Workers at South32's Worsley Alumina refinery in Western Australia have begun a 48-hour stoppage, seeking greater security over their remuneration and working conditions ahead of Alcoa's planned acquisition of the company's aluminium assets for up to USD 5.6 billion. The industrial action involves members of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU), with the ownership transition raising concerns over existing employment agreements and incentive payments. The stoppage began on November 10 and coincides with a scheduled shutdown at the refinery's main processing plant. Around 200 union members are employed at the Worsley operation, according to AMWU state secretary Steve McCartney, who said workers wanted their existing earnings protected...
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...
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China’s bauxite imports rose to a record high in the first quarter of 2020, owing to greater demand and lower sea freight costs, found China customs data under HS code 26060000. In the first three months of 2020, China imported 28.41 million tonnes of bauxite, the highest quarterly import volume on record. Compared to the bauxite imported in the fourth quarter last year, the volume in Q1 2020 was up by 26.01 per cent, and when compared to the first quarter of 2019, it was higher by 9.99 per cent. The Republic of Guinea remained the top bauxite exporter to China, accounting for nearly half of China’s total bauxite imports. Guinea exported 13.37 million tonnes of bauxite to China in the first three months. Australia and Indonesia were the second and third top exporters, supplying 9.24...
Hindalco Industries Ltd has increased prices of its aluminium ingots, billets and wire rods by 2%. This marked the second consecutive in price of the same products. With effect from May 22, the price for Hindalco aluminium ingots are now hovering at INR 133,750 per tonne, an increase of 1.71% or INR 2,250 per tonne from INR 131,500 per tonne on May 20. Hindalco is now selling its wire rods and billets at INR 144,850 per tonne and INR 140,850 per tonne with effect from Friday, 22 May 2020. That was up 1.58% or INR 2,250 per tonne or 1.62% or INR 2,250 per tonne from May 20. 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 more than 19% so far in 2020 due to...
Vedanta has further increased its aluminium ingots and billets prices, with effect from Friday, May 22. This marks the third consecutive rise in Vedanta’s aluminium prices. The prices of some aluminium ingots after the growth are hovering in the range of INR 134,000-147,000 per tonne, up by INR 2,000 per tonne or 1.5 per cent from INR 132,000-145,000 per tonne on May 20. Vedanta’s aluminium ingots prices on May 20 had also increased by 1.5 per cent from INR 130,500-143,500 per tonne on May 19. With the latest hike, Vedanta’s billets prices are now standing at INR 142,000 per tonne, as of May 22, an increase of INR 2,000 per tonne or 1.43 per cent from INR 140,000 per tonne on May 20. On May 19, Vedanta’s billets prices were INR 138,500 per tonne, meaning the billets prices on May 20 saw a...
According to the report by the World Bureau of Metals Statistics (WBMS), World primary aluminium surplus stood at 709,000 tonnes for the first three months of 2020. Aluminium surplus was 761,000 for the whole of 2019. World primary aluminium demand came in at 15.7 million tonnes in the first three months of this year, an increase of 3.5 per cent from last year. Aluminium output increased to stand about 16.4 million tonnes, up by 5.8 per cent. In March alone, primary aluminium demand and production stood at 5.24 million tonnes and 5.54 million tonnes, respectively. China’s primary aluminium production accounted for about 54 per cent or 8.84 million tonnes of the world’s total output, amid higher availability of imported bauxite and alumina. Primary aluminium demand increased by 5.8% year...
South Korea's imports of aluminium scrap from the US stood at 23,700 tonnes in February, with a month-on-month increase of 6.28%. South Korea had imported 22,300 tonnes in January 2020. On a yearly basis, imports increased by 0.42% from 23,600 tonnes in February 2019, as updated by the US Census Bureau. In the first two months, South Korea imported 46,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap, from 43,900 tonnes imported in the first two months of 2019. This marked an increase of 4.78% year-on-year. South Korea's imports of total aluminium (semi-finished products, crude metals and alloy and scrap) from the US stood at 26,000 tonnes in February 2020, a decrease of 1.52% from 26,400 tonnes in February 2019. Imports increased by 5.26% from January’s imports of 24,700 tonnes. In January-February, total...
According to a recent report by Shanghai Metals Market, the construction of a 100,000 tonnes per year secondary aluminium processing project and a 60,000 tonnes per year waste battery treatment project began in Yunxian County in Southwest China’s Yunnan province on Tuesday, May 12. The total estimated investment for the secondary aluminium processing project is RMB 84.54 million, while that for the battery treatment project is RMB 95.94 million. As per the report, the secondary aluminium project will primarily produce secondary aluminium and casting alloy, and the battery treatment project will generate 2# lead, lead-base alloy, sodium sulphate, and plastic housing. The projects followed the commissioning of two more key projects of waste tire processing and high-purity alumina production...
A new sector report by Crisil indicates that Indian aluminium producers are likely to sail through the COVID19 impacts smoothly with rising aluminium exports, lower input costs, and cost efficiency strategies curated by the industry. "The domestic sales loss has been offset by companies adroitly exporting more, thanks to high cost-competitiveness that stems from improved sourcing and lower input costs,” said the report. At the beginning of the financial year 2021, the aluminium price was hovering 4-years low at US$ 1,450 per tonne on the London Metal Exchange, while the domestic demand was bleak due to the COVID-19 pandemic-driven lockdown. Although this will squeeze bottom lines this fiscal, but efficient cost structure and adequate cash will lend support to credit profiles and help...
Hindalco Industries Ltd has raised prices of its aluminium ingots, billets and wire rods after cutting the prices of the same products by 4%.With effect from May 20, the price for Hindalco aluminium ingots now stands at INR 131,500 per tonne, an increase of 1.54% or INR 2,000 per tonne from INR 129,500 per tonne on May 16. Hindalco is now selling its wire rods at INR 142, 600 per tonne, a 1.42% rise or INR 2,000 per tonne from INR 140,600 per tonne. The price of billets has increased by 1.46% from May 16 to stand at INR 138,600 per tonne. 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 more than 19% so far in 2020 due to slower global demand following the...
The average spot alumina price in East China is up by RMB 15 per tonne or 0.69 per cent on Friday, 22 May 2020. Alumina price stands at RMB 2190 per tonne, after remaining flat at RMB 2175 per tonne since May 15. The price is expected to move within a range of RMB 2180-2200 per tonne Alumina prices remain unchanged across all major markets in China. Australian alumina FOB price stands USD 3 per tonne lower on Friday, 22 May 2020. The price now stands at USD 243 per tonne. A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a big drop on Friday, 22 May 2020. The price has decreased by RMB 310 per tonne from its earlier price of RMB 13460 per tonne. The price now stands at RMB 13150 per tonne. The price is expected to move within a range of RMB 13130-13170 per tonne. Spot aluminium price is likely to be...
The US dollar rebounded on Thursday, while stocks on Wall Street fell as growing Sino-US tensions and dismal economic data weighed on investor sentiment. The US dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a basket of currencies, rose 0.26 per cent to 99.4425. Three-month LME aluminium rose for a second straight day on Thursday, May 21, advancing to a one-month high of US$ 1,524.5 per tonne before ending up 0.4 per cent at US$ 1,521 per tonne. Optimism surrounding economic recovery that will boost demand, coupled with arbitrage trades, is expected to remain supportive of LME aluminium, which is expected to move at US$ 1,490-1,530 per tonne today. As of Thursday, May 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price recorded a jump of US$ 33 per tonne to...
Social inventories of primary aluminium ingots have continued to fall to as low as 979,000 tonnes, across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, as of Thursday, May 21, according to Shanghai Metals Market. Last week on Thursday, May 14, the primary aluminium ingots inventories were at 1.058 million tonnes after declining by 114,000 tonnes. This week, the downfall is by 79,000 tonnes, slower by 35,000 tonnes than the previous week. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: As the above chart suggests that the decline in inventories this week has not touched upon all the major Chinese provinces such as in Hangzhou, Tianjin, the primary aluminium stocks have increased by 1,000 tonnes to stand at 112,000 tonnes...
Reynaers Aluminium has reportedly appointed Mr Steve Hubbard as a new operations director. Hubbard comes with more than 30 years of experience in driving operations through process efficiency and best practice implementation. On being appointed by the Reynaers Aluminium, Hubbard said, “These unprecedented times make for difficult trading conditions across almost every sector. Reynaers’ has a strong history and position as a well-respected leader within the industry, being well placed to support customers and I’m excited to be embarking on a significant new chapter in my career and playing a meaningful role in the company’s future growth. He also said. “Through my position, I will be leaning on my experience to drive process efficiency and further strengthen Reynaers’ operations,...
China’s aluminium billet inventories, across five major consumption areas, expanded decline this week ending on Thursday, May 21, by 20,000 tonnes to stand at 92.800 tonnes, according to Shanghai Metals Market. Stable shipments from warehouses in contrast to limited arrivals could be attributed to the extended decline in China’s aluminium billet stocks. Last week between May 6 and May 14, the inventories had shrunk by 19,300 tonnes to come in at 112,800 tonnes, following a rise in the previous week by 2,700 tonnes to 132,100 tonnes. The chart below indicates the current status of aluminium billet inventories across China in more details: So, as the above chart suggests, Foshan has seen the highest downfall in aluminium billet inventories this week. The stocks there are standing at 53,100...
According to the Geological Survey of the United States, Mexico imported 16,800 tonnes of aluminium scrap from the US in February 2020. The import was down by 2.33 per cent from 17,200 tonnes in January 2020. In December 2019, Mexico imported 13,100 tonnes of scrap from the US, meaning January saw a rise of 31.30 per cent in imports month-on-month. Mexico’s imports from the United States in December plunged by 20.12 per cent from 16,400 tonnes in November to stand at 13,100 tonnes. Year-on-year, Mexico’s aluminium scrap imports from the United States in February 2020 stood almost flat. In February 2019, the import volume was 16,200 tonnes, down by 600 tonnes from February 2020. The total aluminium scrap imports by Mexico from the United States in the first two months of the year were...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has extended decline from RMB 13,480 per tonne on May 20 to RMB 13,460 per tonne on Thursday, May 21. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,440 per tonne and RMB 13,480 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 180-220 per tonne. Linyi has seen the highest fall in primary aluminium ingot price today of RMB 60 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,400 per tonne, followed by the fall of RMB 30 per tonne in Wuxi and Hangzhou to hover at RMB 13,440 per tonne and RMB 13,460 per tonne, respectively. In Tianjin and Gongyi, the price has dwindled by RMB 20 per tonne to RMB 13,420 per tonne and RMB 13,435 per tonne, while that in Chongqing has dropped by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 13,520 per tonne....
The US dollar index rose slightly on Thursday morning, after touching its lowest since May 1 at 99.0014 overnight. Three-month LME aluminium resumed its rally on Wednesday, gaining 1.78 per cent to end at a three-week peak of US$ 1,515 per tonne. Optimism surrounding economic recovery is expected to bolster LME aluminium to US$1,490-1,530 per tonne today. As of Wednesday, May 20, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price decreased from US$ 1464 per tonne on May 19 to US$ 1454 per tonne. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price declined from US$ 1498 per tonne to US$ 1486.50 per tonne. Dec 21 bid price and Dec 21 offer price stood at US$ 1610.50 per tonne, compared to US$ 1623.50 per tonne on the previous day. The LME aluminium opening stock increased from...
Global primary aluminium production stood at 5.255 million tonnes in April, slightly more than that in April 2019, according to the latest data showed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) on Wednesday 20 May 2020. On a month-on-month comparison, the output decreased by 3.83% from 5.464 million tonnes. Total aluminium production amounted to 21.304 million tonnes in the first four months of 2020, an increase of 1.53% from 20.982 million tonnes in the first four months of 2019. In Asia ex-China, aluminium production declined by 8.26% year-on-year and 4.31% month-on-month to 333,000 tonnes in April. In January-April, output came in at 1.370 million tonnes, a decrease of 6.1% from 1.459 million tonnes in January-April 2019. In the Middle East, primary aluminium production stood at...
Aditya Birla Group as the owner of Hindalco and, therefore, Novelis secured its position as the world’s largest producer of value-added aluminium products with the completion of the $ 2.8 billion acquisition of Aleris in 2019, though the approval from the U.S. Justice Department has been pending ever since the deal was announced in March last year. Novelis and Aleris combined are said to control some 60% of the U.S. automotive aluminium sheet market, raising fears the supreme position would see too dominant a position for the merged company. Hindalco and Novelis are a global company with 49 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia with revenues of some $12.3 billion last year. Aleris is much smaller with 13 facilities across North America, Europe, and China and revenues...
