Aluminum casthouses are facing a growing operational challenge of increasing the use of recycled metal without compromising melt quality, recovery rates or production efficiency. As manufacturers look to incorporate more post-consumer recycled (PCR) aluminum, processing lightweight scrap, machining chips and other low-density materials has become increasingly important. Such materials are difficult to introduce into conventional melting furnaces, making efficient scrap feeding and submergence essential to improving recycling performance. The challenge extends beyond scrap preparation. Maintaining consistent temperature and chemical composition throughout the molten metal bath is critical to producing specification-compliant aluminum. Equipment used for circulation and stirring must...
ClearFlow Metalworks plans to invest $28 million in a new aluminum manufacturing facility in Russellville, Kentucky, marking an expansion of secondary aluminum production in the United States. The project is expected to create 50 full-time jobs, with its first phase designed to deliver an estimated annual production capacity of approximately 100,000 tons. The company, which focuses on sustainable aluminum recycling and production, will develop the facility in phases. Phase I will feature a secondary aluminum billet casting operation, processing recycled aluminum materials into billets for extrusion and other downstream manufacturing applications. The project will establish ClearFlow's manufacturing presence in the U.S. and support domestic demand for aluminum products while expanding...
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The COVID-19 pandemic has made science turn its eyes to locate that perhaps had been a little forgotten, such as hygiene and health in public spaces. Contamination must be avoided at all costs, and the mask is not enough because we are constantly touching things at work, the supermarket, public spaces Australian scientists have invented a treatment that converts aluminium into antiviral and antibacterial. Aluminium is one of the most used metals in hospitals, as it is also widely used to make keyboards, door and window knobs, and other objects that we touch constantly. The Queensland Institute of Technology in Australia has been testing with aluminium alloy 663 and after applying treatment with sodium hydroxide for three hours, very interesting changes in aluminium. Sodium hydroxide is...
The North African country Algeria is surrounded by Mediterranean coastline and a Saharan desert interior. The country is classified as an upper-middle-income country by the World Bank. The economy remains dominated by the state, a legacy of the country's socialist post-independence development model. In recent years, the Algerian government has halted the privatization of state-owned industries and imposed restrictions on imports and foreign involvement in its economy. Algeria has enormous possibilities to boost its economic growth, including huge foreign-exchange reserves derived from oil and gas. A development strategy targeting stronger, sustained growth would create more jobs, especially for young people, and alleviate the housing shortage the country is facing. The national strategic...
Echoing the lowering trend as of Thursday, June 4, the social inventories of primary aluminium again declined by 46,000 tonnes over the weekend ending Monday, June 8, across eight major Chinese consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, to stand at 801,000 tonnes, found Shanghai Metals Market. But compared to the last Monday, June 1, when the primary aluminium inventories dropped by 15,000 tonnes, the inventories over this weekend recorded a higher plunge. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Over the weekend, the primary aluminium inventories in Wuxi and Nanhai declined by 30,000 tonnes and 17,000 tonnes to stand at 296,000 tonnes and 119,000 tonnes, found SMM. In Chongqing, the stocks dropped 2,000 tonnes to come in...
Exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products continued to trend lower in China. Exports of these products dropped by 28.56% from a year ago in May, after a decline of 11.4% in April. Unwrought aluminium and aluminium products exports stood at 382,900 tonnes, according to data from the General Administration of Customs released Sunday. On a month on month basis, exported registered a decrease of 58100 tonnes or 13.17% from 441,000 tonnes. In the first five months of 2020, total export came in at about 2.01 million tonnes. This marked a decline of 18.6% from the same period last year. China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products declined on lower global demand due to lockdown measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
A00 aluminium ingot price registered an increase of RMB 220 per tonne or 1.63 per cent from Friday’s price of RMB 13480 per tonne. The price now stood at RMB 13700 per tonne on Monday, 08 June 2020 and is expected to move within a range of RMB 13680-13720 per tonne. Spot aluminium contract is likely to be traded at a premium of 40-80 per tonne. In Foshan and Wuxi, the price rose by RMB 240 per tonne and RMB 210 per tonne to stand at RMB 13710 per tonne and 13670 per tonne. Their average prices are expected to range within RMB 13690-13730 per tonne and RMB 13660-13680 per tonne. Aluminium prices in Hangzhou and Chongqing came in at RMB 13700 per tonne and 13710 per tonne, up RMB 210 per tonne and RMB 240 per tonne. Aluminium ingot prices in Shenyang, Tianjin, Linyi, and Gongyi increased to...
The US dollar rose slightly last Friday after data showed the US labour market unexpectedly improved in May, but the currency ended the week lower, for a third consecutive week. Uncertainties about the economic outlook and the possibilities of a second wave of the coronavirus infections capped the greenback’s gains. Three-month LME aluminium traded robustly with the support from longs, rising with the five- and 10- day moving averages during the Asian trading hours and ending at US$ 1592 per tonne on Friday, up 1.76 per cent on the day. On Friday, June 5, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price increased from US$ 1535 per tonne on June 4 to US$ 1553.50 per tonne. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price, however, declined from US$ 1560.5 per tonne to US$...
New Zealand has claimed to be one of the nations who are COVID-19 free, whereas the whole world is in turmoil. The airlines had already started to fly again; schools are going to open by next week only. Tim Shadbolt, Mayor of Invercargill said: “But we should never be complacent. The battle to restore our economy has only just begun. So far our farms, the smelter and the SIT are keeping us afloat.” “However, one of our biggest earners of overseas funds, the tourist sector, has only just begun to face reality.” “The council aims to operate as an energised, fun and innovative team so it’s my duty to be positive even though New Zealand’s small businesses must feel as though they’ve been run over by a ten-ton tank.” He also said: “Despite the glitz and glamour of jets and the film industry, I...
Ball Corporation has reportedly announced that it has acknowledged its plant in Yangon with the 2019 R. David Hoover Sustainability Award for significant operation and social improvements. Ball claimed that its Yangon plant consistently improved its electricity efficiency by nearly 23 per cent and enhanced the overall safety culture by introducing better methods of reporting and focusing on more corrective actions. Besides, the plant successfully raised awareness of the sustainability of aluminum cans, according to Ball's statement. Some of the key considerable factors for the award were the achievement of zero accidents, minimise environmental impact, support local communities, and educate consumers about the importance of aluminium can recycling. Applauding the Yangon plant team, the...
Vedanta has raised its aluminium ingot and billets price by 2% on Saturday. This marks the second consecutive hike in price of same products. With effect from Saturday, 06 June 2020, the prices of some aluminium ingots are in the range of INR 135,500-148,500 per tonne, marking an increase of INR 2500 per tonne or 1.8% from INR 133,000-146,000 per tonne on May 28. With the latest hike, Vedanta’ billet now stands at INR 143,500 per tonne, an increase of INR 2500 per tonne or 1.77% from INR 141,000 per tonne on May 28. The Indian aluminium producers generally link prices of its products to the three-month futures of aluminium on London Metal Exchange. The three-month futures of aluminium are down nearly 16% so far in 2020 due to slower global demand following the coronavirus outbreak....
Vedanta Limited announced its audited consolidated results for the fourth quarter (Q4) and full year ended 31 March 2020 (FY2020). Revenue stood at ₹ 19,513 crore in FY2020, lower by 8% sequentially. This was due to lower commodity prices further impacted by COVID-19, lower volume at Aluminium business and lower power sales at TSPL, past exploration cost recovery at Oil & Gas business in Q3 FY2020 partially offset by higher sales volume at Zinc & Iron Ore business and rupee depreciation. For FY2020, revenue was at ₹ 83,545 crore, lower by 8% y-o-y. Mr Sunil Duggal, Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta said: “The Covid pandemic has hit the world and us in the last quarter of the year. We have taken a pro-active approach to keep our assets and people safe while ensuring optimum operations...
The Indian state-owned National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), celebrated World Environment Day on 5 th June’20. As a responsible CSR activity, NALCO’s commitment to environmental care and management has been its hallmark since its inception. To mark it as a great day, mass plantation drives were undertaken at the company’s units and offices. At Bhubaneswar, Sridhar Patra, CMD, NALCO, formally launched the plantation drive by planting a sapling in the NALCO residential colony. Directors of the company, representatives of various Unions and Associations also participated in the plantation drive adhering to social distancing norms and adequate precautionary measures because of the COVID 19 pandemic. The CMD recapitulated about Nalco’s continuous attempt towards nurturing nature and...
On 5th June'20, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commer and Industry (FICCI) appreciated the Governments direction to auction mineral blocks with pre-embedded clearances and stated the move will attract huge investments. FICCI said: “Increased investments in the mining and metals sector can make the country self-reliant, reduce import bills by USD 100 billion and create multiple jobs.” "FICCI welcomes the Ministry of Mines guidelines for auctioning of mineral blocks with pre-embedded clearances for mining projects," the industry body said in a statement. Thanking the ministry for accepting FICCI’s recommendation for expediting the operationalization of mines post auctioning, Tuhin Mukherjee, Chairman, FICCI Mining Committee and Managing Director, Essel Mining and Industries, said, "The...
The British Liberty House Group took over Fonderie du Poitou Aluminium and renamed it Liberty Aluminium Poitou a year ago. The Group acquired both the Fonderie du Poitou Fonte and Fonderie du Poitou Aluminium located near Châtellerault in France. Both the companies are in trouble again, though the ex-Foundry of Poitou Aluminium would be considered more promising, in the present stage it remains gloomy. The two automotive sub-contractors from Ingrandes-sur-Vienne, near Châtellerault, north of New Aquitaine, the former Fonderie du Poitou Fonte, specializing in the manufacture of cast iron crankcases, and the Fonderie du Poitou Aluminium, which for its part realizes aluminium cylinder heads. Fonderie Poitou Fonte and Fonderie Poitou Aluminium the two sister companies which originally...
The alumina price in China continued to remain flat over the week. The price started the week with an increase of RMB 7 per tonne to stand at RMB 2220 per tonne. On Wednesday, June 3, the average spot price of alumina stood RMB 16 per tonne higher at RMB 2236 per tonne, after remaining restrained on Tuesday. The price did not show any movement in the last two days of the week. Other raw materials like Bauxite (6.5≤Al/Si＜7.5)Guangxi, Alumina (Imported), Australian Alumina FOB Price, Prebaked Anode Central, and Al Fluoride are hovering at RMB 265 per tonne, RMB 2190 per tonne, USD 252 per tonne, RMB 2730 per tonne and RMB 8000 per tonne as of Friday, 5 June 2020. A00 aluminium ingot price in China witnessed fluctuations over the week. The week started with a increase of RMB 20 per tonne...
The US dollar on Monday, June 1, fell against a basket of rivals for a fifth straight trading day as risk sentiment improved on optimism that the worst of the economic downturn caused by the global spread of the coronavirus may be in the past. On June 2, easing further, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback against a basket of major currencies, fell for the sixth straight day and tumbled the lowest since March 13 at 97.4335. On June 3, the dollar index decreased further for the seventh straight day at 97.1882. On June 4, it came in at 96.5774, the lowest since March 12. Three-month LME aluminium pulled back from two-month highs on Monday, easing 0.58 per cent to US$ 1,538 per tonne, while on Tuesday, June 2, it ended at a 10-week peak of US$1,559 per tonne, up 1.37% on the day. On...
Taiwan’s imports of aluminium scrap from the US stood at 3,480 tonnes in February, with a month-on-month decrease of 1.97%. Taiwan had imported 3,550 tonnes in January 2020. On a yearly basis, imports reduced by 47.7% from 6,650 tonnes in February 2019, as updated by the US Census Bureau. In the first two months, Taiwan imported 7,030 tonnes of aluminium scrap, from 14,500 tonnes imported in the first two months of 2019. This marked a drop of 51.5% year-on-year. Taiwan’s imports of total aluminium (semi-finished products, crude metals and alloy and scrap) from the US stood at 4,100 tonnes in February 2020, a decrease of 41.68% from 7,030 tonnes in February 2019. Imports inched down by 1.2% from January’s imports of 4,150 tonnes. In January-February, total imports came in at 8,250 tonnes,...
Utkal Alumina International Limited and Baphlimali Bauxite Mines have observed 5 th June’20 as “WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY”, as a part of awareness towards environment protection and sustainable development. This activity has been going on every year from the organisation. Huge plantation drive, awareness programs and competitions on environment theme witnessed this year’s observance. The theme for this year’s World Environment Day, 2020 is Biodiversity – a call to action to combat the accelerating species loss and degradation of the natural world. On this occasion, both at Baphlimali mines and UAIL refinery, various awareness programmes like essay, poster and slogan competitions on the Theme -Conservation of Biodiversity were organised through online mode which saw the active participation of...
The Jamaican Minister of Transport and Mining Robert Montague stated that his ministry has been given the go-ahead to use vesting powers to assist long-suffering families on bauxite lands to receive titles for the properties. Montague, opening the 2020/21 annual sectoral debate in the House of Representatives this week, said: “The ministry had consulted the Attorney General's Chambers and was given the go-ahead to use the power of vesting orders, under the Bauxite and Alumina Industries (Special Provisions) Act, to speed up the process, which will assist some 5,000 families awaiting titles for parcels of land on which they were resettled by the bauxite mining companies.” The minister also said that, on taking over the chairmanship of the Bauxite Lands Titling Committee last year, he was...
