DUSSELDORF, Germany - European consumption of aluminum semifabricated products will continue to grow in the coming year, albeit at a much slower pace than previously, while consumption of primary aluminum might decline, the European Aluminium Association projected in its quarterly report.

The report said that production of primary aluminum had been running nearly 8 percent ahead of 1997, with 2.4 million tonnes produced through August, while demand was projected to be just 1 percent ahead of 1997. Last year, primary aluminum production averaged 291,333 tonnes per month in the last quarter.

"Demand is expected to drop slightly by the end of this year in comparison with 1997," the report said. "The outlook for 1999 seems somewhat uncertain and will depend very much on developments in Japan and other Asian countries and Latin America."

For semis, the group projected that 1998 consumption of rolled products would total 3.1 million tonnes, 2.7 percent more than in 1997. Demand for extrusions was projected to barely top 2 million, a 3.7-percent increase from the previous year.

Meanwhile, production of rolled products was running 2.4 percent ahead of last year through the second quarter at an estimated 1.8 million tonnes,. and production of extrusions, including tubes and welded tubes, was running 5.1 percent ahead of last year at an estimated 963,000 tonnes.