Switzerland is seeking critical minerals from Indonesia to support domestic manufacturing, including producers of medical devices such as artificial joints, according to Swiss Ambassador to Indonesia Konstantin Obolensky. Speaking to reporters in Jakarta, Obolensky said Swiss manufacturers were seeking to diversify their mineral supply sources and viewed Indonesia as a potential supplier of materials required by local industries. He said, “There are critical minerals and other materials that Indonesia produces which are important for the Swiss industry.” Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook " Indonesia has significant reserves of several...
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...
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The US dollar hit a three-week high on Thursday before giving back much of those gains, as investors continued to digest Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s dismissal of speculation over US interest rates entering negative territory and his glum forecast for the economy. Three-month LME aluminium remained range-bound on Thursday, slipping from an intraday high of US$1,482 per tonne to a new five-week low of US$ 1,467.5 per tonne before rebounding to close flat at US$ 1,476 per tonne. Lingering concerns over the economic fallout from the COVID-19 and fears of a re-ignition of the US-China trade conflicts hamper upside potential in LME aluminium, which is expected to move to US$ 1,460-1,500 per tonne today. As of Thursday, May 14, LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official...
Aluminum Corp of China Ltd, Chalco, declared on 14th May’20 that its Chairman Lu Dongliang had resigned from his position. The previous President of the company Ao Hong has been put in temporary charge. Lu Dongliang has informed the board of Chalco, the listed arm of state-owned aluminium firm Chinalco that he was stepping down as Chairman and Director due to a work re-allocation, according to company filings to the Hong Kong stock exchange, which said the resignation was effective immediately. A spokesperson of the group said: “Lu, 46, has also left his position as vice president of Chinalco.” Though it was not immediately clear what would be Lu’s next career move. He has been the explorer of Chalco’s Boffa bauxite project in Guinea. His rise was rapid through the ranks at the company,...
RUFFINI S.A. resumes switching on the melting tower to re-start its production of casted components, after 30 days of shut-down due to COVID-19 epidemic. The customary die-casting firm based in Barcelona works aligned with the major customers located in Germany, so the supply to Europe has started again. As per a company representative: “The safety of the employees is the most important thing but also we have to keep in mind that we need to open again the industry as soon as possible.” The company have implemented a lot of measures in the plant to ensure there is a minimum risk of possible infection and employees are really happy to work again. Ruffini hopes to also help suppliers to open their factories and start changing the economic situation with the butterfly effect. Ruffini, with...
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According to the United States Geological Survey, the US aluminium scrap exports to Malaysia showed a continuous downtrend from December 2019 to February 2020. Until November 2019, the United States aluminium scrap exports saw a month-on-month rise, such as an increase from 30,900 tonnes in September to 40,100 tonnes in October, followed by a further growth to 41,500 tonnes in November. But from December to February, the exports dwindled right from 32,500 tonnes to 22,500 tonnes. In January, the US exported 26,500 tonnes of aluminium scrap to Malaysia, registering a fall of 18.46 per cent month-on-month, while in February, it exported 22,500 tonnes, down 15.1 per cent over the month. The United States total exports of aluminium scrap to Malaysia in January and February combined were...
As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, continued to trend lower this week. Inventories stood at 1.058 million tonnes as of Thursday, 14 May 2020, down 114,000 tonnes from Wednesday May 6. 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 56,000 tonnes, 16,000 tonnes and 24,000 tonnes from May 6 to stand at 442,000 tonnes, 139,000 tonnes and 224,000 tonnes on Monday, 14 May 2020. But the stocks in Tianjin increased by 1,000 tonnes to 57,000 tonnes. In Gongyi and Hangzhou, the primary aluminium stocks stood at 64,000 tonnes and 111,000 tonnes, a decrease of 11,000...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, aluminium billet inventories in China have declined over the week, ending Thursday, May 14, following a marginal rise last week on Wednesday, May 6. As arrivals were limited since the past one week amidst stable shipments from warehouses, the aluminium billet inventories plunged by 19,300 tonnes to 112,800 tonnes, across five major Chinese consumption areas, as of May 14. Between April 30-May 6, the stocks increased by 2,700 tonnes to stand at 132,100 tonnes. The chart below indicates the current status of aluminium billet inventories across China in more details: As the above chart suggests, among all the major Chinese provinces, Wuxi has seen the highest drop in aluminium billet inventories today. The stocks there have decreased by 8,230 tonnes to...
Sweden is a competitive and highly liberalized, open market economy. The vast majority of Swedish enterprises are privately owned and market-oriented, combined with a strong welfare state involving transfer payments involving up to three-fifths of GDP. The rise in canned beverages market has also given support for the importation for aluminium cans. The nation’s aluminium can importation during 2017-19 has been recorded at 16,314 tonnes and the expenditure on import stood at $76.42. The projected for 2020 has been analysed at 6930 tonnes and the expenditure might reach to $25.66 million. When the estimated import volume and expenditure is summed with the last three years it reflects 23,244 tonnes and $102.08 million. Sweden’s aluminium cans importation in 2017 was recorded at 4385 tonnes...
Italian spring water brand Acqua S. Bernardo (colloquially known as San Bernardo) has launched its premium still and sparkling mineral waters in aluminium cans from Crown. This is the first time that the company is using metal packaging. Beverage cans were selected for their portability, sustainability and range of printing and decoration options. The cans feature a creative design that reflected its quality and heritage. The final graphics were inspired by the artwork on La Giocca, the brand’s bottle created in 1994 by the legendary automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The 33cl cans employ a special tactile finish to great effect. The cans, Printed in Crown’s Parma Italy plant, feature this special finish performed well on the production line being as easy to print as the regular...
The British company based in Liverpool scaffolding supplier George Roberts ensured a £1m loan from Barclays bank to support cash flow issues during the lockdown. The £38m-turnover firm used the government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), which was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in March’20 as part of a £330m financial aid package for UK businesses. George Roberts NW finance director Mark Roach said: “The lockdown caused a reduction in orders due to a reduced number of live projects. The loan guarantees liquidity and maintains a platform to ensure the business retains and even improves its status in the marketplace going forward”. Graham Duckworth, Barclays Relationship Director said: “The loan has given George Roberts NW the financial headroom to get...
The Twelfth International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar has been rescheduled on May 11 – 13, 2021, as announced by the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) and the ET Foundation. The seminar, now named ET 2021, will be conducted at the Hilton Orlando on Destination Parkway, minutes from I-Drive in the heart of Orlando’s dining and entertainment district. Previously, this seminar was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. AEC President Jeff Henderson said, “We are fortunate to have found dates and a location that meets our specific needs. It took some time since so many organizations had to reschedule events simultaneously due to the unusual circumstances surrounding the novel coronavirus pandemic,” The ET Seminar Committee and ET staff are in the process of communicating the updated...
Car market in China continued to recover at a steady pace and is likely to gain growth momentum in May and June. The daily retail sales of passenger vehicles averaged 32,000 units in the first week of May (May 1-10). That was an increase of 12 per cent from the fourth week of April, according to latest data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The daily retail sales of passenger vehicles dropped 7 per cent year-on-year. The Labour Day holiday meets people’s pent-up demand for self-drive tours following the easing of lockdowns. Stimulus measures including subsidising new car buyers and those who trade in their old cars for new ones lifted passenger car consumption, Shanghai Metals Market reported. Separately, CPCA data said that China’s wholesale deliveries of new energy...
According to World Bank: “Climate-smart principles must steer the global search for the minerals and metals required by the green energy boom to make sure the process remains sustainable.” As per the new study, the global monetary body concluded that sourcing of non-metals, metals, and others for renewables in enough volumes – 3 billion tonnes – to keep global heating within 2°C by 2050 would carry emissions equal to only 6% of the footprint of fossil fuels. The World Bank has advised climate activists, green energy developers, and miners to work together to embed sustainability into the entire mineral supply chain, ensuring shortages do not prevent green energy from being deployed at the speed the Paris Agreement requires. The World Bank has spent years ransacking into the influence of...
Australian Bauxite Limited (ABx) announced that it had been a successful tenderer to deliver a shipment of cement grade bauxite. It shipped 35,000 tonnes plus or minus 10 per cent from Bell Bay, which marked the company’s biggest sale yet of seaborne cement grade bauxite. Being optimistic about the time to come, ABx said: "Delays due to the current COVID-19 restrictions have been overcome and demand is likely to grow." ABx was negotiating for mining, transport, and port services to bring forward the production to take advantage of low fuel costs and increase employment in Northern Tasmania in the current and upcoming quarters. The company, however, did not reveal the sale price, claiming it confidential. Australian Bauxite Limited also told the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) that it...
The US dollar erased earlier losses to trade largely flat against a basket of currencies on Wednesday. LME aluminium sank 0.2% and SHFE aluminium firmed 0.3%. Three-month LME aluminium hit an intraday high of US$1,486 per tonne before easing to close down 0.24% at US$1,476 per tonne. LME aluminium is expected to move at US$1,460-1,500 per tonne today. As of Wednesday May 13, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1439 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1439 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1476.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1476.50 per tonne; Dec 21 bid price stands at US$ 1604.50 per tonne, and Dec 21 offer price stands at US$ 1604.50 per tonne. LME aluminium 3-months Asian Reference Price is hovering at US$ 1478.84 per tonne. SHFE...
After remaining restrained for the two consecutive days following a rise to RMB 2,211 per tonne, the average alumina spot price in China has dipped by RMB 5 per tonne to RMB 2,206 per tonne on Thursday, May 14, found Shanghai Metals Market. In the east, the average alumina price has declined by RMB 25 per tonne to RMB 2,175 per tonne, while that in the north has plunged by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 2,215 per tonne. In the central and south, however, the price has recorded no change from RMB 2,200 per tonne and RMB 2,520 per tonne, respectively. The Australia alumina FOB price has also remained restrained at US$ 241 per tonne after dwindling by US$ 1 per tonne on the last day. The imported alumina price is continuing at RMB 2,190 per tonne. The A00 aluminium ingot price, on the other hand,...
Indian Miners apex body Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) on 13 th May'20 hailed the INR 20 lakh crore special economic packages, expressing hope that the stimulus will also be used to give relief to highly taxed and struggling mining sector. FIMI said in a statement: "We are grateful to the Prime Minister for announcing the financial stimulus of INR 20 lakh crore to make India self-reliant and boost MSMEs.” The industry body added that it hoped the package "will also be used to boost the highly taxed and struggling mining sector, which is critical for raw material supply to Indian manufacturing units, power, infrastructure sectors, etc." FIMI said: “A majority of the mineral blocks in the country are small in size, with 72% of mines being less than 50 hectares in size and...
The aluminium packaging recycling rate in the United Kingdom has increased by 4 per cent year-on-year and recorded a new high to 56 per cent, the highest ever level, found the Environment Agency data, published on the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD) earlier this month. The aluminium packaging market in 2019 grew by 8 per cent year-on-year, with 207,000 tonnes of packaging sold and 116,670 tonnes recycled, including an estimated 76% of all aluminium beverage cans sold. Data shows more than 102,944 tonnes of collected aluminium packaging (88%) were recycled into new high-quality products within Europe. The business recycling rate once again crossed the target, reaching 63 per cent compared to 60 per cent in 2018, while consumer-collected aluminium packaging recycling surged by 20...
Satendra Singh, Joint Secretary, Govt. of India-Ministry of Mines on 12 th May’20 chaired a review meeting through Video Conferencing with officials of Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC) and National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) to discuss the ongoing research and development projects. Mr Singh directed both the institutions to co-operate each other to serve the demand of aluminium industry with the support of research and development. NALCO is the largest aluminium producer of the country and JNARDDC is the institute that provides state-of-the-art technology with their research to NALCO. A discussion was held on different ongoing and other project ideas in the pipeline with NALCO. Singh also reviewed the pilot projects which can be...
