Steel and aluminium markets moved in different directions during the third quarter of 2026, with carbon steel prices reaching multi-year highs while aluminium prices softened as expectations for future supply began to normalise. Recent financial results from metals companies, including Constellium SE and Ryerson Holding Corporation, reflect the changing pricing environment and its impact on business performance and market outlooks. Carbon steel prices continued to rally during the quarter, supported by trade policy, tight domestic supply, extended lead times and service centre inventories at multi-year lows, according to metals distributor Ryerson. Demand during the period was also stronger than anticipated. Aluminium prices, however, remained volatile and moved lower as expectations...
Canyon Resources, the Australian mining company developing Cameroon’s Minim Martap bauxite project , has recommended the re-election of Director Gaurav Gupta, who also serves on the board of its largest shareholder, A2MP Investments FZCO. The recommendation comes as the company prepares for its annual general meeting on November 30, 2026, where shareholders will also consider a separate board nomination that has not received directors’ support. The developments follow recent proceedings before Australia’s Takeovers Panel concerning A2MP’s unsuccessful attempt to acquire the remaining Canyon shares and a proposed AUD 170 million (USD 115.7 million) financing package. In an October 28 decision, the Takeovers Panel examined the relationship between Canyon and A2MP following the latter’s...
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Both LME and SHFE base metals ended in mixed performance overnight. Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange decreased to close at US$2022 per tonne on Tuesday, October 16, down from the previous day’s close at US$ 2028 per tonne. LME aluminium fluctuated on Tuesday but tumbled to a low of US$2,014 per tonne as LME inventories gained 70,775 tonne, the greatest gain among nonferrous metals. SMM expects it to trade at US$2,020-2,060 per tonne today. As on October 16, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2021 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2022 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2023.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2024 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2075 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2080 per tonne....
Australian Bauxite Limited (ABx) revealed yesterday that its wholly-owned subsidary ALCORE Limited recently completed the design phase of its Stage 1 project to produce aluminium fluoride (AlF 3 ), putting it ahead of the firm’s original production schedule. Per ABx’s press release, ALCORE is now in the process of purchasing equipment for the project, which it expects to begin production by year’s end. Construction at the site began in July in New South Wales, Australia, where the company plans to produce AlF 3 samples for shipment to certain aluminium smelters. In addition to AlF 3 production, ALCORE intends to begin production of Corethane, a pure hydrocarbon powder for use in place of other, more polluting hydrocarbons. Ian Levy, ABx’s CEO, greeted the news as a positive step in the...
According to the report from Shanghai Metals Market, poor consumption in the downstream automobile sector eroded operating rates across Chinese secondary aluminium plants year-on-year in September, even as the traditional high season set in. Shanghai Metals Market found operating rates across secondary aluminium producers averaged at 58.25 per cent last month, down 5.05 percentage points from the same period last year. Compared to August, it dropped 5.13 percentage points in September. Working days picked up from August across downstream die-casting plants as they ended summer breaks in September. This accounted for month-on-month increase in operating rate. However, actual demand failed to rebound on the year, with few downstream plants restocking before the National Day holiday and the...
According to the data by Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price in China once again sees a growth today, on October 17, from RMB 14190 per tonne, as on the previous day, to RMB 14290 per tonne. This marks an increase by RMB 100 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 14270 per tonne and RMB 14310 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 70 per tonne to RMB 30 per tonne. This rise in aluminium ingot price for the past two days in a row has touched all the major markets in China, SMM found. The markets in the east, south, have seen a rise by RMB 100 per tonne each while the market in the north, has witnessed a price hike by RMB 90. While in the east, the ingot price today is hovering at RMB 14275 per tonne; in the south and north, the prices are...
Alba’s Line 6 Expansion Project (Line 6 Smelter and Power Expansion Project) is brimming with all kinds of activities as the company progresses towards achieving the First Hot Metal on 01 January 2019, said the Chairman of Alba’s Board of Directors, Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa during a meeting with Bechtel Group Inc.’s delegation held today at Alba, Tuesday 16 October 2018. The Bechtel delegation comprised the President and Chief Operating Officer of Bechtel Group Inc.-Jack Futcher, Regional President of Europe and Middle East - Stuart Jones, Bechtel’s Line 6 Director - Denis Garrity and other officials from Bechtel leadership team. Alba’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Murray, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali, Chief Admin Officer Waleed Tamimi, Shawqi Al Hashimi...
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea has developed an electric vehicle (EV) battery technology that is more energy-efficient than gasoline-powered engines. The new technology allows replacement of battery packs instead of re-charging and can troubleshoot slow charging problem with the existing EV battery technology. It also provides lightweight, high-energy density power sources with the use of aluminium. Professor Jaephil Cho and his research team led the research in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST. Their findings have been published in an academic journal, Nature Communications on September 13, 2018. The new type of aluminium-air flow battery for (EVs) developed through the research outperforms existing lithium-ion batteries in...
Rio Tinto reported a slight drop in aluminium production in third quarter in Q3 2018. Aluminium production was one per cent lower than the corresponding period of 2017, due to an ongoing lock-out at the non-managed Becancour smelter, which began on 11 January 2018. Aluminium production stood at 0.9 million tonnes. Excluding this impact, aluminium production for the third quarter was two per cent higher than the same period of 2017, reflecting continued productivity creep. Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques said “We have delivered consistent operational performance in the third quarter, highlighted by strong production from the Group’s copper assets. We continue to pursue all opportunities to improve productivity and drive enhanced cash flow generation. This, combined with the...
Global miner Rio Tinto announced production results for the third quarter of 2018. The company’s bauxite production in Q3 2018 was one per cent lower than the corresponding quarter of 2017, with strong production at Weipa offset by lower production at the non-managed Sangaredi and Porto Trombetas (MRN) mines. Rio Tinto produced 12.7 million tonnes of bauxite in the third quarter of 2018. The company said the production at Sangaredi was 24 per cent lower than the third quarter of 2017 due to tie-in works required to complete expansion works, whilst production was partly curtailed at MRN as a result of the declaration of force majeure at Norsk Hydro’s Alunorte alumina refinery. The company shipped 8.4 million tonnes of bauxite to third parties in Q3 2018, 2% higher than Q3 2017 due to firm...
LME base metals ended mixed on Monday. After a gain on Friday to US$ 2045 per tonne, LME aluminium closed lower at US$ 2028 per tonne on Monday October 15. The metal fluctuated to end Monday at US$2,033 per tonne. Shanghai Metals Market analyses that LME aluminium will trade at US$2,020-2,060 per tonne range on Tuesday, October 16. As on October 15, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2027.50per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2028 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2030 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2031 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2082 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2087 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock dropped further to 926100 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled at 613575 tonnes, and Cancelled Warrants...
Croatia’s import of bauxite from the global market is estimated to drop 3.46 per cent year on year in 2018. Turkey continued to remain the top bauxite supplier to Croatia throughout 2017.According to recent statistics, bauxite import by the country from Turkey stood at 43620 tonnes in 2017, up 17 per cent from the previous year. The total bauxite import by Croatia from Turkey in 2016 was 37200 tonnes. Bauxite export BY Turkey is estimated to rise to 42818 tonnes in 2018. In 2017, Croatia imported 24317 tonnes of bauxite from Greece (down from 28554 tonnes in 2016), 9838 tonnes from China (down from 12405 tonnes in 2016), and 9980 tonnes from Bosnia Herzegovina (up from 4968 tonnes in 2016). According to the international import-export statistics, Croatia imported about 88907 tonnes of...
After a continuous fall for past four days in a row, the A00 aluminium ingot price in China today, on October 16, has recorded a hike by RMB 90 per tonne to stand at RMB 14190 per tonne, Shanghai Metals Market found. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 14170 per tonne and RMB 14210 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 70 per tonne to RMB 30 per tonne. The major markets including the east, south, and north have displayed no exception either. In the east, the price has climbed from RMB 14100 per tonne on October 15 to RMB 14175 per tonne on October 16, registering a growth of RMB 75 per tonne. In the south and north, on the other hand, the prices have jumped from RMB 14130 per tonne on October 15 to RMB 14240 per tonne today and from RMB 14110 per tonne to RMB...
Audi AG has become the first downstream user of aluminium to be certified against Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s (ASI) Performance Standard. Audi has received certification for material stewardship of aluminium and sustainable manufacturing of the battery for the Audi e-tron at company’s Neckarsulm, Györ and Brussels manufacturing plants. Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer at ASI said “ASI sincerely congratulates Audi AG on their achievement of the first ASI Certification by an Industrial User. ASI’s standards have application throughout the aluminium value chain, including in downstream use sectors such as automotive which aim to support future mobility.” “The rapidly growing electrical vehicle market is expected to create significant drivers for the uptake of responsible supply...
Aluminium consumption in India may reportedly double to 7.2 million tonnes in the next five years from the existing level of 3.6 million tonnes. This makes important to focus on downstream aluminium products to tackle the threat of growing imports. Mr. Tapan Kumar Chand, CMD of Nalco said this while addressing the National Aluminium Network Meet 2018, at New Delhi. He also mentioned that India’s import of downstream aluminium products may rise to around US$ 5 million in case no importance is given to it. He further added: “Moreover, Indian aluminium industry is at the high end of cost curve for production; hence, the need to sustain and increase its margin by producing value-added and high-end downstream products.” In addition, Mr. Chand underscored the need for the promotion of...
Metro Mining has published a detail operational report for the September quarter. Total September quarter shipments totalled 822,000 tonnes, more than double the amount shipped in the June quarter (399,000t). The Bauxite Hills mine operated close to budgeted monthly production and shipping levels during the September quarter. The company continued to focus on optimising the mining, haulage and transhipment of products in order to improve efficiency and maximise bauxite production and shipment. The company achieved excellent progress and sees several opportunities coming for Q4 2018 and the 2019 operating year. Stockpiles of oversize bauxite totalled 46kWMT by the end of September quarter which is in line with expectations. The stockpile is ready to be crushed and shipped during the...
AlCircle launched another Sector Focus Report – “ A Worldwide Market Analysis of Aluminium Wire rod, Cables & Conductors - Industry forecasts to 2025 ” into its 2018 Report portfolio. AlCircle now offers exclusive sector specific reports that are designed to help industry participants with accurate information and in better decision making. World aluminium wire rod usage is estimated to have increased from 5.87 million tonnes in 2014 to about 6.26 million tonnes in 2017 and further to 6.45 million tonnes in 2018. Owing to its properties, aluminium cables and conductors have successfully replaced copper as the principal medium for carrying electricity over the last five decades. Aluminum wire rod is produced by several different processes namely extrusion, rolling and coiling, or drawn...
According to the global export-import data, Turkey’s aluminium import, including both alloy and non-alloy, is forecast to see a drop in 2018 after a sweeping rise in the last year. In 2017, Turkey had imported a total amount of 2,158,883 tonnes of primary aluminium, up 105 per cent from 1,051,214 tonnes in 2016. But this year, the country’s estimated volume of aluminium import is likely to drop 36 per cent to 1,378,802 tonnes than the previous year. However, compared to 2016, the volume of aluminium import is expected to stand higher by 31 per cent. Consequently, with the drop in import volume, Turkey’s aluminium import cost is also likely to stand down this year. In 2017, the import cost was at US$ 4545 million, after rising 145 per cent from US$ 1854 million in 2016. But this year, the...
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has further extended the expiration date of certain general licenses related to EN+ Group plc (EN+) and United Company RUSAL PLC (RUSAL) until December 12, 2018. Last month, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had extended the expiration date from 23 October 2018 to 12 November 2018. General Licenses 13E, 14B, and 16B amend their previous versions by extending the expiration date from November 12, 2018, to December 12, 2018, for transactions related to the companies and their subsidiaries. “EN+ and RUSAL have approached the U.S. Government about substantial corporate governance changes that could potentially result in significant changes in control. As the review of...
According to Bahrain local media report, Bahrain might get an exemption from US import tariffs on aluminium and steel. The appeal submission has been initiated and high-level discussions would continue to take place to explore the possibility for Bahrain to receive an exemption. Bahrain was also imposed 25 per cent tariffs on steel and 10 per cent tariffs on aluminium. Responding to a question from The Daly Tribune, Bahrain, John J Sullivan US Deputy Secretary of State said that the negotiations would continue towards it. According to him, the subject of steel and aluminium tariffs were discussed in detail during his meeting with business leaders and government officials in Bahrain. “We have had discussions about the steel and aluminium tariffs that were imposed. I understand its impact...
