volkswagen, Chongqing Changan Automobile and others have begun to use magnesium alloys in batches. Looking to the future, the amount of magnesium alloys used in automobiles may usher in a blowout growth.
Second, in terms of rail transit, as long as rail transit reduces the weight of the car body, the train can increase the payload and run faster. A high-speed train composed of eight cars now has a traction force of up to 5500-8800 kilowatts, and using magnesium alloy to reduce weight can greatly reduce power costs. The application of magnesium alloys for rail cars in foreign countries far exceeds that of China. Over 45,000 magnesium alloy castings and plates are used in French high-speed trains. High-speed trains in Japan and South Korea also use magnesium alloy castings and plates, reducing costs by 8-10%. China stipulates that cities with a permanent population of over 3 million and a fiscal budget of over 10 billion can develop rail transit. 43 cities across the country have opened subway or light rail train operations, and another 15 cities have developed subway or light rail plans. In 2020, the urban rail transit mileage will reach more than 4,500 kilometers, and major cities are revising to increase urban rail transit. It is planned that the mileage of rail transit in the urban area planned by Chengdu City in 2035 will reach 4,500 kilometers. Chengdu Tianzhi Lightweight Technology Co., Ltd. has supplied magnesium alloy lightweight products for subway trains in batches. It will also become inevitable to use a large amount of magnesium alloy materials for rail cars.
In the field of 3C electronic products, military industry, and building materials: metal magnesium sheet and strip materials have been used in mid-to-high-end ultra-thin or small-sized notebook shells, which cannot be compared with engineering plastics and carbon fiber. Magnesium alloy materials are now The first choice for portable notebook computer housing. In addition, there are shielding layers for electronic products, and ultra-thin metal magnesium plates (foil) also tend to use magnesium alloys. The new generation of mobile communication products make extensive use of hollowed-out magnesium alloy frames. In terms of 4G and 5G communication base station radiators, there is at least more than 50 billion yuan in domestic market demand. In the field of military industry, magnesium alloys have also been used in batches in portable portable communication equipment, light weapon systems, individual weapons and intelligent helmets, military vehicle suspended outer decks, and shoulder-mounted missile and rocket shells. In the field of wall decoration, especially in high-rise and super high-rise buildings, lightweight magnesium alloy formwork has also begun to be widely used.
In the field of flying aircraft and so on: In addition to the internal support frame in the aircraft structure, the most suitable for the use of wide width magnesium alloy sheet skin, floor, cabin plate, etc. Test results have shown that the economic benefits of reducing the weight of an aircraft by 1 pound are $ 300 for commercial aircraft, $ 3,000 for fighter aircraft, and $ 30,000 for spacecraft. The overall weight reduction effect is 25% -35% higher than that of aluminum alloy. European Airbus has developed magnesium alloy plates as early as the last century, which is more than ten tons lighter than using aluminum alloy. China's Xifei and Chengfei used magnesium alloy forgings, castings and plates early in the machine. In the fields of civil aviation, general aviation, and commercial aerospace, magnesium alloys will become more prominent in the future.
At present, the trend of the world's magnesium metal industry: Western countries have completely reduced the production of raw magnesium, but China is continuing to increase production. The United States, Germany, South Korea, Australia, and Japan have taken magnesium metal as an important strategic material in the 21st century, and have successively formulated their respective industrial plans for magnesium and magnesium alloys. The United States is focusing on the high-end manufacturing process of magnesium alloys, and now has the world's only industrial wide-band production line; the German government has invested heavily to focus on cutting-edge technologies such as die-casting magnesium alloys, rapid reduction and tool manufacturing; South Korea has developed The three major giants of Pohang and Hyundai have jointly invested more than US $ 50 billion in the East Coast Three Magnesium Alloys National Industrial Park Program. In 2016-2018, they have attracted investment of more than US $ 10 billion. They plan to invest in magnesium alloy deep processing and high-value products by 2025. Reached the world's leading level. The high-end magnesium alloy industry has formed a complete system from basic research to applied research to product development and terminal applications, such as high-performance wide-width magnesium alloy sheet and strip, high-performance magnesium alloy extruded profiles and precision forged parts. The technology has been basically monopolized, and more than 85% of the added value of magnesium terminal products has been captured. Even Ukraine, which has an annual output of more than 20,000 tons of raw magnesium, has also been at the forefront of the world in precision die-casting of key components such as aviation and aerospace, with an annual output value of US $ 4.2 billion.
In terms of precision casting and forming of magnesium metal, although China's high-end magnesium alloy manufacturing enterprises have successfully developed high-speed train "Fuxing" extruded side wall profiles, floor channel profiles and other products, and entered batch loading applications, but in magnesium The production and application of alloy sheet far from meeting market demand. In the manufacturing of transportation equipment, the consumption of magnesium alloy sheet and strip accounts for more than 70%. SXWX Magnesium Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. is now the largest and most complete magnesium alloy enterprise in the country; ZLLY and SDSG magnesium alloy casting limited The company's magnesium alloy sheet, NXTY, SXCY, SDNS, CQBA, GDQM, FJKF manufacturers have improved in the processing of magnesium alloy precision sheet, but there is still room for significant improvement in magnesium alloy sheet with a width greater than 1220 mm. At present, China has made great progress in automotive lightweight materials (magnesium alloy precision parts). NJYH Magnesium Alloy Technology Group and WFAT Light Alloy Technology are leaders in China's magnesium alloy industry.
Overall, China's large-scale magnesium alloy deep processing and high-end manufacturing levels still need to be further improved. There are currently 83 original magnesium smelting enterprises above designated size, the output of the top ten companies accounts for 37.7%, and only 13 have a production capacity of more than 30,000 tons. The rest are small and micro enterprises, with poor industry concentration and low equipment automation, far from forming technology leadership and industry concentration.
China's magnesium alloy requires strategic-level magnesium alloy industry planning and short-, medium-, and long-term technical layout. To make full use of the absolute advantage of China's raw magnesium production in the world, plan the overall layout of the raw magnesium smelting and magnesium alloy high-end product processing industry from a high starting point, pay close attention to the introduction of foreign high-end magnesium alloy industrialization technology and advanced processing equipment, based on Shaanxi local original Magnesium is locally sourced, and the local magnesium alloy application end industry is upgraded as soon as possible, replacing imports, and striving to build a strategic industrial base of magnesium alloy in China in a relatively short period of time.
Go all out to make the magnesium alloy industry bigger and stronger
In recent years, Shaanxi`s Fugu and Shenmu have used raw coal gas from by-products of blue carbon as fuel to produce raw magnesium, forming a unique low-cost smelting area for magnesium metal smelting, and building a cycle that combines coal chemical industry and magnesium metal production. In the economic industry chain model, the production and export of raw magnesium increased year after year, ranking first in the country and first in the world. Among them, the output of Fugu in 2019 is 433,300 tons, and that of Shenmu is 84,300 tons. The total output accounts for 62% of the country and 52% of the world. Last year, the domestic sales ratio of magnesium metal reached 49%, and the average annual growth rate of domestic magnesium consumption in the next 10 years will be more than 20%. China, as the world's largest country in the production of raw magnesium, should seize the strategic opportunities arising from the global application of magnesium alloys and make every effort to enlarge and strengthen the magnesium alloy industry. Suggest for this:
One is to encourage the production and processing of high-performance magnesium alloys in the industry catalog, to incorporate magnesium resources, raw magnesium ingots and magnesium alloys into the country ’s important resource strategy, material strategy and industrial strategy, to speed up and increase investment in magnesium alloy R & D and expand magnesium Alloy application, fully develop the magnesium alloy industry. Further accelerate the application of magnesium alloy lightweight materials in the fields of transportation equipment, 3C electronic products, military industry, construction materials and flying aircraft, and change the passive situation of magnesium alloy production and processing as soon as possible.
The second is to view the urgency and importance of developing China's magnesium metal strategic industry from a global perspective. Some raw magnesium smelting projects in Shaanxi and Shanxi, which still have some pollution and still have relatively low production capacity, should continue to be included in the encouragement category. Strive to provide the necessary technology and funds, especially in environmental protection law enforcement should not be "one size fits all" and "hard and cold" to prevent the indirect evacuation of this strategic new industry development cornerstone.
The third is to support Shaanxi to create a world-class metal magnesium industrial park, and relevant departments should work together to plan and construct this strategic industry. We should support and assist in the formation of a magnesium industry group with a complete industrial chain, complete processing support, outstanding product advantages, and leading production capacity in the international scale. The alloy industry is advancing to the world level.
Fourth, the magnesium alloy industry deep processing technology equipment is a heavy asset project with huge investment and long profit period. It requires the joint efforts of the relevant national departments and Shaanxi Province to comprehensively integrate domestic magnesium alloy scientific research institutions and related technical resources to build a "national magnesium and magnesium "Alloy Technology R & D and Product Manufacturing Center" will build Shaanxi into a national large-scale high-end magnesium alloy production base and application promotion demonstration base. Promote China's comprehensive grasp of the pricing power of the domestic and foreign metal magnesium market, from an importer of high-end magnesium alloy products to an exporter.