What is P1020A aluminium?
The benchmark primary aluminium grade: 99.7% minimum aluminium with tightly capped iron and silicon. The reference quality behind most LME-linked aluminium ingot contracts.
Key points
- 99.70% minimum aluminium, with iron and silicon the capped impurities.
- The reference grade behind LME-linked ingot pricing.
- Specify the form as well as the grade — the furnace has to take it.
At a glance
| Minimum purity | 99.70% Al |
|---|---|
| Silicon max | 0.10% nominal |
| Iron max | 0.20% nominal |
| Forms | Ingot, sows, T-bars |
| Typical bundle | 20–25 tonnes |
Reading the designation
P1020A denotes primary aluminium of 99.70% minimum purity. The numbering encodes the impurity limits: nominally 0.10% maximum silicon and 0.20% maximum iron, the two elements that dominate primary aluminium chemistry.
It is the reference grade behind most LME-linked ingot business, so a price quoted as “LME plus premium” for unspecified aluminium almost always means P1020A.
Why iron and silicon are the ones capped
Both come through from the alumina and the smelting process and both affect downstream behaviour — iron reduces ductility and corrosion resistance, silicon shifts the alloying balance in casting.
Higher purity grades exist for specialised uses, and lower purity primary metal trades at a discount, but the market convention is built around this specification.
Forms and contract wording
P1020A is supplied as standard ingot, sows or T-bars, typically in 20 to 25 tonne bundles. The form matters for handling and for what the buyer’s furnace can take, so it belongs in the contract alongside the grade.
A workable specification names the purity, the iron and silicon maxima, the form and the bundle weight. Anything less leaves room for material that meets the letter of “99.7%” and not the buyer’s process.
Frequently asked questions
- What does P1020A mean?
- Primary aluminium of 99.70% minimum purity, with nominal maxima of 0.10% silicon and 0.20% iron — the two impurities that define primary aluminium chemistry.
- Is P1020A the same as LME aluminium?
- Effectively yes for pricing purposes. P1020A is the reference grade behind most LME-linked ingot contracts, so aluminium quoted at LME plus a premium normally means P1020A.
- What forms does P1020A come in?
- Standard ingot, sows and T-bars, usually bundled in 20 to 25 tonne lots. The form should be specified in the contract because it determines handling and furnace compatibility.
Related terms
Zinc of 99.995% minimum purity, the standard grade for galvanising and die-casting, specified under ASTM B6. Anything below this is a lower commercial grade and prices differently.
The pricing reference for base metals including aluminium, copper, zinc and tin. Most physical contracts are written as the LME cash or three-month price plus or minus a negotiated premium reflecting grade, location and delivery terms.
The analytical determination of metal content in an ore, concentrate or refined product. Buyer and seller assays commonly differ slightly; contracts usually set a tolerance and appoint an umpire laboratory to settle disputes beyond it.
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