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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Vedanta has cut its aluminium ingot price for the second time in a row. With effect from May 17, the prices of some ingots are in the range of INR 129,250-142,250 per tonne. This marks a decrease of INR 1250 per tonne or 0.96% from INR 130,500-143,500 per tonne on May 9. With the latest cut, Vedanta’ billet now stands at INR 137,250 per tonne, a drop of INR 1250 per tonne or 0.9% from INR 138,500 per tonne on May 9. 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 20% so far in 2020 due to slower global demand following the coronavirus outbreak. Vedanta’s aluminium business typically accounts for one-third of the company’s consolidated sales....
A00 aluminium ingot price recorded a big jump on Tuesday, 19 May 2020. The price registered an increase of RMB 350 per tonne or 2.66 per cent from Monday’s price of RMB 13150 per tonne. The price now stood at RMB 13500 per tonne today and is expected to move within a range of RMB 13480-13520 per tonne. Spot aluminium contract is likely to be traded at a premium of RMB 199.98 239.98 per tonne. In Foshan and Wuxi, the price rose by RMB 380 per tonne and RMB 335 per tonne to stand at RMB 13540 per tonne and 13525 per tonne. Their average prices are expected to range within RMB 13520-13560 per tonne and RMB 13510-13540 per tonne. Aluminium prices in Hangzhou and Chongqing came in at RMB 13535 per tonne and 13520 per tonne, up RMB 345 per tonne and RMB 340 per tonne. Aluminium ingot prices in...
Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), a global pioneer in the aluminium & power sector recently introduced an automated and highly sophisticated Centralised Security Operations Centre (CSOC) to further strengthen the security of its people and operations. This technological augmentation of the security function is in line with BALCO’s relentless efforts towards intensifying workforce safety and asset integrity. The company is swiftly establishing state-of-the-art technology across all functions and security automation is a steady step in this direction. As one of the first manufacturing organizations in India to incorporate state-of-the-art technology in its communication methodology, BALCO believes in being a pilot of innovation. In the wake of COVID-19, smart technology innovations...
Yunnan Aluminium’s 500,000 tonnes per year smelting and hydropower project in China’s new smelting hub of Wenshan has officially started its operation, said the local government on Monday, May 19. The launch ceremony of the project, held on Friday, May 15, was attended by Yunnan province vice governor Dong Hua, according to a statement on the Wenshan prefecture website. The project uses hydropower for the energy-intensive smelting process. Wenshan in southern Yunnan near the Vietnam border is set to become a major aluminium smelting hub. Key aluminium producers like China Hongqiao Group have moved their capacity in Wenshan to take advantage of cleaner hydropower available there. In early May, the Phase I electrolytic tanks of the project came online. The Phase I capacity contained 62...
The US dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, dropped below the 100 mark and suffered the biggest one-day loss in six weeks on the jump in oil prices and gains in stocks. Three-month LME aluminium advanced 2.74 per cent to a one-week peak of US$ 1,500 per tonne on Monday. It is expected to move between US$ 1,480 per tonne and US$ 1,520 per tonne today. After recording downfall each day last week, LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price began this week, on Monday, May 18, with a rise of US$ 9 per tonne from May 15 to stand at US$ 1441.50 per tonne. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price also increased by US$ 9 per tonne from US$ 1467 per tonne on May 15 to US$ 1476 per tonne on May 18. Dec 21 bid price and Dec 21 offer price...
Adel, the Netherlands-based aluminium maker stated on 18 th May’20 that it has tied up for this year and next year to sell 180,000 tonnes of the metal to commodity trader Glencore. London-listed Glencore is a major player in the aluminium market outside China. Earlier in April’20, Glencore made a deal with Rusal for $16.3 billion. “Aldel has embarked on a ten-year plan to become one of Europe’s leading low cost and energy-efficient producers of aluminium,” Aldel said in a statement. The privately-owned company currently produces around 80,000 tonnes and is focusing to boost that number up significantly over the next 12 months.
Aluminium is a part of many large value chains and the largest of them being the automotive and transport sector. This sector alone represents 36% of the aluminium market. As the automotive industry is facing a severe slowdown or is even stopping production, the aluminium production which includes alumina, primary, recycling, semi-fabrication and some final products in Europe is at risk. Today, European produced cars contain on average 180 kg of aluminium that constitutes around 12% of the vehicle weight. The light-weight properties of aluminium are the perfect material to make vehicles more efficient. As an essential supplier to the automotive industry, the European aluminium producers consequently rely on a rapid recovery of the entire automotive sector. With the uncertainty surrounding...
A decree from the Ministry of Finances, published on Saturday in the Official Journal, suggests that the State has guaranteed a loan of 180 million euros to the Constellium group, specialised in aluminium products. The state guarantee is provided to a loan granted to Constellium by the banks BNP Paribas, Société Générale, and Bpifrance, as per the measures announced by the government to support companies hit by the coronavirus crisis. Constellium manufactures aluminium products mainly for the automotive, aeronautical, and packaging markets. Last year, it passed from a company under Dutch Law to a European company status, with headquarters in Paris. In Q1 2020, the group recorded a net loss of 31 million euros and sales down by 6 per cent, owing to a drop in demand in Europe and North...
Hindalco Industries Ltd has cut prices of its aluminium ingots, billets and wire rods after raising the prices of the same products by 3%, which came after five consecutive price cuts. With effect from May 16, the price for Hindalco aluminium ingots now stands at INR 129,500 per tonne, a decrease of 3.72% or INR 5,000 per tonne from INR 134,500 per tonne on April 17. Hindalco is now selling its wire rods at INR 140, 600 per tonne, a drop of 3.43% or INR 5,000 per tonne from INR 145,600 per tonne. The price of billets has reduced by 3.53% from April 17 to stand at INR 136,600 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 so far in 2020 due to...
Tata Motors’ joint venture partner in China, Chery Automobiles, that has been manufacturing Jaguar Land Rover products for the Chinese market, is now ready to roll-out its first fully electric SUV, the eQ5, in its home country. The compact electric crossover is built on Chery’s all-new aluminium-intensive lightweight platform that will procreate a range of EVs soon. The Chery eQ5 fully electric SUV is powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) that is available in two states of tune – 163 hp and 177 hp. The motor is supported by a lithium-ion battery pack which claimed to deliver a range of 510 km under NEDC. The battery is claimed to have an impressive energy density of 160.1 Wh/kg. The crossover’s monocoque or the structural skin is composed of 93% of aluminium-magnesium...
Namibia, a country in southwest Africa, is distinguished by the Namib Desert along its Atlantic Ocean coast. The country's sophisticated formal economy is based on capital-intensive industry and farming. Namibia's economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for about 12.5% of GDP but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. The aluminium structures importation market of Namibia has been showing a gradual fall during 2017-20. The importation volume during 2017-20 remained at 4747 tonnes and the expenditure stood at $233.71 tonnes. The import estimation for 2020 has been analysed to only 1437 tonnes and the expenditure might remain at $68.48 million when added to the last three years though it stands to 6184 tonnes as...
On the continuous spread of the COVID-19, the auto component manufacturing companies are set to defer their planned capex of around $4 billion till 2022. This decision has been taken to preserve cash and cope with supply chain disruptions, as per the announcement made by a top official of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA). As the domestic auto industry is likely to witness a decline in double digits this year, the auto component companies are revising their strategies for the near term, adhering to the old mantra of ‘Cash in King’, said the official. “Going forward, the majority of the tier-I component makers will focus more on consolidating capacities rather than expanding at least for the short-term in order to preserve cash. Overall, I think about $4...
As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, continued to decline over the weekend. Inventories stood at 1.007 million tonnes as of Monday May 18, down 51,000 tonnes from last Thursday May 14. The chart below shows the current status of the primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Primary aluminium stocks in Wuxi, Shanghai, and Nanhai decreased by 22,000 tonnes, 4,000 tonnes and 17,000 tonnes from May 14 to stand at 420,000 tonnes, 135,000 tonnes and 207,000 tonnes on Monday, 18 May 2020. But the inventories in Hangzhou, Tianjin and Linyi remained unchanged at 111,000 tonnes, 57,000 tonnes and 8,000 tonnes today. Stocks of primary aluminium in Gongyi and Chongqing stood at...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has extended its rise for the third consecutive day by RMB 130 per tonne to RMB 13,150 per tonne, as of Monday, May 18. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,130 per tonne and RMB 13,170 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a future price of RMB 130-170 per tonne. The continued drop in social inventories of primary aluminium ingots to as low as 1.007 million tonnes, as of May 18, owing to the imbalance between supply to warehouses and consumptions could be attributed to the hike in A00 aluminium ingot price. In Tianjin, the primary aluminium ingot price has seen the highest growth today of RMB 180 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,020 per tonne, followed by the rise of RMB 170 per tonne in Wuxi to RMB...
The US dollar was little changed against a basket of rivals on Monday morning day, holding onto gains from last week. LME aluminium dropped 1.1% and SHFE aluminium stayed flat. Three-month LME aluminium slid 1.08% to end at its lowest since April 8 at US$1,460 per tonne on Friday. Shanghai Metals Market expects the contract to move at US$1,450-1,490 per tonne today. As of Friday May 15, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1432.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1432.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1467 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1467 per tonne; Dec 21 bid price stands at US$ 1596 per tonne, and Dec 21 offer price stands at US$ 1596 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock stood at 1419675 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled at...
According to a recent report, Vedanta’s Lanjigarh alumina refinery has further lent a helping hand in a bid to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. This time, the refinery has provided seeds to the needy peasants in the area to help them develop a vegetable cultivation plan, said a company official. He also said that in the fight against the global pandemic, the Lanjigarh alumina refinery is constantly striving to restore and sustain the livelihoods of the local communities. Under this new initiative, the refinery is ensuring the availability of good quality seeds of bitter gourd, cowpea, ridge gourd, etc. to the local farmers, who are adversely affected by the COVID-19. For this initiative, Vedanta has collaborated with the Agriculture and Horticulture Department of the state, according to...
On 16 th May’20, Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister of India announced major reforms in the mining of minerals through a seamless composite exploration-cum-production regime. Mrs Sitharaman announced that 500 blocks of minerals will be auctioned through an open and transparent process. She further said: “A joint auction of bauxite and coal blocks would also be done to enhance the aluminium industry's competitiveness. This will help the aluminium industry reduce electricity costs.” The Minister added: “The distinction between captive and non-captive mines will be removed to allow the transfer of mining leases and sale of surplus unused minerals, leading to better efficiency and production.” The Finance Minister of India also stated that the Ministry of Mines is in the process to...
Iran's production of aluminium stood at 30,030 tonnes during the first month of the current Iranian year (March 20-April 19).That was up 46% compared with the same period last year, according to the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO). Iran’s flagship aluminium producer Iran Aluminum Company (IRALCO) contributed 16,148 tonnes of the total output. The output records a 6% growth year-on-year. Hormozal Aluminum Company produced 6,809 tonnes, which was a 159% rise on the year. Almahdi Aluminum Company’s production came in at 5,440 tonnes, up 118% year-on-year. Iran Alumina Company produced 1,633 tonnes. Iran has an estimated aluminium nameplate capacity of 457,000 tonnes per year. The country now aims at increasing its annual aluminium output...
