Storvik has won a contract to operate and maintain the automated anode rod repair system at Alcoa's Mosjøen aluminium smelter in Norway. The agreement extends a partnership that began in 2016, when the company introduced its In-Line Rod Repair (ILRR) system at the plant. Storvik Mosjøen, a subsidiary of Storvik group will now handle the operation of the robotic repair line and maintenance of the anode yokes processed through it. Storvik Engineering built the system, with both companies working together on its installation and commissioning. 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 " Anode rod assemblies are essential to primary aluminium...
Rio Tinto has secured a five-year operating arrangement for its Bell Bay aluminium smelter in northern Tasmania, backed by a government support package worth USD 200 million. The agreement includes a commitment to maintain a minimum level of employment at the 71-year-old facility until at least 2031, easing concerns over its future amid uncertainty about electricity costs. Rio Tinto's aluminium chief executive Jérôme Pécresse confirmed the employment commitment but did not disclose the number of jobs covered. The guarantee is understood to cover around 500 positions. Bell Bay currently employs about 550 people and supports a further 1,200 jobs, with its future previously uncertain as the company sought a new power agreement. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of...
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As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, expectations of greater orders at downstream manufacturers of aluminium wire and cable drove them to stockpile aluminium rod as raw materials in the first week after the Chinese New Year break. This could be accounted for the increase in the processing charges of aluminium rod, SMM learned. Post-holiday inventories at aluminium rod processors stood below than a year ago, as some cable and wire plants ordered cargoes ahead of CNY, and this also prompted aluminium rod processors to firm up offers. In the first post-CNY week ended February 15, in Shandong, average processing charges of aluminium rod rebounded some RMB70 per tonne from pre-holiday, to RMB320 per tonne as of February 15, with the lowest prices rising RMB90 per tonne. In Shandong and Henan,...
According to the global export-import data, Poland’s aluminium can import is estimated to plunge further in 2019 from 28,959 tonnes in 2018 to 26,385 tonnes, down 9 per cent year on year. The country’s estimated aluminium can import in 2017 was at 31,199 tonnes and in 2016 at 37,307 tonnes. This indicates that Poland has been seeing a year on year drop in aluminium can import since 2016. The drop in import volume in 2017 was by 16 per cent and that in 2018 by 7 per cent. Consequently, the aluminium can import cost to Poland also has been declining year on year. In 2016, Poland had imported aluminium can at the value of US$155 million, which in 2017 had decreased to USD 136 million, down 12 per cent. In 2018, the cost fell further down along with the volume and had pegged at US$129...
The US dollar index on Thursday recovered from earlier losses spurred by soft US economic data, as investors consolidated positions and looked for fresh trading incentives amid US-China trade talks and Brexit negotiations. LME base metals traded mixed on Thursday and aluminium rose 1.6%. SHFE base metals traded higher overnight with aluminium gaining 1%. The three-month LME aluminium saw gains accelerate and trading volumes expand in the afternoon of European trade as the fresh round of US-China trade negotiations in Washington began. LME aluminium ended the trading day at US$1,907.5 per tonne last night and is expected to trade at US$1,870-1,910 per tonne today. As on February 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1857.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$...
As most downstream consumers returned from CNY break and took active participation in trading in the spot aluminium market yesterday, the A00 aluminium ingot price once again extends its growth by RMB 80 per tonne to RMB 13,510 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. This marks the third consecutive rise to the highest, not only of this month but the year 2019. The average prices today are expected to range between RMB 13,490 per tonne and RMB 13,530 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 80 per tonne to RMB 40 per tonne, after declining by RMB 10 per tonne from the previous day. In most of the major Chinese markets, the ingot price today has increased by RMB 70 per tonne, by coincidence. Prices in the east (Wuxi), south and north markets have reached to RMB 13,500 per tonne,...
According to the latest data showed by International Aluminium Institute (IAI), global primary aluminium production came in at 5.3 million tonnes in January. Production in January decreased by 1.06 per cent from January 2018, and dropped 3.53 per cent from December 2018. In Asia ex-China, primary aluminium production stood at 372,000 tonnes in January 2019, up 0.81 per cent from 369,000 tonnes in January 2018; in the Middle East, the production rose from 452,000 tonnes in January 2018 to 453,000 tonnes in January 2019. Source: International Aluminium Institute China’s total primary aluminium production stood at 2.96 million tonnes last month, data showed on Wednesday, February 20. Europe primary aluminium production totalled at 651,000 tonne in January, down from 665,000 tonnes in the...
Argentina-based aluminium producer Aluar Aluminio Argentino SAIC reportedly switched on a 50.4-MW wind park last week, located in the local province of Chubut. The wind park is named as Parque Ecolico Aluar and covers an area of 14,000 hectares. It has 14 wind turbines – all supplied by Vestas Wind Systems A/S. Vestas Wind Systems A/S is a Danish manufacturer, seller, installer, and servicer of wind turbines. The wind park is expected to generate enough power to meet the demand of more than 700,000 homes. But that will be possible only after it obtains approval from the Argentine wholesale power market administrator Cammesa to commence commercial operations. Parque Ecolico Aluar is just the first of a three-stage wind cluster. The second phase, comprised of 17 wind turbines with a...
GB Railfreight announced that they would be continuing their successful partnership with Liberty British Aluminium. Both the companies have agreed to extend their contract for the next three years. According to the extended contract, GBRf class 66 locomotives will bring alumina for Liberty British Aluminium from North Blyth to Fort William six days a week. The service enables the delivery of critical supplies to an industry which is not only central to the West Highlands, but the Scottish economy as a whole. John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said: “We are delighted to see the extension of this historic relationship between GB Railfreight and Liberty British Aluminium. The move will ensure the continuation of rail freight on the West Highland line. Our ambition at GBRf is to...
Social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, gained 55,000 tonnes from Thursday February 14, Shanghai Metals Market data showed. As of Thursday February 21, social stocks of primary aluminium came in at 1.67 million tonnes. Consumption has not resumed completely, and this accounted for the expanded inventories. The chart below indicates the current status of the primary aluminium inventories across China: Inventories in Wuxi, Jiangsu and Nanhai, Guangdong increased 22,000 tonnes and 24,000 tonnes from Thursday February 14 to 630,000 tonnes and 318,000 tonnes respectively. Inventories of primary aluminium in Hangzhou, Zhejiang stood at 151,000 tonnes as of Thursday February 21, up 8,000 tonnes from Thursday February 14....
On Thursday morning, February 21, spot aluminium trades across east China increased from the previous day, found Shanghai Metals Market. Most downstream consumers returned after the middle of the first lunar month and started active trading in the spot aluminium market, resulting in improved trades. In Shanghai and Wuxi, spot deals mostly occurred at RMB 13,420 per tonne to RMB 13,440 per tonne while in Hangzhou at RMB 13,410 per tonne to RMB 13,430 per tonne. Traded prices were up more than RMB 40 per tonne from the previous morning. The front-month aluminium contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange also inched up from the previous day. In Shanghai, spot discounts were heard at RMB 60 per tonne to RMB 50 per tonne against the SHFE March contract, slightly narrower than RMB 70 per tonne...
Alumina Limited has reported an 87% increase year-on-year in statutory net profit after tax to US$635.4 million for the full-year ended 31 December 2018. The company has declared a final, fully franked dividend of 14.1 US cents per share. This makes total dividends of 22.7 US cents per share for 2018. Alumina’s net profit after tax excluding significant items stood at US$689.9 million in FY 2018. The company’s free cash flow rose 172% to US$662.1 million. Net receipts from Alcoa World Alumina & Chemicals (AWAC) stood at US$678.2 million in FY 2018, up 158% from US$263.1 million in FY 2017. “Since 31 December 2018, Alumina has received, or is due to receive, US$193.6 million of net distributions from AWAC1 entities which have been included in the final dividend, it said. Alumina's Chief...
According to the global export-import data, India’s estimated aluminium imports from Australia and Vietnam in 2018 grew year-on-year in tandem with the rise of the country’s total alumina imports. In 2017, India had imported 1.50 million tonnes of alumina from Australia and 339,459 tonnes from Vietnam, which in 2018 increased to 1.64 million tonnes and 697,770 tonnes respectively. This marks a growth of 9.3 per cent in India’s alumina imports from Australia and 106 per cent from Vietnam. In 2016, on the other hand, India’s alumina imports from Australia had pegged at 1.01 million tonnes and from Vietnam 174,779 tonnes. This indicates India’s alumina imports from Australia and Vietnam grew 49 per cent and 94 per cent respectively in 2017. {newsStudioGallery} According to a report from...
Stocks of 6063 aluminium billet across five major consumption areas in China declined some 4,800 tonnes from Thursday February 14. Aluminium billet inventories now stood at 164,500 tonne as of Thursday February 21, Shanghai Metals Market data showed. Limited cargoes arrived at warehouses and this accounted for the decrease in aluminium billet stocks. Compared to last week, In Foshan, Guangdong and in Wuxi, Jiangsu, the billet stocks reduced 9,00 tonnes and 1,300 tonnes to stand 89,000 tonnes and 27,700 tonnes as of today. In Changzhou, Jiangsu, stocks fell 1,000 tonnes to 22,000 tonnes, while stocks in Huzhou, Zhejiang and in Nanchang, Jiangxi declined 1,800 tonnes and 6,200 tonnes to stand at 10,000 tonnes and 15,800 tonnes. The price of aluminium alloys (A356) increased RMB50 per tonne...
Malaysia health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad reported that his ministry is constantly monitoring the health of residents who live around bauxite-mining areas near Kuantan. He said the monitoring is carried out by obtaining regular health reports from various health and medical facilities in the area. “We monitor through case statistics, such as respiratory infections in clinics. We check whether there has been a significant increase in the problem. We also monitor the quality of fresh water and fruits, looking for traces of heavy metals in them,” Dzulkefly Ahmad told a media conference at the ministry. He continued, “We want to ensure that the people do not suffer as a result of bauxite-mining activities,” while adding that the matter was also brought up at the Cabinet meeting. All activities...
The US dollar index rose on Wednesday as the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting appeared more hawkish than the market had expected. LME base metals traded higher across the board on Wednesday and aluminium increased1%. SHFE base metals, except for tin, performed similarly overnight. SHFE aluminium gained 0.3%. LME aluminium closed the day’s trading at US$ 1829.50 per tonne. The three-month LME aluminium contract advanced some 1% to end Wednesday at US$1,876 per tonne. SMM expects the contract to trade at US$1,850-1,880 per tonne today. As on February 20, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1829 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1829.50per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1855 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1856 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price records a rise yet again on February 21, 2019, Shanghai Metals Market found. From RMB 13,390 per tonne, as of February 20, the price today has increased by RMB 40 per tonne to RMB 13,430 per tonne. With this rise today, the A00 aluminium ingot crosses its highest price so far this month of RMB 13,410 per tonne. The average prices today are expected to range between RMB 13,410 per tonne to RMB 13,450 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 70 per tonne to RMB 30 per tonne. In the east (Wuxi and Hangzhou), the ingot price has grown by RMB 45 per tonne and RMB 30 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,430 per tonne and RMB 13,420 per tonne respectively. In the south and north, on the other hand, the ingot price has increased by...
Soon after the US Commerce Department filed a report on Monday, February 18, empowering President Donald Trump to impose imported car tariffs within the next 90 days, the European Union responded and vowed to retaliate, reported a European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas. He specifically told a news briefing in Brussels "Were this report translated into action detrimental to European exports, the European Commission would react in a swift and adequate manner." German Chancellor Angela Merkel labelled as “frightening” the prospect that this report could label European car imports as a national security threat to the US, enabling the tariffs. The Trump administration had threatened to impose 25 per cent duties on European cars, especially targeting Germany, because he feels that the...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), soon to be the world’s largest smelter, has been awarded the 2019 International Safety Award – Merit from the British Safety Council for its commitment to protect and maintain the safety, health and well-being of its workforce in 2018. Alba’s Chief Executive Officer, Tim Murray said: “We believe that our Safety performance is directly linked to our productivity. Alba is pleased to be recognised with the International Safety Award for its constant endeavour to ensure that all our employees and contractors uphold Safety as a top priority. As we prepare ourselves for Alba’s transformation to the largest smelter in the world, we must shift our mind-set to embrace Safety as a way of life.” Congratulating Alba on this Award, Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the...
Spot aluminium trades weakened across east-China markets on Wednesday, February 20, as prices of aluminium increased. Spot deals mostly occurred at RMB13,380 to RMB13,390 per tonne in Shanghai and Wuxi, and at RMB13,380 per tonne to RMB13,400 per tonne in Hangzhou, Shanghai Metals Market research found. Traded prices were up more than RMB30 per tonne from the previous morning. In Shanghai, spot discounts were at RMB70 per tonne to RMB60 per tonne against the SHFE March contract. While sellers remained keen to offload cargoes, trades shrank as Chalco did not make purchases in eastern markets this morning. In Guangdong, spot deals occurred at RMB13,440 per tonne to RMB 13,450 per tonne, and the spread with prices in Shanghai came in at RMB60 per tonne. The Aluminum Corp of China (Chalco)...
