Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) has proposed an integrated bauxite mining and processing project worth VND 5.2 trillion (USD 208 million) in Lam Dong province, Vietnam. Currently under appraisal by provincial authorities, it is designed to produce around 3 million tonnes of refined bauxite ore annually, reinforcing raw material requirements at the Nhan Co Aluminium Plant and the planned expansion of its alumina operations. Located in the Nhan Co Cluster, the proposal spans over 6,666 hectares. Of this, approximately 5,269 hectares are earmarked for mining and around 50 hectares for the ore processing plant. The project also includes five post-processing sludge reservoirs covering about 1,120 hectares, alongside the 318-hectare Dak Buk So 8 water reservoir. A...
Aluminium production depends on high-temperature processes where furnace efficiency, thermal management and equipment durability are essential for maintaining operational performance. However, refractory materials used in melting, holding and casting operations face continuous exposure to extreme temperatures, thermal fluctuations, chemical corrosion and mechanical wear. These conditions can lead to premature furnace-lining failure, molten-metal penetration, corundum formation and heat loss, increasing maintenance requirements and operating costs. Addressing these challenges requires materials that can withstand demanding operating conditions while keeping equipment efficient and reliable. Alkegen, a supplier of high-temperature refractory and insulation materials, serves this requirement...
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Fluor Corporation confirmed on Monday, November 19, that Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) achieved first ore at its Bauxite Production Expansion Project in Kamsar. The project reportedly achieved the first ore safely, on budget, and on schedule. Fluor is a global engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, and maintenance firm headquartered in Irving, Texas, and presently, providing its services to the bauxite production expansion project of CBG. CBG, on the other hand, is a Guinean mining company that has been operating the large bauxite deposit at Sangarédi in the Boké region of Guinea. It is a jointly owned company by the Government of Guinea and the Halco Mining consortium, which includes Alcoa, Rio Tinto and Dadco Investments. “From developing the local craft workforce...
According to a survey report, aluminium foil production in South Korea from 2006 to 2017 has been through several ups and downs. In 2006, South Korea’s aluminium foil production was at 118,275 tonnes which over the years faced an increase and decrease until it clock at 102,449 tonnes in 2017. The below graph depicts the production volume over the years in more details. Out of this, the country exports a significant amount in various parts of the world. According to the global export-import data, South Korea’s estimated aluminium foil export in 2017 was at 65,058 tonnes out of the production volume of 102,449 tonnes. In 2016, however, the country’s estimated export volume was almost 16 per cent higher than in 2017 despite a lower production volume. While the production was at 96, 750...
JW Aluminum, a leading North American producer of flat-rolled aluminum products, today announced the appointment of Philip J. Cavatoni as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. "We’re excited to welcome Philip to the JW Aluminum team," said Lee McCarter, JW Aluminum’s Chief Executive Officer. "Philip brings extensive financial, operational, and strategic experience which will be a great asset to JW as we execute on our expansion plans and enter a new phase of JW’s growth.” Cavatoni comes to JW Aluminum from SixAxis LLC, a manufacturer of advanced safety products and equipment, where he has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2016. Previously, Cavatoni spent seven years with Alpha Natural Resources, where he held various positions including Chief Financial and Strategy...
The Aluminum Association, in cooperation with the Aluminium Association of Canada, reported the total primary aluminium production in North America (U.S. and Canada) was at an annual rate of 3,909,503 tonnes during October 2018. This registers an increase of about 77,964 tpy (+2.0%) over the September 2018 rate of 3,813,539 tonnes. The production rate in the U.S. was up 7.7 per cent month on month, while the Canadian rate rose slightly. This increase is driven by restarting of smelters in the US. However, compared to a year ago, the North American annual rate is still 1 per cent below the October 2017 rate of 3,947,875 tonnes. Actual production in October 2018 stood at 332,040 tonnes. The U.S. continues to recover aluminium from new and old scraps to support primary production. New can...
University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Institute researcher Dr Tuan Nguyen has secured a fund of US$ 500,000 to develop a gel technology that will transform the way alumina refineries manage bauxite residues sustainably and economically. This mineral gel technology is expected to provide effective, low cost, rapid management of toxic red mud from alumina refineries while minimising the pollution risks from red mud storage. “New and cost-effective technologies are urgently required to assist the refinery industry to operate with much improved environmental outcomes,” Dr Nguyen said. As explained by him, the gel technology transforms mineral grains into stable and benign soil-like structures so it can sustain plant root systems and help in proper rehabilitation of the storage area....
VELOX, one of Europe's solution providers for the plastics, composites, additives, rubber, paints and coatings industries, has reportedly introduced a new line of CBright non-leafing aluminium pastes from aluminium pigments manufacturer Carlfors Bruk. Developed for solvent-borne printing inks, the newly-introduced CBright 400 NL pastes have good substrate and inter-coat adhesion properties suitable for printing on various substrates, including flexible packaging and plastics. By introducing this new range of silver dollar based non-leafing pastes, Velox completes its range of products for the printing ink industry. “Their investment in a new building and modern production equipment is a testament to Carlfors Bruk’s commitment to proving the highest-quality products to the industry,...
The US dollar dipped and fell to a two-week low after Federal Reserve officials expressed caution over the global growth, prompting traders to reassess the pace of future US interest rate increases. LME aluminium continued to trade weakly given negative fundamentals. The contract however closed Monday’s trading slightly higher than Friday at US$ 1918 per tonne. A weakened US dollar lifted the contract to a high of US$1,953 per tonne at night but it slid below the daily moving average gradually. It is expected to continue the decline with trading range at US$1,920-1,960 per tonne today. As on November 19, Monday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1917.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1918 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1940.50 per tonne,...
According to a recent update by Shanghai Metals Market, primary aluminium capacity cuts expanded sharply in the second half of 2018 as weak aluminium prices and high operating costs caused an immense loss to the producers. Per the SMM research, production cuts for the year are likely to exceed 2 million tonnes. A total of 1.98 million tonnes of primary aluminium capacity across 15 plants has been cut or will be cut this year, showed SMM as of November 19. The second half of the year saw major cuts of around 1.81 million tonnes. According to another update by SMM, the A00 aluminium ingot price today, on November 20, plunged by RMB 10 per tonne after a rise for the past two consecutive days. The price today clocked at RMB 13,740 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between...
According to a report, the UK-based company CMS Window Systems has received the latest prestigious Green World Award under the Building & Construction category at an award ceremony in Ankara, the Turkish capital city. This special recognition is given to the company for being the world’s best for its environmental achievements. Earlier this year, CMS Window Systems had won Gold in the Scottish Green Apple Award representing the UK, following a success in becoming a Green World Ambassador. The Green World Awards are organised by The Green Organisation – an international, independent, non-political, non-profit environment group dedicated to acknowledging, rewarding, and promoting environmental best practice around the world. They aim to improve environmental performance, encourage the...
Akshay Singhal, the 25-year-old co-founder and CEO of nanotechnology start-up Log 9 Materials is conducting trials on his electric car Mahindra e2o Plus to run on water and aluminium. This, according to him can be made possible by using an innovative metal-air battery, developed by Log 9 in the EV. Log 9 is an IIT Roorkee spin-off and the company is using the wonder material ‘graphene’ to make the metal-air batteries commercially viable and affordable for EVs and other stationary applications like power backup products. In an interview, Mr. Singhal said that the issue with traditional lithium-ion batteries is that they stored energy rather than generating it. For instance, an e-vehicle has a mileage range of 100 km to 150 km, after which it has to be charged, which will again take about...
According to Rio Tinto, aluminium inventories in the world outside China would decline in next two to three years as demand will see a quicker growth. Alf Barrios, the chief executive officer of Rio Tinto Aluminium said this in an interview recently. “We see aluminium demand growth being extremely healthy,” Barrios said. Aluminum producers outside China will need to build additional smelting capacity as inventories will decline with growing demands and closed capacity. According to him, North American consumption would gain as the Electric Vehicle revolution is getting momentum. “People believed China was going to be a significant net exporter to the rest of the world in the future, I think people now see China being more balanced,” he said emphasising on the changing role of China from...
Packaging solutions company Tetra Pak has entered into partnership with global resource management company Veolia to recycle all used beverage cartons components collected within the European Union to be recycled by 2025. The average beverage carton comprises around 75% paperboard, 20% plastic and 5% aluminium foil. Lisa Ryden, Recycling Director, Tetra Pak said, “All materials from beverage cartons can be fully recycled into something new and useful. Our approach to recycling involves working with many partners along the value chain, because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The challenge in the EU is to achieve the economies of scale and turn PolyAl into high value secondary materials.” “With this partnership, we are combining our respective areas of expertise to find...
Shanghai Metals Market found a sharp plunge in purchasing enthusiasm of spot aluminium among downstream consumers in China as on Monday, November 19. As per the SMM analysis, it could be because of the rise in primary aluminium future prices and the support that downstream production got from the existing primary aluminium stocks at the beginning of the week. The SHFE 1812 contract climbed in morning trades. In Shanghai, most spot transactions were seen at RMB 13,750 per tonne to RMB 13,760 per tonne, with discounts of RMB 30 per tonne to RMB 20 per tonne against the December contract. Transactions in Wuxi were also found the same as that in Shanghai, but Hangzhou recorded a transaction at RMB 13,750 per tonne to RMB 13,770 per tonne. The primary aluminium price gains, however,...
The total aluminium imports by the USA for consumption stood at 4.33 million tonnes in the first eight months of 2018, down 9.2 per cent from 4.77 million tonnes in the eight months of 2017, according to the latest Mineral Industry Survey report from US Geological Survey. The USA imported 459,000 tonnes of aluminium for consumption in August 2018. The imposition of tariff on aluminium is affecting the total imports of the USA. Imports of crude metal and alloys dropped 14% and scrap import decreased by 1%. But imports of semi-fabricated products increased by 3% in comparison to the same period of 2017. During January-August 2018, total crude metal and alloys and scrap import stood at 2.91 million tonnes, and 477,000 tonnes, from 3.37 million tonnes and 482,000 tonnes in the same period...
Aluminium industry in South Korea is lobbying against a Chinese aluminium major that is trying to enter the market on the back of the trade war with the USA. The aluminium major, Henan Mingtai Aluminum Industrial Co. is claimed to boast one of the world’s largest capacities in aluminium foil and coil. Members of the Korea Nonferrous Metal Association have put up a request last Friday at the offices of Gwangyang Bay Area Free Economic Zone Authority in the southern province of South Jeolla to reject Henan Mingtai Aluminum Industrial Co.’s proposal to build a plant there. If Henan Mingtai Aluminum builds a manufacturing plant at Korea, the Korean companies think, it will hit the domestic industry severely. Mingtai Aluminum is China’s second-largest aluminium rolling mill with an annual...
Deco, the producer of decorative powder-coated aluminium finish DecoWood, has reportedly unveiled six woodgrain colours for its timber-finish colour range. This brings the DecoWood colour series to a total of 30 different woodgrains, replicating natural timber species from Australia and across the world. These woodgrains can be used across a variety of aluminium building products and profiles. Ranging from light to dark, the finishes of the newly-introduced woodgrain colours are developed in such a manner that they can cater the need of both the architects, specifiers, as well as design professionals, amidst an increasing inspiration and choice in the ever-changing design landscape. Two colours – Maple and African Blackwood have been added to the Exotic Timber Species collection. Maple,...
Rio Tinto has announced today it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nespresso’s capsule manufacturers towards a commitment to use 100% sustainable aluminium by 2020. Nespresso will become the first company to use Rio Tinto’s responsibly-sourced aluminium to produce its coffee capsules. Rio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Alf Barrios said “This as an important step towards the use of responsibly sourced aluminium across manufacturing industries, which Rio Tinto is the first to supply. We expect the demand from consumers for sustainable products to continue growing and Nespresso drinkers can have confidence the aluminium we supply for their capsules meets the highest international standards.” The use of Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Certified Aluminium is an important...
The US dollar closed lower against a basket of the currencies on November 16, Friday night. The pound rallied on Friday but remained under heavy pressure as UK Prime Minister Theresa May fought to justify the Brexit deal. LME aluminium closed the day’s trading at US$ 1914 per tonne on Friday. Weak fundamentals saw LME aluminium unsuccessfully testing pressure around US$1,947 per tonne twice last Friday night. With support below, it rebounded after it dipped below the Bollinger lower band, and settled slightly up on the day at US$1,947 per tonne. The contract is expected to trade within a range of US$ 1,910-1,960 per tonne. As on November 16, Friday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1913.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1914 per tonne; 3-months bid price...
