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【Ferro-alloys.com】：The impact of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran on the aluminum sector deepened on Tuesday after Qatari smelter Qatalum began to shut down and shareholder Norsk Hydro issued a force majeure to customers.

“The decision to shut down was made after the company’s gas supplier informed it of a forthcoming suspension of its gas supply,” Hydro, which holds 50% of the Qatalum joint venture, said in a statement on Tuesday.

QatarEnergy, which owns 51% in the other Qatalum shareholder, Qatar Aluminum Manufacturing Co, had earlier said it was halting production of some downstream products, including aluminum, a day after suspending liquefied natural gas production due to Iranian drone attacks.

Implications unclear

Hydro said the shutdown of the 648,000 metric ton per year smelter was expected to be completed by the end of March and that a full restart could take six-to-12 months. “Hydro has issued a force majeure notice to its Qatalum customers,” it added. Force majeure is a clause that frees parties from liability if any failure to meet supply obligations is due to events beyond their control.

• [Editor:Alakay]