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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Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates, announced that its Al Taweelah alumina refinery produced 600,000 tonnes of alumina since operations started in April 2019. The plant’s average daily production was 88 per cent of Al Taweelah alumina refinery’s nameplate capacity in August. Al Taweelah alumina refinery is expected to produce more than one million tonnes of alumina by the end of 2019. Once fully-ramped up, the output is projected to reach some two million tonnes of alumina per year. Abdulla Kalban, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: “Ramping up production at a new alumina refinery is a complex and challenging task, and we have been preparing for the ramp-up of Al Taweelah alumina refinery since before construction...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded the fourth drop in a row by RMB 50 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,980 per tonne, as of September 30. With this continued plunge, the A00 aluminium ingot price stands lower by RMB 310 per tonne from the same period last month. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,960 per tonne and RMB 14,000 per tonne, with a spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 0 per tonne to RMB 40 per tonne. The price in Foshan has seen the highest decline of RMB 60 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,990 per tonne, while that in Shenyang by RMB 55 per tonne to RMB 14,005 per tonne and Hangzhou, Chongqing, and Tianjin by RMB 40 per tonne to RMB 14,030 per tonne, RMB 13,990 per tonne, and RMB 14,010 per tonne. In...
According to a recent report, American start-up Bollinger Motors has revealed its electric off-road SUV and pick-up truck in beta prototype form. The B1 and B2, both based on Bollinger’s in-house developed Class 3 electric vehicle ‘skateboard’ platform, are engineered to be road-legal across the globe. The chassis and body of both the vehicles are made of aluminium, which make them light in weight and easy to manufacture with simple-to-replace body panels. The rugged, boxy models produce a combination of 614bhp and 668lb feet of torque for a claimed 0-60mph time of 4.5 sec and a top speed of 100mph. Batter pack has an enormous capacity as well of 120 kWh. However, the range has not been confirmed yet. Previously, the company had proposed a range of 200 miles from a 100kWh battery. Since...
Primary aluminium production in Africa stood at 141,000 tonnes in August, a decrease of 2.08% from 144,000 tonnes in August 2018, according to the latest data showed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) on Friday, September 20. On a month-on-month comparison, aluminium production increased by 2.17% from 138,000 tonnes. In the first eight months of 2019, Africa’s primary aluminium production stood 0.63% lower than the same period last year. Africa produced 1.102 million tonnes of aluminium in January-August, from 1.109 million tonnes in January-August 2018. Africa’s primary aluminium production for 2018 stood at 1.668 million tonnes, IAI data showed. Global primary aluminium production in August 2019 stood at 5.407 million tonnes, down 1.46% year-on-year. The output was almost...
Nio Inc. announced last week, it would open smaller showrooms for better sales network, cut jobs and spin off some business units after reporting a second-quarter loss of US$478.6 million, 25 per cent more than its first-quarter loss. The move was decided to control massive cash crunch amid slowing electric vehicle sales in China after the subsidy cut. The company recalled 4,803 vehicles in June. The Chinese EV startup that was aiming to be Tesla’s counterpart reported an 8 per cent drop in revenue to 1.41 billion yuan (US$198.40 million) from 1.54 billion yuan in the preceding quarter. William Li, founder and chief executive of Nio attributed the drop to reduced EV subsidies and incentives, and slumping luxury vehicle demand amid U.S. China trade tensions by the EV maker. Nick Wang, Nio...
A00 aluminium ingot price continued higher in the beginning of the week at RMB 14310 per tonne and RMB 14320 per tonne on Monday, September 23 and Tuesday, September 24. The price witnessed a downward movement in the next three days of the week. A00 aluminium ingot price ended the week lower at RMB 14030 per tonne, down RMB 160 per tonne from its previous price. As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, inventories of primary aluminium in China fell for a fifth consecutive week, as downstream consumers stockpiled for the week-long National Day holiday. Stocks of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, dropped 27,000 tonnes from a week ago to 939,000 tonnes as of Thursday September 26, after a decline of 6,000 tonnes in the prior week. As far as raw...
Building on the success of its first e-magazine “Aluminium LeaderSpeak 2019”, AlCircle has launched its second futuristic theme e- magazine on the topic “Aluminium Industry 4.0: Drivers & Change Makers”. Notwithstanding the fact that Industry 4.0 is one of the most talked about topics in the technology and industrial sector, when it comes to implementation of "Industry 4.0 technologies in the aluminium industry; even seasoned plant operators are not completely aware of the full potential of such technologies. The term "Industry 4.0" is used to describe the extensive use of digitalization in an industrial environment. It covers the current systems and technologies for automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning and data exchange used in the manufacturing and industrial sector....
According to Shanghai Metals Market calculations based on Customs data, China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products in August dropped by 4.31 per cent month-on-month to come in at 466,000 tonnes. August saw a high ratio of SHFE aluminium price to its LME counterpart, which squeezed margins on exports. This, along with trade barriers such as anti-dumping duties in some countries, discouraged Chinese aluminium producers from pouring their cargoes to markets overseas. Previous strong exports, meanwhile, affected near-by demand, with three months earlier this year seeing a monthly export volume of above 510,000 tonnes. In the first eight months, China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products thus stood at 3.94 million tonnes, up 5 per cent from the same period...
The latest customs data shows China’s exports of aluminium foil extended declines in August by about 13.32 per cent month-on-month and 9.85 per cent year-on-year to come in at 98,100 tonnes. Poor overseas orders could be primarily attributed to the lower exports last month. In July, China’s aluminium foil export had dropped by about 2.39 per cent from its previous month. This indicates that the percentage of monthly decrease in export volume grew in August. The export volume of aluminium foils under four out of the total five HS codes saw a month-on-month decline of 13-16 per cent, while exports of product under HS code 76071120 climbed 9.06 per cent. On a yearly basis, the total export between January and August remained 5.04 per cent higher.
Bauxite Resources released reports for the financial year ending 30 June 2019. Over the year, the Company’s focus was on continuing to explore and maintain the valuable bauxite assets held in the joint venture with HD Mining. According to the JV, HD Mining must fund 100% of exploration and feasibility costs for the bauxite project to earn 40% interest in any defined area of exploration. It is also bound to undertake a detailed feasibility study for the commercial mining of the defined area to earn 20% interest in a defined area once the study is complete and mining starts. Bauxite exploration activity on bauxite projects was limited by fund restraints within the Shandong Bureau. Several tenements have been granted Retention Status allowing the company to focus the limited joint venture...
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is in talks with Hindalco Industries Limited to source aluminium for its proposed one GW (gigawatt) aluminium air battery facility as the State-owned entity looks for an alternative to lithium-ion batteries. This move is in tune with the government’s strategy to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in India to cut the fuel import bill. Confirming the development, a senior official of Hindalco Industries told The Hindu, “They have approached us. We are in talks with them. It’s at an initial stage. They are developing it in joint venture with an Israel firm.” Last year, IOCL had signed an initial pact with Israel’s Phinergy Ltd. for developing ultra lightweight metal-air batteries that can be used in EVs. Aluminium air battery is said to...
According to the global export-import data, a lion share of bauxite from Guyana goes to Ukraine every year, with steady growth in volume. In 2019, Guyana is expected to export 1.42 million tonnes of bauxite, out of its total estimated export volume of 2 million tonnes. Last year, the country’s bauxite export to Ukraine was at 1.17 million tonnes, indicating a growth of 21 per cent year-on-year in 2019. In 2017, while the export from Guyana to Ukraine had come in at 947,830 tonnes, the export volume in 2018 saw an increase of about 23 per cent. With the steady expansion in Guyana’s bauxite export volume to Ukraine, the value has also been rising alongside. The global export-import data shows that Guyana is estimated to yield around US$91 million in 2019 from its bauxite export to Ukraine,...
Norsk Hydro announced that The Brazilian federal court lifted the final embargo on Alunorte’s new bauxite residue disposal (DRS2) under a criminal lawsuit on Thursday, September 26th. This allows the alumina refinery to resume activities of installation and commissioning at DRS2, ending a 19-month embargo period which has restricted activities at the plant. The decision by the federal court to lift the DRS2 embargo under the criminal lawsuit came after a decision on September 20, to lift the DRS2 embargo under the civil lawsuit . Hydro President and CEO Hilde Merete Aasheim said: “This is a milestone for Alunorte and will contribute to our agenda towards a more profitable and sustainable Hydro.” “We are happy and eager to resume installation and commissioning activities at the...
The US dollar extended its gain on Thursday, with the index that measures the greenback against a basket of other currencies nearing a two-year high hit at the start of this month. LME base metals closed lower on Thursday. LME aluminium slipped 0.8% and SHFE aluminium declined 1.1%. Downtrend continued for LME aluminium yesterday. Three-month LME aluminium fell on Thursday for a third straight day, losing 0.77% to end at US$1,739 per tonne, as the firmer greenback and weak demand overseas drove longs to trim their positions. LME aluminium is expected to trade rangebound at US$1,710-1,780 per tonne today. As on September 26, Thursday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1722 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1724 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1743...
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has reportedly launched Aluminium Alloy 1200 (AA 1200), adding one more downstream product to its existing product range. This alloy is similar to alloy AA 1100 and has a wide application in the manufacture of LED lamp cap. Tapan Kumar Chand, chairman and managing director of Nalco said, ‘’At Nalco, we continue to diversify and focus on expanding our markets with new product launches. In a competitive environment, this new product AA 1200 will help develop new markets and increase the Company’s profitability. The Smelter Team at Angul has worked hard to introduce a quality product that will add to the Company’s growing stature in the national and global market.’’ This commercial aluminium alloy grade 1200 has high corrosion resistance and boasts...
A00 aluminium ingot price has extended its decline to RMB 14030 per tonne on Friday, 27 September 2019, from its previous price of RMB 14190 per tonne on September 26. This indicates a drop of RMB 160 per tonne or 1.13 per cent. The price is expected to range within RMB 14010-14050 per tonne. Spot aluminium price is likely to be traded at a premium of RMB 10-50 per tonne. Foshan has witnessed the highest drop in aluminium ingot price. The price in Foshan stands at RMB 14050 per tonne, down by RMB 200 per tonne from its previous price. The average price is likely to range at RMB 14030-14070 per tonne. In Wuxi and Hangzhou, aluminium ingot price has declined by RMB 145 per tonne and RMB 140 per tonne to stand at RMB 14035 per tonne and RMB 14070 per tonne. Their average prices are expected...
Norsk Hydro, one of the leading aluminium producers in the world talked about cost cutting, restructuring and improving cash flow during the company’s Investor Day Presentation on September 24, 2019, in Oslo. The company will strategize moves to bounce back after the operational setbacks caused by the capacity cut and the cyber-attack that paralyzed networks and dented profit. Hilde Merete Aasheim, President and CEO of Hydro shared the medium term and long term strategies of the company for profitability and sustainability. There was an update on the Alunorte situation, Rolled Products restructuring and market outlook. She talked about the company’s ambition to reduce CO2 emissions in own production and processes by further 30% by 2030. “We are launching new improvement efforts across the...
Germany’s exports of aluminium semi-finished products (plates, sheets, bars, etc.) to the US came in at 52,900 tonnes in the first half of 2019, with a year-on-year increase of 164.5% or 32,900 tonnes, according to the latest Mineral Industry Survey report from the US Geological Survey. In June, exports of semi-finished to the US soared 247.31% from the same period a year earlier. Exports stood at 11,600 tonnes in June as compared to 3,340 tonnes in June 2018. Aluminium semi-finished exports increased 3.57% from May’s export volume of 11,200 tonnes. Germany exported 54,400 tonnes of total aluminium including scrap to the US in the first six months of 2019, an increase of 132.48% from 23,400 tonnes in the first six months of 2018. Imports of aluminium semi-finished products from the US...
