A potential easing of trade tensions between the United States and Canada could reshape the North American aluminum market, with European buyers facing the risk of stronger competition for Canadian metal. Import data from ITC Trade Map shows that US purchases of Canadian unwrought aluminum fell sharply in 2025, while imports from Canada increased across six European markets, highlighting how trade flows have evolved amid tariff uncertainty. The United States imported approximately 2.03 million metric tons of unwrought aluminum from Canada in 2025, down 25.9% from 2.74 million metric tons in 2024. The decline amounted to around 711,494 metric tons over the year. Import value also decreased, falling 22.2% from $7.82 billion to $6.09 billion. The figures come as the possibility of a...
Century Aluminum’s proposed USD 4 billion primary aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, is “moving forward on all fronts” as the company prepares for construction, despite local opposition and legal challenges, CEO Jesse Gary said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call. Developed jointly by Century Aluminum and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the project is designed to produce 750,000 tonnes of primary aluminum annually, potentially doubling U.S. primary aluminum production. The facility is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs and add USD 1.5 billion to Oklahoma’s gross domestic product, according to company estimates. The partners had targeted construction to begin by the end of 2026. However, local restrictions and permitting challenges have affected the...
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High cost saving is one of the factors that has been increasingly bolstering the shift from using copper wire to aluminium wire and therefore, the demand for the latter. Considering a transformation cost of US$1,5 per kg for copper and US$ 5 per kg for aluminium, the final cost for the user will be almost similar, but the weight of aluminium is 1/3 of copper. And even considering 10% more consumption of aluminium, saving is approximately 60% of the cost of the coil. {newsStudioGallery} Aluminium wires are widely used in various home electrical appliances, switches, circuit breakers and motors. Beside cost saving and light-weight properties, aluminium wires are corrosion resistant. So, backed on the increasing demand, the exports and imports of aluminium wire have also been found growing...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), on course to become the world’s largest aluminium smelter, was recognised as the Leading Corporate for Investor Relations in Bahrain at the recently held 11th Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA) Awards’ Ceremony. The MEIRA Awards, in collaboration with Thomson Reuters Extel, recognises the efforts of regionally listed companies and Investor Relations (IR) professionals who play a critical role in advancing the IR landscape. Alba’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali said: “We are pleased to have been recognised again by the 2019 MEIRA Annual Conference and Awards -- which is a vote of confidence from Alba’s various stakeholders amidst changes to market dynamics. We take pride in our approach with the transparent disclosure and...
The US dollar headed for its worst week in almost four months. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, fell for the third consecutive week and ended 0.4% lower at 97.2 last Friday. LME base metals closed mixed as aluminium gained 0.43%. The SHFE aluminium increased 0.18%. LME aluminium started the last week lower and continued flat in the first three days. It started gaining from Thursday and ended the week higher. Three-month LME aluminium hit a week high of US$1,743 per tonne as it rebounded from an intraday low of US$1,723 per tonne last Friday night, before it ended 0.43% higher at US$1,736 per tonne. A weaker US dollar index may keep LME aluminium within a range of US$1,730-1,750 per tonne today. As on October 18, Friday, LME aluminium cash...
According to a report on Monday, October 21, The People’s National Party (PNP) is backing legal action against West Indies Alumina Company (WINDALCO) for releasing effluent into the Rio Cobre and contaminating the river, which is a major water source for many residents living on its banks. Dr Fenton Ferguson, the opposition spokesman on Water, Environment and Climate Change, said the opposition is in support of St Catherine North Central’s Member of Parliament Natalie Neita’s attempt for possible legal action against WINDALCO. He also wants the residents around the Rio Cobre river to receive proper and adequate compensation for the damages and inconvenience caused to them due to contamination of water caused by WINDALCO. Ferguson is calling for Darul Vaz as well, who is responsible for...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, stood at 895,000 tonnes as of Monday, 21 October 2019, down 21,000 tonnes from Thursday October 17. Primary aluminium inventories continued to decline as outflows grew in most areas. The current status of primary aluminium inventories across China is given in the chart below: After a continuous rise for the past three days in a row, A00 aluminium ingot price on Monday dropped by RMB 40 per tonne from Thursday’s price of RMB 14000 per tonne. The price stood at RMB 13960 per tonne and expected to move within a range of RMB 13940-13980. Aluminium ingot price in Foshan decreased by RMB 40 per tonne to stand at RMB 13920 per tonne. Ingot prices in...
The global export-import data shows that after a year-on-year rise in Saudi Arabia’s aluminium plates, sheets and strips import last year, the country this year is likely to see a drop of 16 per cent to 89,966 tonnes. In 2018, Saudi Arabia's import was approximately at 106,936 tonnes, up 29 per cent from 83,053 tonnes in 2017. In 2016, the import amount was at around 59,353 tonnes, which indicates that the import volume had recorded a rise in 2017 as well, by about 40 per cent. As far as the import cost is concerned, Saudi Arabia’s aluminium plates, sheets and strips import is estimated to be valued lower than the previous year, in tandem with the drop in import volume. Compared with US$491 million in 2018, the country’s import cost this year is likely to come in at US$ 317 million, down...
A00 aluminium ingot price started the week with a decline of RMB 170 per tonne on Monday, October 14. The price continued lower at RMB 13800 per tonne and RMB 13770 per tonne on October 14 and October 15. But the week ended higher at RMB14000 per tonne on Friday, October 18, up RMB 40 per tonne from Thursday, October 17. As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, declined significantly this week as arrivals shrank sharply while outflows held stable. Primary aluminium stocks in China reduced by 61,000 tonnes from a week ago to 916,000 tonnes as of Thursday October 17. As far as raw material is concerned, the average spot price of alumina started the week higher at RMB 2643 per tonne on...
South32 Ltd reported a 1% quarter-on-quarter rise in aluminium production in the September quarter. Aluminium production increased from 245,000 tonnes to 248,000 tonnes. Hillside Aluminium saleable production increased by 1% in the September 2019 quarter as the smelter continued to test its maximum technical capacity, despite a modest impact to production from load-shedding and the completion of a major workforce restructure in the June 2019 quarter. Production stood at 181,000 tonnes. Sales from Hillside Aluminium decreased by 9% QoQ to 174,000 tonnes. Mozal Aluminium saleable production increased by 2% QoQ to 67,000 tonnes in the September 2019 quarter as the smelter continued to test its maximum technical capacity, despite a modest impact to production from load-shedding. Sales dropped...
According to a Reuters report, bauxite mining operations in the West African country of Guinea came back to normal after it was disrupted temporarily because of political protests. Protesters were demonstrating against a possible change in the constitution that may let President Alpha Conde continue a third term. The news was confirmed by representatives from the consortium of Societe Miniere de Boke (SMB) and Singapore's Winning, which is Guinea's top exporter of bauxite, and the Guinea Bauxite Company (CBG). "We have been impacted by the protests, with around two-and-a-half slow days of production," a CBG official told Reuters, estimating typical losses from a one-day halt to operations at around $1 million. He also added that the bauxite loaded train heading to the Russian aluminium...
South32 reported alumina production of 1.3 million tonnes in the first quarter, unchanged from the prior quarter. But the production increased 13% year-on-year. Production at Brazil Alumina increased by 14% quarter-on-quarter to a record 356,000 in the September 2019 quarter as the refinery benefitted from the installation of package boilers, enabling the benefits of the De-bottlenecking Phase One project to be realised. Production was up 17% YoY. Sales declined 19% QoQ to 304,000 tonnes in the September quarter. FY20 production guidance remains unchanged at 1.33 million tonnes. "Achieved record production at Brazil Alumina and another strong quarter at Worsley Alumina as we deliver initiatives to sustainably increase to nameplate capacity from FY20," South32 said. Production at Worsley...
HRL Laboratories research center sold its first order of 7A77 aluminium 3D printing powder to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama. The material was sold by HRL Additive, a newly established 3D printing entity from HRL Laboratories just one week after the commercial launch of the product. The company would supply the aluminium powder to the aerospace and automotive sectors. MSFC aims to explore the potential of 3D printing large-scale aerospace components using 7A77 powder. “Certainly, the 7A77 feedstock powder could unlock the production of large-scale components produced via fusion-based additive manufacturing,” explained Omar Rodriguez of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. HRL Laboratories is jointly owned by General Motors, and the Boeing aerospace...
Urging the Indian automobile industry to focus on manufacturing electric vehicles, Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, said on Wednesday: “We have to make India the global hub of electric automobile manufacturing. This is difficult but not impossible.” The automotive industry should focus on the indigenous development of technology as well, opined the union minister at the launch of Bajaj Auto’s first electric scooter. But while encouraging for the development of electric vehicles, Gadkari did not miss to assure the automobile industry that there is no ban on petrol and diesel vehicles. He only pointed out that India’s fuel import bill touched INR 7 lakh crore, which is a big amount for India’s economy. According to him, the consumer in the future would...
The US imported 117,000 tonnes of aluminium semi-finished products (plates, sheets, bars, etc.) in July, with a year-on-year increase of 11.43%, as updated by the US Census Bureau. This is the fourth straight month of decline in the imports of semi-finished. The imports dropped by 10.69% from June’s imports of 131,000 tonnes, 13.33% from May’s imports of 135,000 tonnes, and 18.18% from April’s imports of 143,000 tonnes. Imports of aluminium semi-finished products stood at 925,000 tonnes in the first seven months of 2019, indicating an increase of 10.38%. The US had imported 838,000 tonnes in the first seven months of 2018. The US imports of total aluminium (crude metal and alloys, aluminium semi-finished products and scrap) in July edged lower by 48.31% year-on-year. Imports stood at...
NALCO may have to close one more unit after shutting down three units of its Captive Power Plant, each of 120 megawatt capacity due to shortage of coal supply. This is likely to impact its aluminium smelting operations seriously. Nalco is currently drawing around 190 MW of power from the state grid at a higher rate because of the shortage at CPP. “Short supply of coal has severely impacted aluminium production of NALCO and also the cost of power, as the power purchased from the grid is costly as compared to the power produced by NALCO at its CPP,” the state-run unit said in a statement. Nalco’s CPP at Angul and steam and power plant at Damanjodi are depended on Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, a Coal India Ltd arm for coal supply. Nalco has already stopped 80 electrolytic pots in the smelter...
According to a recent report, aluminium or steel water cans may replace plastic water bottles in Indian railways if the cabinet ministry approves a consumer affairs ministry proposal. As per the report, the cans would be initially offered to railway passengers, especially on premium trains such as Tejas Express and Vande Bharat Express. Government officials familiar with the matter said that the consumer affairs ministry is in talks with the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) to produce steel cans in two of the most common grades of food-grade stainless steel - 18/8 and 18/10, also known as Type 304. “We are in talks with SAIL for making water bottles/cans for the railways’ Rail Neer brand. These will be initially offered to passengers aboard premium trains such as Tejas Express and Vande...
Ghana government is soon constructing two weigh bridges in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipality and Ahanta West District respectively in order to accurately measure the quantity of bauxite and manganese being carried to the Takoradi Port for export. Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh recently inspected the construction work of both the weigh bridges. The bridges will enable the Government Minerals Commission to measure the exact tonnage of bauxite and manganese exported by the Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC) and the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC); and help measure the expected revenue due the state. It will also help the government to do away with any under declaration of tonnages of bauxite and manganese exported by the GMC and GBC. The Minister and...
The US dollar fell for a third straight day to the lowest in nearly two months against a basket of other currencies on Thursday, as weak US economic data rekindled fears of an economic slowdown and the European Union and the UK striking a Brexit deal. LME base metals closed higher on Thursday. Aluminium nudged up 0.06%. SHFE aluminium rose 0.4%. Three-month LME aluminium rebounded to a high of US$1,733 per tonne on Thursday, before it eased to end marginally higher at US$1,728.5 per tonne. LME aluminium will struggle to break strong resistance in the short term, and is expected to trade between US$1,720-1,740 per tonne today. As on October 17, Thursday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1725 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1726 per tonne; 3-months bid...
According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday October 18, production of primary aluminium in China stood at 1.6% lower than the same period last year. Production in September came in at 2.9 million tonnes, a decrease of 2.36% from August’s production volume of 2.97 million tonnes. For the first nine months of 2019, primary aluminium production increased by 1.1% from the same period a year earlier to stand at 26.37 million tonnes, slower than a 1.4% increase for the first eight months of 2019. Production of 10 nonferrous metals, including copper, aluminium, lead, zinc and nickel, stood at 4.97 million tonnes last month, an increase of 5.1% year on year, NBS data showed. Output of the 10 nonferrous metals in January-September totalled 43.47 million tonnes....
