Unwrought aluminium

1. Scope and Applicability

This PCR applies to solid unwrought aluminium and aluminium alloys in cast primary forms, such as ingots, billets, slabs, pigs, or equivalent cast shapes, at the casting-facility gate. The foreground boundary begins with route-specific liquid aluminium delivered to holding, refining, and casting. The liquid-metal input may originate from primary electrolytic production, secondary remelting, or a documented mixture, but its upstream burden shall be represented by linked route- and geography-specific datasets.

The PCR excludes alumina as a product, aluminium powders and flakes, rolled, extruded, drawn, forged, or otherwise semi-finished aluminium products, fabricated articles, and downstream use or end-of-life. It also excludes liquid aluminium sold without solidification. Alloy composition, cast form, primary or recycled route share, liquid-metal source, casting technology, geography, reference year, and product quality specification shall be declared.

2. Product Category Identity

Field	Value
canonical_pcr_id	pcr.metal-products-machinery-and-equipment.basic-metals.unwrought-aluminium
classification_refs	CPC 3.0: 41431, Unwrought aluminium
covered_products	Solid non-alloy aluminium and aluminium alloys in unwrought cast primary forms
excluded_products	Alumina; aluminium powders or flakes; semi-finished wrought products; fabricated articles; liquid aluminium sold without solidification
representative_product	Cast aluminium ingot at the casting-facility gate
production_route	Holding, optional in-furnace treatment, and casting of primary, secondary, or mixed route-specific liquid aluminium
market_state	Solid unwrought cast form meeting the declared alloy, purity, dimensions, and quality specification

3. Reference Flow

Field	Value
What	Supply of solid unwrought aluminium in a declared alloy or purity grade and cast primary form
How much	1,000 kg net conforming product at the casting-facility gate
How well	Meets the declared chemical composition, cast form, dimensional, surface, and acceptance specification
How long or cycle	One production accounting period; no use duration is assigned to a material product
reference_flow_link	cast_unwrought_aluminium_output

Field	Value
Reference amount	1,000 kg
Reference product flow	Unwrought aluminium
Reference flow property	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66
Reference unit group	Units of mass 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66
Reference unit	kg
Required qualifiers	alloy or purity grade; cast form; primary, secondary, and mixed liquid-metal shares; liquid-metal source datasets; casting technology; geography; reference year; product quality specification; inclusion of surface treatment or packaging

When constructing a foreground data package, the items listed in Required qualifiers must be declared in dataset metadata, process notes, reference flow comment, product description, or an equivalent data package field. Missing required qualifiers make the reference flow definition incomplete for that data package.

4. Measurement and Unit Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Required property	Required unit	Rule
reference_product_mass	conforming unwrought aluminium output	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Report net dry product mass after solidification and removal of non-product dross; normalize all inventory exchanges to 1,000 kg conforming output.
liquid_metal_mass	liquid aluminium input	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Measure liquid-metal input by calibrated weighing or a documented mass-balance method and preserve its primary, secondary, and mixed route shares.
gas_volume_conditions	gaseous natural gas and industrial oxygen	Volume 93a60a56-a3c8-22da-a746-0800200c9a66	m3	State the temperature, pressure, moisture basis, and conversion used for all gas volumes; do not combine natural gas and oxygen.
electricity_conversion	purchased or generated electricity crossing the process boundary	Net calorific value 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kWh	Retain metered kWh; if another energy unit is recorded, document the conversion factor and source before normalization.
water_net_input	process water	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Report net product-water input crossing the boundary and state whether recirculated water is excluded or measured separately.

5. System Boundary

The foreground system includes liquid-metal receipt, holding, optional alloy adjustment or furnace treatment, casting or continuous casting into an unwrought primary form, cooling, dross removal, and internal handling through the product gate. Facility utilities and directly generated emissions and wastes are included when they cross the boundary. The verified source material describes transfer of primary aluminium to holding furnaces and casting, and secondary aluminium melting, refining, skimming, and pouring.

rule_id	applies_to	rule	source_ids
boundary_liquid_metal_start	foreground_start	Begin the foreground inventory at route-specific liquid aluminium entering the holding or casting operation; do not represent liquid aluminium as burden-free.	us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986
boundary_actual_operations	included_operations	Include each on-site holding, treatment, casting, cooling, dross-handling, and utility operation actually used; disclose omitted listed operations as not applicable.	us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986; eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2016
boundary_upstream_linkage	upstream_inputs	Link the liquid-metal input and all purchased energy and materials to upstream datasets that match product state, production route, geography, technology, and reference year.	iai-lifecycle
boundary_direct_emissions	direct_emissions	Record only direct emissions from foreground operations; keep upstream electricity and material emissions in their linked upstream datasets.	us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986

Boundary Abstraction

Field	Value
declared_starting_condition	Route-specific liquid aluminium at the holding or casting operation, with composition, temperature, source facility, and primary, secondary, or mixed share declared
starting_condition_role	Upstream product input whose production burden is represented by a linked dataset
product_classification_scope	Solid unwrought cast aluminium and aluminium alloys; downstream semi-finished and fabricated products are outside scope
recursive_input_rule	Record any same-category solid unwrought aluminium remelted on site as a separate product input and link it to its upstream dataset; do not recursively reproduce this PCR for the same input
upstream_dataset_requirement	Require route-, state-, geography-, technology-, and time-representative datasets for liquid aluminium, electricity, fuels, oxygen, water, and any additional material inputs
disclosure	Declare liquid-metal route shares, scrap attribution embedded in upstream datasets, alloy or purity grade, cast form, furnace and casting technology, geographic and temporal coverage, internal returns, dross treatment, and cut-offs

6. Process Inventory Structure

Process Map

process_id	process_name	inclusion	inclusion_condition	role	quantitative_reference
unwrought_casting	Liquid aluminium holding and casting	required	Always included for solid unwrought aluminium covered by this PCR	Foreground production and solidification	1,000 kg conforming unwrought aluminium output

Process: Liquid aluminium holding and casting (unwrought_casting)

Inputs

Product flows

Route-specific liquid aluminium (cast_liquid_aluminium)

Liquid aluminium enters from a separately modelled primary, secondary, or mixed production route. Its composition, temperature, mass, source, and route shares are retained with the foreground records.

• Selected flow: Liquid aluminium
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured liquid aluminium charged to holding and casting, adjusted for stock change
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg conforming unwrought aluminium output
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_casting_material_balance
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986

Electricity supplied to holding and casting (cast_electricity)

Electricity crossing the foreground boundary is recorded independently from fuels and oxygen. Metered electricity covers the included holding, casting, cooling, and internal handling equipment.

• Selected flow: Electricity 890a70b7-b677-4e2a-8a1b-7d017e0a10ae
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66 / kWh
• Amount rule: metered electricity consumed by included foreground operations
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg conforming unwrought aluminium output
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_casting_electricity
• Sources: iai-lifecycle

Gaseous natural gas for fuel-fired equipment (cast_natural_gas)

Natural gas is recorded only when fuel-fired holding, treatment, or casting equipment consumes it. Reference conditions and the meter boundary shall be declared.

• Selected flow: natural gas in the gaseous state 4f19ca0e-7b3b-11dd-ad8b-0800200c9a66
• Flow property / unit: Volume 93a60a56-a3c8-22da-a746-0800200c9a66 / m3
• Amount rule: metered gaseous natural gas consumed by included foreground equipment
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg conforming unwrought aluminium output
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_casting_fuel_gases
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986

Industrial oxygen for oxygen-enriched combustion (cast_industrial_oxygen)

Industrial oxygen is recorded only when oxygen-enriched or oxy-fuel combustion is used. It is not combined with combustion air or natural gas.

• Selected flow: Industrial oxygen bd4b0f96-2090-4806-a648-335ab20ff401
• Flow property / unit: Volume 93a60a56-a3c8-22da-a746-0800200c9a66 / m3
• Amount rule: metered industrial oxygen supplied to included fuel-fired equipment
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg conforming unwrought aluminium output
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_casting_fuel_gases
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2016

Process water crossing the foreground boundary (cast_process_water)

Process water is recorded when it is supplied for direct cooling, equipment cooling, or another included foreground use. Recirculated internal water is not double counted.

• Selected flow: Process Water 94a04f7e-2d5c-41f0-b182-d54a3b373a02
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: net metered process-water input crossing the foreground boundary
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg conforming unwrought aluminium output
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_casting_water
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2016

Waste flows

Elementary flows

Outputs

Product flows

Conforming unwrought aluminium (cast_unwrought_aluminium_output)

The reference product is the net solid cast aluminium or aluminium-alloy primary form that meets the declared product specification at the facility gate.

• Selected flow: Unwrought aluminium
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: weighed net conforming product output
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: 1,000 kg reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_casting_material_balance
• Sources: un-cpc-3-0-structure-2025; us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986

Waste flows

Aluminium dross leaving the foreground boundary (cast_aluminium_dross)

Aluminium dross is recorded as a waste output only when it leaves the foreground system for treatment, disposal, or recovery. Internally returned metal is recorded in the material balance and is not counted as an external waste flow.

• Selected flow: Aluminium dross
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: weighed aluminium dross exported from the foreground boundary
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg conforming unwrought aluminium output
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_casting_material_balance
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986

Elementary flows

Direct fossil carbon dioxide from foreground fuel combustion (cast_fossil_carbon_dioxide)

Only fossil carbon dioxide emitted directly by fuel combustion in the included foreground equipment is recorded here. Upstream electricity and fuel-supply emissions remain in linked upstream datasets.

• Selected flow: carbon dioxide (fossil) 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-923d-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66 / kg
• Amount rule: calculated from foreground fuel consumption and a documented facility-approved carbon-content and oxidation factor, or measured directly
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg conforming unwrought aluminium output
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_casting_combustion_emissions
• Sources: us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986

Additional actual atomic material, energy, waste, and elementary exchanges shall be added to the foreground data package when they cross the declared boundary. They shall not be combined into umbrella rows, and their identity, quantity, applicability, and upstream dataset shall be documented separately.

7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

rule_id	applies_to	rule	source_ids
allocation_subdivide_first	shared_casting_operations	Subdivide or meter operations by product grade, cast form, production line, or campaign before applying allocation.
allocation_internal_returns	internal_metal_returns	Treat internally returned liquid metal and recovered in-process metal as internal loops; do not assign them an external co-product credit or count them again as new liquid-metal input.
allocation_shared_mass	inseparable_shared_operations	When subdivision is not feasible, allocate shared foreground inputs, direct emissions, and wastes among conforming unwrought products by measured net product mass; disclose the products, period, quantities, and allocation result.
allocation_exported_recovery	exported_dross_or_residues	Keep exported dross or residues as waste outputs and document the selected downstream recovery or disposal model; do not apply an avoided-burden credit inside this foreground process unless the study goal explicitly requires and discloses a separate consequential scenario.

8. Foreground Data Collection, Calculation, and Quality Rules

Data Collection Protocols

protocol_id	process_id	flow_role	record_type	raw_fields	collection_method	unit	frequency	temporal_coverage	site_scope	aggregation_rule	quality_evidence
cp_casting_material_balance	unwrought_casting	liquid metal, conforming output, dross, stock change, internal returns	weighbridge, batch, inventory, and quality-release records	input mass; output mass; dross mass; return mass; opening and closing stock; alloy or purity; cast form; accepted and rejected mass	calibrated weighing reconciled to batch and accounting-period stock	kg	each batch, aggregated monthly and annually	representative consecutive 12-month period or declared campaign	all included holding and casting lines	sum by grade and route, reconcile stock change, then normalize to conforming output	calibration certificates; batch tickets; inventory reconciliation; quality-release records
cp_casting_electricity	unwrought_casting	electricity	utility and submeter records	meter id; opening and closing reading; import; export; allocation key; downtime	calibrated meter reading	kWh	continuous or monthly	same period as product output	all included equipment and common utilities	net imports minus documented exports, allocated after subdivision, then normalized	invoices; meter calibration; submeter coverage map
cp_casting_fuel_gases	unwrought_casting	natural gas and industrial oxygen	supplier invoice and calibrated meter records	separate gas volumes; temperature; pressure; moisture basis; meter id; equipment; operating hours	separate calibrated meters or reconciled supplier records	m3	batch or monthly	same period as product output	all included fuel-fired equipment	convert each gas separately to declared reference conditions and normalize	invoices; calibration; reference-condition calculation; equipment log
cp_casting_water	unwrought_casting	process water	intake and discharge meter records	intake mass or volume; discharge; recirculation; source; use; density conversion	calibrated metering and water-balance reconciliation	kg	monthly	same period as product output	all included cooling and process-water users	calculate net boundary input, exclude internal recirculation, then normalize	meter calibration; water balance; density and conversion record
cp_casting_combustion_emissions	unwrought_casting	direct fossil carbon dioxide	fuel records, supplier analysis, stack measurement, or approved factor record	fuel amount; carbon content; oxidation factor; measured CO2; method version	direct measurement or calculation from foreground fuel records	kg CO2	batch or monthly	same period as product output	all included combustion sources	sum source-level direct emissions and normalize; exclude upstream supply emissions	measurement QA record or approved factor, supplier analysis, and calculation worksheet

Calculation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Formula or rule	Inputs	Output	source_ids
calc_normalize_reference	every inventory exchange	normalized quantity = accounting-period exchange quantity × 1,000 kg / accounting-period net conforming product mass	exchange quantity; net conforming output mass	exchange quantity per 1,000 kg reference product
calc_casting_mass_balance	aluminium-bearing material balance	liquid aluminium input + opening aluminium stock = conforming output + exported aluminium dross + rejected output + closing aluminium stock, after separately reporting documented internal returns	all aluminium-bearing masses and stock changes	reconciled casting-period mass balance and unexplained difference
calc_direct_fossil_co2	cast_fossil_carbon_dioxide	use direct measured CO2 where valid; otherwise sum fuel quantity × documented carbon-content factor × oxidation factor × 44/12 for each fossil fuel source	foreground fuel quantities; facility-approved factors	direct fossil CO2 mass	us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986

Data Quality Requirements

requirement_id	Applies to	Requirement	Evidence
dq_product_identity	reference product	Declare alloy or purity, cast form, product specification, acceptance criteria, and excluded off-spec mass.	product specification; laboratory certificate; release record
dq_route_identity	liquid aluminium input	Declare primary, secondary, and mixed shares and link each share to a product-state-, geography-, technology-, and time-representative upstream dataset.	supplier declaration; mass-balance record; upstream dataset metadata
dq_measurement	all foreground quantities	Use calibrated meters or reconciled records and retain conversions, allocation keys, stock adjustments, and uncertainty or data-gap treatment.	calibration and reconciliation records; calculation worksheet
dq_temporal	foreground dataset	Use a representative consecutive 12-month period unless a shorter campaign is justified and disclosed; align all exchange and product totals to the same period.	production calendar; coverage statement; campaign justification
dq_completeness	foreground inventory	Include every actual atomic exchange crossing the boundary; reconcile aluminium mass and explain omitted, estimated, or below-detection exchanges.	completeness review; mass balance; omission log
dq_direct_upstream_split	emissions and upstream datasets	Keep direct foreground emissions separate from upstream electricity, fuel, liquid-metal, water, and material burdens.	process boundary diagram; exchange mapping; dataset links

9. Validation Rules

rule_id	applies_to	rule	source_ids
validate_reference_identity	reference_flow	Confirm that the output is a solid unwrought cast primary form and that its alloy or purity, form, specification, and net mass are declared.	un-cpc-3-0-structure-2025
validate_reference_amount	reference_flow	Confirm that all exchanges are normalized to exactly 1,000 kg net conforming output and that rejected or dross mass is excluded from the reference amount.
validate_route_linkage	liquid_metal_input	Reject a dataset that leaves liquid aluminium burden-free or omits primary, secondary, and mixed shares and their upstream dataset links.	iai-lifecycle
validate_atomic_inventory	process_inventory	Confirm that electricity, each fuel gas, oxygen, water, each waste, and each direct elementary emission are represented as separate atomic exchanges when applicable.
validate_mass_balance	aluminium_balance	Require a reconciled accounting-period aluminium mass balance and disclosure of the unexplained difference.
validate_gas_conditions	gas_inputs	Confirm that natural-gas and oxygen volumes use separately declared reference conditions and are not combined.
validate_direct_emissions	direct_emissions	Confirm that cast_fossil_carbon_dioxide contains only direct foreground fossil CO2 and excludes upstream electricity and supply-chain emissions.	us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998; us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986
validate_unresolved_identities	uuid_references	Before review or publication, resolve or explicitly review every UUID-empty inventory row and confirm the exact product state, flow type, property, and unit group.

10. Published Dataset Profile

Field	Value
dataset_role	secondary_dataset or background_dataset after review and publication
downstream_use	Attributional foreground data packages, process datasets, and lifecycle models requiring unwrought aluminium at the casting-facility gate
allowed_use	Use when product grade, cast form, liquid-metal route shares, technology, geography, time, system boundary, and data quality match the study
excluded_use	Do not use for alumina, liquid aluminium sold without casting, semi-finished or fabricated aluminium, or an upstream route represented as burden-free
required_metadata	canonical PCR id; product grade and form; reference mass; facility and geography; reference period; primary, secondary, and mixed shares; linked upstream datasets; casting technology; allocation; cut-offs; review status
required_quality_disclosure	measurement coverage and calibration; material-balance closure; meter allocation; data gaps and estimates; route-share evidence; direct-versus-upstream emission split; unresolved identities
update_trigger	Change in liquid-metal route mix, alloy or cast form, furnace or casting technology, energy supply, facility boundary, allocation, upstream dataset, geography, or representative period

11. Data Sources

Source id	Type	Reference	Used for
un-cpc-3-0-structure-2025	Official guidance (official_guidance)	United Nations Statistics Division, CPC Version 3.0 Structure, 30 June 2025, https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Download/In%20Text/CPC_Ver_3.0_Structure_30Jun2025.csv	Official category identity and distinction from alumina and semi-finished aluminium
china-sat-unwrought-aluminium-terminology	Official guidance (official_guidance)	Ministry of Finance and State Tax Administration of China, official export-refund notice, 13 October 2003, https://www.chinatax.gov.cn/n810341/n810765/n812198/n813051/c1205357/content.html	Professional Chinese terminology for HS heading 7601, 未锻轧铝
us-epa-ap42-primary-aluminium-1998	Official guidance (official_guidance)	US EPA, AP-42 Section 12.1 Primary Aluminum Production, https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-11/documents/c12s01.pdf	Primary liquid-metal production context, holding and casting process, direct emissions, and dross formation
us-epa-ap42-secondary-aluminium-1986	Official guidance (official_guidance)	US EPA, AP-42 Section 12.8 Secondary Aluminum Operations, https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/documents/c12s08.pdf	Secondary melting, refining, skimming, pouring, combustion emissions, and dross context
eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2016	Official guidance (official_guidance)	European Commission Joint Research Centre, Best Available Techniques Reference Document for the Non-Ferrous Metals Industries, adopted June 2016, https://bureau-industrial-transformation.jrc.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2020-01/JRC107041_NFM_bref2017.pdf	Primary and secondary non-ferrous-metal scope, process and utility completeness, and conditional oxygen-enrichment and casting-cooling-water requirements
iai-lifecycle	Official guidance (official_guidance)	International Aluminium Institute, Lifecycle work area, https://international-aluminium.org/work-areas/lifecycle/	Upstream cradle-to-gate linkage from bauxite mining through ingot manufacture and inventory completeness context