Getting a clean, smooth finish while removing material quickly is not always easy when machining high-strength aluminium alloys. A new study on AA7075-T6 aluminium alloy has explored this challenge, identifying two different sets of drilling conditions to improve surface quality and maximise machining productivity. The research examined how cutting speed, feed rate and drill depth influence conventional drilling performance. Using response surface methodology and a central composite design, the researchers developed predictive models to determine how changes in these parameters affect the machining process. The models showed a strong level of accuracy, with coefficients of determination (R²) reaching 0.9731 for surface roughness and 0.9359 for material removal rate. Further confirmation...
Cleaner aluminium depends on three things going right at once: scrap collection, melting it in a furnace without much carbon, and the electricity behind the whole chain not being coal-powered. Developments across North America, the UK, the European Union (EU), Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia and India depict how unevenly those pieces are falling into place. While some markets are losing recoverable metal at the sorting line, others are redirecting cargoes or writing scrap into industrial policy, and a few are lining up green projects to hold primary aluminium production together. Aluminium scrap trade: North America leads, Thailand bans, EU retains The international aluminium scrap market is facing a combination of changing trade flows and growing pressure to secure cleaner, more consistent...
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Metro Mining Limited today announced the construction of the Bauxite Hills Mine is on time and within budget. The installation of marine infrastructure is ahead of schedule with marine pile driving complete. Xinfa Group, one of the largest integrated aluminium companies in China, recently visited the mine site with the company’s Board of Directors for inspection. Metro Chairman Stephen Everett said the Board is pleased with progress of the construction phase. The Xinfa Group has already signed a Binding Offtake Agreement with the company. The agreement has a four-year term and provides for contract tonnage of one million tonnes bauxite in 2018 and 2 million tonnes for each of the following three years. Other highlights from the press release are: •Marine Offloading Facility is complete...
LME aluminium is trending high supported by a dipping dollar index, low inventory, strong demand, and positive Chinese economic data. The light metal closed higher at US$2,140 per tonne on Friday, October 13, rising from US$2,117.5 per tonne on Thursday, October 12. Shanghai Metals Market observes that the light metal contract will continue to move within the range of US$2,125-2,155 per tonne on Monday, October 16. Reuters’ technical analysis suggests that LME aluminium may retest a support at US$2,130 per tonne; a break above the level could cause a loss toward the next support level at US$2,117 per tonne in the near term. As on October 13, LME official cash buyer aluminium price (Bid Price) stands at US$2,139 per tonne, cash seller & settlement aluminium price (Offer price) is US$2,140...
The Trump administration seeks to include steel, aluminium and other basic materials under North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) rules. The U.S. wishes to use NAFTA to boost these industries. The government wants to propose strict use of North American-made steel, aluminium, copper and plastic resins in the automotive sector. Sources said that the U.S. rules of origin proposal would put these materials in the NAFTA auto parts tracing list for the first time. The list is a reference to verify the regional content level of vehicles and parts in order to qualify for tariff-free shipment within all three NAFTA countries. U.S.negotiators has already submitted the proposal rules to Mexican and Canadian counterparts on Friday. Other sources added that the proposal includes raising the...
A weekly recap to bring you up-to-date information on bauxite industry across the world .Bauxite industry witnessed a number of development last week .Here’s all you need to know: EGA signs agreement with Queensland University to research on use of bauxite residue to make soil Emirates Global Aluminium signed an agreement with The University of Queensland, Australia, to conduct a three-year research programme into turning a by-product of the alumina industry into soil. They will investigate combining bauxite residue with agricultural and domestic wastes to create a soil for greening and other uses China Mineral Processing Ltd to commence calcined bauxite production in Q4 2017 The leading Chinese calcined bauxite producer China Mineral Processing Ltd (CMP) announced the commencement of...
Alcoa Corporation, a global leader in bauxite, alumina and aluminum products, today announced that the Company and power provider Luminant Generation Company LLC have terminated the electricity contract tied to Alcoa’s Rockdale Operations in Texas. The smelter at Rockdale has been fully curtailed since the end of 2008. The termination of the contract, which had been set to expire no later than 2038, was effective as of October 1, 2017. While the Company sold surplus electricity since the smelter’s curtailment, Alcoa’s cost of power under the contract exceeded the related revenue. The Company expects an annual improvement to net income and adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) of $60 million to $70 million as a result of the contract termination,...
The member of the International Organisation of Aluminium Aerosol Container Manufacturers (AEROBAL) produced 2.9 billion aluminium aerosol cans world-wide in the first half of 2017.AEROBAL Secretary General Gregor Spengler is pleased with the performance of aluminium aerosol cans on international packaging markets. General Gregor Spengler said, “The trend for deodorants was especially favourable. Growth there reached a good five percent in the first half of 2017. Unfortunately, we did not expand at quite the same rate with haircare products and shaving cream. Both segments were down from their mid-year level last year.” Body care and beauty products accounted for about 80 per cent of all aluminium aerosol cans produced in H1 2017.The pharmaceutical sector, the food industry and the...
The European Tube Manufacturers Association (etma), an association of producers of flexible aluminium, plastic and laminate tubes for packaging purposes, achieved growth of two per cent in tube production in the first half of 2017 than the corresponding figure in 2016. Members of etma produced approximately 5.4 billion tubes during the first half of 2017. “Aluminium tubes put in an above-average performance, having increased by a good three percent. The aluminium tube sector benefited from stable demand from its main markets, namely cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, as well as considerable increases in the household and food segment,” according to etma press release. The new etma President Oliver Höll said: “Tubes continue to gain ground and the end-use markets are quite stable by and large....
The Aluminum Association recently announced membership growth, additions to its Board of Directors and the election of its first woman chair. The association also announced the winner of the 2017 Marlan A. Boultinghouse Award, the highest award given by the North American industry. The announcements were made during the Aluminum Association’s recently concluded annual meeting – “Aluminum Moves America” – in Washington, DC. “We’ve accomplished a lot in recent months and years by working together and speaking with one, cohesive voice as an industry,” said Michelle O’Neill, Senior Vice President of Global Government Affairs & Sustainability at Alcoa and newly elected Chair of the Aluminum Association. “This is a pivotal point for American manufacturing in general and aluminum specifically....
Global Aluminium & Raw Materials industry dynamics is changing fast with the quick growth of aluminium production in China and Asia. It becomes imperative for the global aluminium industry players to be well apprised of the changes in the market and the supply chain. AlCircle, as one of the leading information providers for the entire aluminium value chain has been tracking the changing trends in the upstream segment. Recently, AlCircle has published a report titled “ Global Aluminium & Raw Material Market with Sectoral Focus on CPC, CTP and Prebaked Anode (2016-17)” backed by well-researched information and solid data analysis. The report promises to provide comprehensive overview of aluminium, CPC, CTP, and prebaked anode sectors. The Special Market Insight from AlCircle brings to you...
China’s unwrought aluminium and aluminium products export volumes dropped for three straight months in September, according to the latest numbers reported by China Customs. China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products fell 10 per cent to 370,000 tonnes in September. The country exported 410,000 tonnes of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products in August. The country exported 3.62 million tonnes of aluminium during the first nine months of this year. China exported 4.59 million tonnes of aluminium in 2016, from 4.761 million tonnes in 2015. CRU analyst Jackie Wang said, “The (Chinese currency) actually appreciated a lot during September and that definitely impacted exports as well.”
According to Shanghai Metals Market, base metals in China finished in the positive territory. Prices in China’s market are expected to hold stable before the upcoming 19th CPC National Congress that is starting on October 18. A00 aluminium ingot prices are up across all major markets after two consecutive falls. The average price of A00 Aluminium Ingot has today increased to stand at RMB 16,250/t, up RMB 190 per tonne from RMB 16,060/t on October 12. The average price would range between RMB 16,230 – 16,270/tonne. A00 Aluminium Ingot in spot China market is trading at discounts of RMB 120 - 80/t. Today’s aluminium A00 Aluminum prices across the various markets in China are presented in the table below: Prices of Aluminium alloy ingot in major Chinese markets have seen a rise today...
France shipped $485 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2016, making it the 6th largest exporter in the world. In 2017, data suggests a slight fall in exports of aluminium can in France. Spain is the top importer of aluminium cans from France. The largest part of aluminium can is exported to Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, the USA, Germany and Denmark. According to the recent estimate, in 2015, France exported 27036 tonnes of aluminium cans globally. The total revenue from can export amounts to about US$ 185 million. Compared to 2015, in 2016, the country exported an estimated 32861 tonnes of aluminium cans. The total revenue from the export stood at US$ 205 million. In 2017, the aluminium can export by France is estimated to reach 27704 tonnes and the revenue from export is estimated...
Aluminum prices are slowly falling after the last rise on October 9. As the news of winter capacity cut during November-December are fading away positive market sentiments are slowing down too putting pressure on price. After closing at US$2,124 per tonne on Wednesday, October 11, it came down slightly to US$2,117.5 per tonne after night trading on Thursday, October 12. SMM expects LME aluminium to move little up and challenge the 5-day moving average and hover within USD 2,140-2,165/t today. According to a Reuters’ analysis LME aluminium may retest a support at $2,130 per tonne, a break below which could cause a further loss to the next support at $2,117. Analysts further say that resistance is at $2,158/t, and a break above this may lead to a gain to $2,175. A break above $2,175 would...
The Coalition of Students in Conservation (COSIC) said at the press conference in Kumasi that they had asked the government not to permit bauxite mining in Atewa Forest Reserve. This would allow the people of Ghana to consume uncontaminated food and water, according to the news published on dailyguideafrica.com. Atewa Forest Reserve provides water more than 5 million people in Greater Accra Region, Eastern Region and some parts of the Central Region In July this year, Ghana decided to mortgage the bauxite deposits in the Atiwa forest and Nyinahin to China for some US$15 billion. “We appreciate the efforts by government to raise the needed funds to address the developmental needs of our people, but must be cautious,” the students’ coalition said. Judicial Chairman of COSIC, Francis...
According to the preliminary estimates from Aluminum Association Monthly report aluminium demand in the United States and Canada (shipments by domestic producers plus imports) totalled an estimated 7.2 million tonnes through the first seven months of 2017, up 4.2% over the same period last year. Demand for semi-fabricated (mill) products was up 6.0% to stand at 5.2 million tonnes. Apparent consumption (demand less exports) in domestic markets totalled an estimated 6.4 million tonnes, up 5.2% YoY. Aluminium net shipments (including exports) by domestic U.S. and Canadian facilities stood at an estimated 952,544 tonnes during August, off 2.1% from August 2016. Shipments of aluminium mill products increased slightly YoY to 643,647 tonnes, while shipments of aluminium ingot for castings,...
Kobe Steel parts used in Japan's iconic bullet trains failed industry standards, officials said on Thursday (Oct 12), bringing to light fresh evidence of wrongdoing by the steelmaker as investors speculated that the crisis could trigger a breakup of the 100-year-old company. Central Japan Railway, which operates the high-speed trains between Tokyo and Osaka, said two types of aluminium parts used to connect cars to wheels fell short in quality tests, though they do not pose any safety concerns. West Japan Railway, which runs services from Osaka to Fukuoka, also found sub-standard parts made by Kobe Steel, company spokesman Yudai Ochi told Bloomberg by phone. The latest scandal to hit Japan's storied manufacturing industry erupted on Sunday after the country's third-largest steel producer...
According to an SMM report, in order to make a harmonious and stable safety environment for the 19th National Congress of CPC, county government in China has ordered suspension of bauxite mining in North China County. Considering the fact that mining companies in Wangjiahou County are working with an oversized mining face and potential safety risk, the county government directed that from Sept.30th to Oct.31st, all mining companies in the country should suspend their production without exception. Any operation work has been strictly prohibited by order of the government till the time the event is over.
The government has plannned to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks bottles and aluminium cans in England. The report shows that the scheme would create savings for local government. Allison Ogden-Newton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, one of the members of the consortium, said: “There is no doubt that introducing a deposit refund system would reduce littering in this country but, until now, there has been a concern that it would have a negative impact on cash-strapped councils. According to a new report, every day 35 million plastic bottles and 20 million aluminium cans are sold across the UK. Samantha Harding, litter programme director at CPRE, said: “There are no longer any valid arguments that deposit refund systems don’t work and the environmental case is crystal...
