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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Alumina Limited is pleased to announce that Mr Peter Day has been appointed to the new position of Deputy Chairman of Alumina Limited effective immediately. Mr Day has been an independent non-executive Director of the Company since January 2014 and is Chair of the Audit and Risk Management Committee and a member of the Company’s Compensation Committee and the Nominations Committee. Mr Day has extensive experience in the resources, finance and manufacturing sectors, having held a number of senior executive positions with Amcor, Rio Tinto, Bonlac Foods, CRA, Comalco and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Through his prior executive positions at Comalco, CRA and Rio Tinto Mr Day has had significant exposure to the alumina and aluminium industries. Mr Day has a number of...
China is the top exporter of aluminium foil in the world. The export orders can be customised here according to the client’s requirement which makes it convenient for end users to import aluminium foils from the country. {newsStudioGallery} China’s Shenhuo Group is all set to build aluminium foil project in Henan province. The company inked an agreement with Shangqiu Urban-Rural Integration Demonstration Zone Management on August 17 for the development of a high-end aluminium foil project, SMM reported. The plant will manufacture high-end light gauge aluminium foil with a designed annual capacity of 100,000 tonnes. The project involves an investment of 3.6 billion. China’s exports of aluminium foils are expected to slightly drop in the second half of 2017.The countervailing duties on...
While SHFE aluminium is performing well in the Chinese market, aluminium stocks in China continues growing week on week as downstream producers are unwilling to buy at higher price. Stocks in China’s seven major markets grew further compared with a week ago, SMM statistics showed, with details in the table below: SHFE 1709 aluminium has been performing well last week and on Monday it ended at RMB 16,380 /t before lunchtime. Growing aluminium prices have fuelled more activities in the market. Traders were active in south China aluminium market. Downstream producers showed low interest in buying metal. Mainstream traded prices for aluminium were within the range of RMB 16,180-16,200/t in Guangdong this morning, with premiums over Shanghai narrowing to RMB 50 /t. Shanghai Metals Market...
After having recovered from the widespread health impact of the Ebola epidemic Guinea is now on a stable growth trajectory. The country is expected to grow at 6.7 per cent rate (real growth) in 2017 piggybacking bauxite export and other activities in the mining and construction sector, according to an International Monetary Fund report. An IMF mission led by Georgia Albertin visited Guinean capital city Conakry from July 31 to August 15, 2017, to negotiate a new strategy programme for the country to be supported by an Extended Credit facility (ECF), an industry source reported. “The Guinean authorities and the IMF staff made significant progress in the discussions of the economic policies and reforms that could be supported by a new IMF arrangement and would support the Guinea’s 2016–20...
LME aluminium is on a solid upward trend. Drawing support from strong market fundamentals, the light metal climbed steadily to close at US$2,104.50 per tonne, up 11.5 per cent from US$1,887 per tonne at the beginning of this month. Reuters’ technical analysis suggests that LME aluminium may end its bounce from August 18’s low of US$2,057.50 per tonne around the current resistance level of US$2,103 and then again drop elow US$2,100 per tonne. According to Shanghai Metals Market forecast, LME aluminium will range at US$2,050-2,080 per tonne on Monday, August 21 after testing support at the 5-day moving average. As on August 18, LME official cash buyer aluminium price (Bid Price) stands at US$2,104 per tonne, cash seller & settlement aluminium price (Offer price) is US$2,104.50 per tonne, 3M...
As aluminium increasingly becomes the metal of choice for OEMs across industries bauxite mining stands to grow at a commendable per annum rate through 2021. According to the latest study by Persistence Market Research, the global bauxite market will grow significantly during 2016-2021. A quick look at the top stories on the bauxite sector from the week gone by: Chalco plans big investment in Guinea bauxite project The mines minister of Guinea revealed that China’s Aluminium Corp of China (Chalco) has formed an intention to invest $500 million for production of bauxite in Guinea from 2018. The company will exploit the reserves of bauxite abandoned by BHP Billiton. Bauxite supply shortage affects alumina refinery operations in China’s Shanxi province Shortage in bauxite supply has...
The Chinese metals and mining company Fujian Minfa Aluminium Co. announced Friday, August 18, its financial results for the first six months of 2017. The Quanzhou based manufacturer and distributor of aluminium alloy extruded profiles and other products for Building-Architecture and other industries reported RMB 513 million revenues in H1 2017, up 11.9 per cent from the corresponding period previous year. Minfa Aluminium’s net profit for the six months ended June 30, 2017, was up by 88.57 per cent year-on-year at RMB 12.93 million. The company attributed the growth in net profit to the rising aluminium extrusion sales prices that was driven up by the buoyancy in primary aluminium prices. Revenues from aluminium formwork sales also increased driving up net profit. Fujian Minfa Aluminium...
Growing demand for electric vehicles will create demand for materials other than lithium and cobalt over time. The switch from gasoline to electric will require infrastructural changes and that will consume good amount of copper and aluminium too, as said by Franklin Templeton’s fund manager Stephen Land. Lightweight metal aluminium is replacing steel in cars for better performance and fuel economy. "With EV push, it’s hard not to feel optimistic for aluminium and copper demand," said Land, who co-manages the roughly $1.08 billion Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund. Aluminium has seen a supply excess globally, which is mostly caused by China’s random production. The country however, is trying to reduce output based on environmental irregularities. Land feels that this "supply/demand...
Italian aluminium extrusion company, OMAV has received the delivery of a shipment of aluminium extrusion equipment from Al Ain, UAE via Cargo firm Integrated Freight and Logistics in Stacca, Italy. The consignment includes machinery measuring 2,000 cubic meters, parts, equipment, electric panels, components and other accessories weighing 600-tonnes. “Cranes were used to load the main cylinders weighing 50 tonnes each … The port of discharge was Genoa, Italy, and the shipment further travelled 250 kilometers to the doorstep of OMAV in Stacca,” an IFL spokesperson said. IFL is a member of the breakbulk association XL Projects who are into delivery of large size plant equipment. They recently delivered large coal power plant equipment by Pakistani member Freight Connection Group.
Ao Hong, president of Chalco, said on Friday, that the company’s primary aluminium production increased in the first six months of this year. He said that the increased production was due to capacity curtailments by private rivals, reported by Reuters. Chalco’s production increased by 250,000 tonnes in the first half of 2017. The outright production figure for the mentioned period has not been divulged by the company. Chalco’s smelting capacity is about 5 million tonnes per year The company will make further investments in H2 2017 to increase the production of aluminium. The investment will gradually reflect in company’s production in 2018. According to the estimated figures by the consultancy AZ China, Chalco’s primary aluminium production would increase by 15 percent to 3.39 million...
Continental has introduced the "New Wheel Concept," a new engineering system that is expected to boost the braking efficiency and create an easier-to-maintain braking system in electric cars. The concept involves an inner carrier, brake rotor, and an aluminium wheel, to keep weight in check. The system also includes an aluminium star and brake caliper that bolt to the axle hub, plus an outer rim and large brake rotor that bolt to the star. The conceptual system is designed to harness energy through regenerative breaking, without putting much stress on the wheel brakes, which have less use in electric cars. The concept also designs anti-corrosion or anti-rust brake rotors for better brake performance. The tough aluminium construction by Continental makes the rotor resistant to wear, unlike...
Fercell Engineering Ltd, provides solutions to numerous industrial and environmental problems, is offering an efficient waste management solution for aluminium-based swarfs. Aluminium swarfs and chips are produced by computer numerical control (CNC) processes. It contains high percentages of metallic calcium, iron and magnesium and titanium. FERCELL introduced the WEIMA WLK4 aluminium shredding and the WEIMA TH800M briquette press for aluminium. Mark Fletcher, Managing Director of Fercell Engineering, said: “Here is a huge wasted opportunity for manufacturers using aluminium. These swarfs are just seen as a nuisance and are often discarded, when returns on this waste can be reaped back, as well as it having a positive effect on the environment.” The solution has many benefits including, a...
Aluminium-air (al-air) batteries produce electricity by converting the energy released from oxidation of aluminium using oxygen in the air packed inside. The portable cells have phenomenal energy density and can release approximately 4kWh of heat and electricity from one kilo of aluminium. Each aluminium-air battery cell consists of a negative aluminium anode and a positive cathode with hydro-electrolyte in between. The battery needs an external trigger to initiate the chemical reaction and remains dormant when switched off. It is like a portable, on-board power station that needs no mains charging and ensures zero loss of power when turned on again. Aluminium-air batteries find applications in specialty military equipment and vehicles and in the much in-demand electric vehicles. However,...
UC RUSAL has announced the investment of USD 23.7 million to launch a new calciner at the Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter. Decision was taken in 2015 to upgrade calciner #2 at IrkAZ in order to supply calcined coke to the Sayanogorsk Aluminium Smelter to make pre-baked anodes. Production capacity of the calciner was 72 ktpa. RUSAL has calcination capacity in IrkAZ as well as the Bratsk and Krasnoyarsk Aluminium Smelters. BrAZ and KrAZ produced about 800 kt of calcined coke in 2016 fulfilling about 61% of the total demand of RUSAL's aluminium smelters. After the launch of calciner #2 at IrkAZ, 71% of the Rusal’s calcinatory demand will be meted out in-house. “By increasing our in-house capacity for calcined coke production, RUSAL will be able to gradually abandon the supplies from third parties...
Aluminium Industries Limited (Alind) has been reopened following the renovation on Thursday, August 17. The factory had been closed for the last 20 years. Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the revived factory of the Aluminium Industries Limited, at Kundara, in Kerala, India. Pinarayi Vijayan said, “We witness a fake propaganda that the state does not provide a favourable atmosphere for industries. Those who spread it should see this. The factory will regain its might that it had twenty years back. The government will extend full support to such industries.” The Aluminium Industries Limited will manufacture aluminium cables. The cable is used in high voltage underground transmission lines beneficial for power distribution. Aluminium Industries Limited was established in...
After a period of flat run, China’s domestic alumina price rebounded on August 17, driven by an outlook on tightened supply. The average spot alumina prices expected to range between RMB 2506 – 2506/t. The tightness in the market is expected because Alumina production in Shanxi province has been affected by suspension of some bauxite mines in Shanxi and Henan provinces on environmental regulations. China Aluminium International Trading, the wholly owned subsidiary of Aluminium Corp of China (Chalco), published a public tender to purchase 90,000 tonnes of alumina, strengthening market anticipation of tightened supply in the nearby market. Australian Alumina FOB prices rose timidly in recent weeks as market participants tempered their expectations that China would comply with the announced...
Aluminium can is the most popular packaging solutions for beverage packaging. The consumption of aluminium cans is growing rapidly around the world, especially in developed countries. {newsStudioGallery} The U.S., one of the largest manufacturers of aluminium cans in the world, exports the largest chunk of aluminium cans worldwide. The leading manufacturers of the US are Ball Corporation (Ball-Rexam), Ardagh Group, CROWN Holdings, Inc. and many more. According to the recent estimate, in 2015, U.S. exported 23739 tonnes of aluminium cans worldwide. Compared to 2015, in 2016, the country exported an estimated 30179 tonnes of aluminium cans. The aluminium can export by U.S. is estimated to increase in 2017. The country is estimated to export around 30336 tonnes of aluminium cans In 2015, the...
Gujarat government has made a decision to auction nine limestone and bauxite mines in the next 6-9 months. This was conveyed by a mining official from the state of Gujarat. It is noteworthy that Gujarat government is set to earn INR 16201 crore from three limestone mines auctioned in Kutch district in one of the biggest successful e-auctioning of mines in Gujarat. Encouraged by this successful e-auction, the government now considers further auctioning of bauxite mines in gujarat. “These nine mines will provide Gujarat with an estimated Rs 1500 crore in revenues annually,” said Roopwant Singh, head of Commissionerate of Geology and Mining, Government of to The Indian Express. The bauxite mines that will be lined up for e-auction are in Dev Bhoomi Dwarka district and the limestone mines are...
