Domestic ore prices showed no notable change last week, with inland domestic bauxite largely supplied through long-term contracts to ensure security of supply. However, the market widely expects supply of domestic ore in Shanxi to loosen, and some participants believe 2027 domestic mine supply will be better than this year--though actual progress still depends on local policy implementation. On the import side, confirmed November long-term import ore volumes rose from October, which should help lift Guinean shipment volumes to China somewhat. In addition, previously suspended small- and medium-sized mines are planning to resume shipments in November as freight rates retreat, and offers have already appeared in the market. Partial resumption at small per medium mines will add a sequential...
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...
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A journey of 35 days that crossed 21,112 km with two large locomotives built by the Chinese group CRRC for the Dapilon-Santou railway line was landed on 8 th May’20 at the Guinean port of Boké, initiated the departure from the Chinese port of Yantai in Shandong province. The internal combustion diesel locomotives measure 22 meters long, 3.3 meters wide and 4.1 meters high and weighs 150 tonnes each. The mission thus established a new Chinese national record for bulk maritime transport between Yantai and West Africa in terms of length of journey and tonnage of cargo. The Papillon-Santou line links the port of Boké to bauxite mines in eastern Guinea. It will greatly contribute to enhancing the transit capacity of the port after it enters into service. The port of Yantai is the largest...
AlCircle has added a new Sector Focus Report - “Energy Consumption in Aluminium Smelting and Changing Technologies Towards Gas Emission” to its 2020 portfolio. The report promises to provide a deep insight into energy consumption by the primary aluminium sector and various technological developments with respect to optimising power consumption as well as reducing greenhouse emissions. World primary aluminium production increased from 37.7 million tonnes in 2009 to 63.7 million tonnes in 2019. This growth in expected to continue in the coming years on higher demand. To produce one tonne of aluminium the average total energy (AC) intensity across the world stood at about 14.2 MWh while the average process energy intensity stood at 13.4 MWh. Globally, the aluminium industry emits around 450...
Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation has won a contract from India’s National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) to build and deliver regional commuter and intracity transit trains with comprehensive maintenance services. The trains will run on Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut semi-high-speed rail corridor under Phase 1 of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). The company will provide 30 regional commuter trainsets of six cars each and 10 intracity mass transit trainsets of three cars each. It will also provide rolling stock maintenance for 15 years. NCRTC can extend the contract for an additional 90 cars and two years of maintenance. Mr. Vinay Kumar Singh, Managing Director at NCRTC said, “Finalization of the Rolling Stock bid process is an important milestone in the...
According to the latest report from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) on Monday, May 11, China’s wholesale deliveries of new energy passenger vehicles in April came in at 64,000 units, down 30 per cent from the same period last year but up month-on-month by 14.8 per cent as the business recovered from the fallout from the coronavirus crisis. In March 2020, China’s new energy passenger vehicles wholesale deliveries were 56,000 units, marking a month-on-month rise of nearly three times from February. But compared to the same period last year, it was down by 49.2 per cent, according to CPCA data. This means China’s new energy passenger vehicle sales have been registering a monthly growth over the past few months, despite being down compared to the previous year. In April, wholesale...
Denmark is one of the most prominent Scandinavian nations and an important part of the European Union since 1973. The country holds a prominent position in the world economy. Denmark is the world’s 60th largest economy in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). It has a diverse economy that is a mixture of agriculture, services, and industry. The aluminium ingot importation of Denmark remains variable during 2017-19 as the total volume of import recorded was 232,165 tonnes, whereas the revenue expended remained at $405.24 million. The projected import analysis for 2020 has shown a dip by 2.55%, as the total import might reflect 73,720 tonnes, with $109.32 million to be listed for expenditure. The trading nations for Denmark’s aluminium ingot are Austria, Croatia, Germany, Luxembourg,...
According to a recent report, the Phase I electrolytic tanks of Wenshan Aluminium’s 500,000 tonnes per year aluminium smelting and hydropower project in Yunnan province came online last Tuesday, May 5. The Phase I capacity contains 62 electrolytic tanks, which are 500KA new integrated prebaked anode aluminium electrolytic cells. The phase II electrolytic tanks are in the pipeline. The total estimated investment required for this project is more than RMB 4 billion. Wenshan Aluminium, a subsidiary of Yunnan Aluminium, also runs an alumina refinery, which in the first quarter of 2020 produced 266,000 tonnes of alumina. There are 3.43 million tonnes of aluminium smelting and hydropower capacity that is under construction or has been built in Wenshan prefecture, according to official data.
Vedanta has decreased its aluminium ingot and billet price after hiking them for the third time in a row. With effect from May 9, the prices of some ingots are in the range of INR 130,500-143,500 per tonne. This marks an decrease of INR 1000 per tonne or 0.76% from INR 131,500-144,500 per tonne on April 25. With the latest decline, Vedanta’ billet now stands at INR 138,500 per tonne, a drop of INR 1000 per tonne or 0.72% from INR 139,500 per tonne on April 21. 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 slower global demand following the coronavirus outbreak. Vedanta’s aluminium business typically accounts for one-third of the...
As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, continued to decline after the five-day Labour Day holiday on robust demand and fewer arrivals. Inventories stood at 1.102 million tonnes as of Monday, 11 May 2020, down 70,000 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 30,000 tonnes, 12,000 tonnes and 16,000 tonnes from May 6 to stand at 468,000 tonnes, 143,000 tonnes and 232,000 tonnes on Monday, 11 May 2020. But the stocks in Tianjin remained unchanged at 56,000 tonnes. In Gongyi, Hangzhou and Chongqing, the primary aluminium stocks...
PARC Robotic Systems reinstated their two aluminium part factories in Pune at the western province of India. Bharat Gite, Director of PARC Robotic stated that he spent days servicing idle machines, sanitising his premises and putting in place social distancing norms for staff. The aluminium component manufacturer is facing a problem that it is becoming tough for their workers to return to their jobs post millions of Indians fled cities for their rural homes or on other cities when the Government of India executed a nationwide lockdown at the end of March’20. Bharat Gite said: “We haven't heard from customers in the last two months. It's a havoc situation. We don't know what is going to happen." PARC Robotics Systems has been a supplier company to General Electric Co. (GE), ABB Ltd., and...
According to the data from Shanghai Metals Market, China in April 2020 produced 5.65 million tonnes of alumina, including 5.4 million tonnes of metallurgical-grade alumina. The daily output came in at 179,800 tonnes, up 2.62 per cent month-on-the month but down 7.07 per cent over the year. In the first four months of 2020, China’s total output of metallurgical-grade alumina stood at 21.56 million tonnes, 8.61 per cent lower than the corresponding period last year. Smaller production cut in Shanxi and Henan driven by the easing impact of COVID19 together with the slight recovery of alumina prices boosted China’s daily alumina production in April. The increased output of alumina offset the cutback at production lines using imported bauxite at SPIC Shanxi Aluminium, Luoyang Wanji, and...
The average spot alumina price in China is up by RMB 2 per tonne or 0.09 per cent on Monday, 11 May 2020. Alumina price stands at RMB 2211 per tonne, after remaining flat at RMB 2209 per tonne since May 6. Alumina prices remain unchanged across all major markets in China. Alumina (Imported) price has increased by RMB 20 per to stand at RMB 2190 per tonne, after remaining restrained since May 6. The average price is expected to range within RMB 2180-2200 per tonne. A00 aluminium ingot price has edged higher after two days of decline. As on Monday, 11 May 2020, ingot price ranged at RMB 13010-13050 per tonne; the average price stood at RMB 13030 per tonne, up RMB 190 per tonne from its previous price of RMB 12840 per tonne today. Spot aluminium price is likely to be traded at a premium of...
The US dollar declined in late trading on Friday, May 8, after official data showed a record 20.5 million job loss in the world's largest economy in April. But the greenback was on track to post its largest weekly gain compared with the euro in more than a month, although that was more related to the European single currency concerning the European Central Bank’s asset purchases. On Monday morning, May 11, the US dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, remained below the 100 mark, while oil prices reversed an earlier slip caused by concerns over a persistent glut. The LME was closed for the bank holiday on Friday. All LME base metals strengthened last week. As of Thursday, May 7, LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price stood at...
The metal and mining giant, Rio Tinto, has joined hands on a project to develop a zero-emission bus made of aluminium that will be tested in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada in 2021. The bus is fully electric and made with aluminium and it is named as the Electrip. Emmanuel Bergeron, Director of regional economic development, Rio Tinto said: “noting that it also offers greater accessibility for people with reduced mobility.” Since 2017, the mining company has come out to support the futuristic project, aligning with its focus on sustainability and combining public transport, low-carbon-footprint materials and renewable energy.
On Friday morning, May 8, Tiwai Aluminium Smelter donated some groceries and grocery vouchers to the Southland Foodbank and the Salvation Army to lay support during this test of time due to COVID19. Workers of the smelter visited the food bank on Friday to deliver the donations. According to chairman of the Southland Foodbank Peter Swain, this will indeed help the food bank as the pressure of its services mount. Swain said the food bank was helping four to six families a day, but going ahead, the demand might increase as New Zealand moved to lower alert levels. He acknowledged the generous help of the Southlanders who ensured the food bank could continue operating. He said someone even donated three cattle beef that could be processed into mince. "As long as it comes in, we can give it...
The current political stand-off has been constantly hampering the progress of labour talks. This situation is also creating an abstraction of an order for Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) and the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) to enter into arbitration to resolve a long-brewing dispute over wages and salaries. On 8 th May’20, the General Secretary of the GB&GWU, Lincoln Lewis said: “The dispute between the two parties is set for arbitration and explained that they will only be able to start talks once the political impasse is resolved. He also added: “It will go to arbitration after the current political impasse as when there is a new government we expect the new minister will sign the order.”
Ball Corporation reported net earnings of $23 million on sales of $2.8 billion in Q1, compared to $117 million net earnings on sales of $2.8 billion in 2019. The company’s comparable net earnings were $202 million, from comparable net earnings of $167 million last year. Ball said the results reflect the 2019 sale of the company's Argentine steel aerosol business and Chinese beverage can assets, and new segment reporting for the company's beverage packaging, EMEA business and other non-reportable results. “Ball is fortunate to have a strong balance sheet, ample liquidity, a "can-do" culture and a business model that has successfully weathered other turbulent economic times over our 140-year history. Our company is humbled by the resiliency with which we are able to execute our strategy,...
The Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Nissan Motor Co., announced on 7 th May’20 that it is extending its production halt for most of the USA manufacturing plants in regards to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision has delivered a negative message to the aluminium components suppliers for their US plants, as their role of the supply chain cannot be ignored. Nissan had begun gradually resuming production operations at its Infiniti powertrain plant in Decherd, Tennessee last week. The company stated that it would evaluate current market demand and supplier readiness before setting a restart date for the remaining plants. Many automakers are expecting to resume the US production starting 18 th May’20 after halting operations in late March’20.
The United States Geological Survey data showed Russia’s crude metal and alloys exports to the US rebounded in February 2020 after month-on-month drops in the last two months. According to the USGS report, Russia’s exports in February were 17,700 tonnes to the US, compared to 13,100 tonnes in December 2019 and 9,260 tonnes in January 2020. This represents that February saw a month-on-month jump of 91.14 per cent in Russia’s crude metal and alloys exports to the US, following a decline of 29.31 per cent in January. In November, the export amount was 15,500 tonnes, meaning the export in December decreased by 15.48 per cent. Year-on-year, Russia’s crude metal and alloys exports to the US in February stood higher by 73.52 per cent, as the country during the same period last year had exported...
