In the first half (H1) of 2026, the US imported a total of 1.68 million metric tons of unwrought aluminum (HSN code: 7601), of which 16.96% was sourced from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). How has H1 2026 fared for the momentum of unwrought aluminum exports from the UAE to the US? Year-on-year cooling in trade can be noticed, largely owing to the temporary shutdown of the Emirates Global Aluminium’s (EGA’s) Al Taweelah smelter for repair and maintenance. 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 ” H1 aluminum trade snapshot: 2026 vs 2025 vs 2024 Comparing the H1 2026 figures of unwrought aluminum exported by the UAE to the US, a mixed result...
Norsk Hydro’s earnings outlook for 2027 is facing mounting pressure from falling aluminium premiums, rising operating costs and easing supply tightness in Europe, prompting Goldman Sachs to downgrade the Norwegian producer from ‘buy’ to ‘neutral’ and reduce its price target from NOK 100 (USD 10.71) to NOK 79 (USD 8.46). Goldman said weaker premiums and higher costs were making further earnings growth harder to achieve in 2027. The bank also lowered its core earnings (EBITDA) forecasts for 2026 and 2027 by 6 per cent each, citing lower aluminium prices and rising costs. The changing market conditions come as additional metal from the Middle East reaches the market and Indonesian aluminium supply expands faster than expected, easing European supply constraints sooner than Goldman had...
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Specialists at the Khomein branch of Islamic Azad University in Iran have successfully produced aluminium fluoride, a compound that helps lower the melting temperature of aluminium. Aluminium fluoride (AlF₃) is a colourless, inorganic compound typically found as a white powder or granules with a density greater than that of water. "In line with the development of Islamic Azad University, we are pursuing projects that not only contribute to scientific progress but also meet the vital needs of the country," said Mohammad Baqer Tavakkoli, the president of Islamic Azad University in Markazi province. Its main application is in aluminium production, where it serves as a flux to lower the melting point and enhance the conductivity of the molten electrolyte, leading to reduced energy consumption...
India-based mircocap company, Baheti Recycling Industry Limited, specialised in recycling aluminium scrap into various aluminium alloys, reportedly concluded the day on June 9, 2025, at a 1.43 per cent higher than its previous closing price. The company’s share price clocked at INR 602 (USD 7.03) after ranging between INR 604.50 (USD 7.05) and INR 591.00 (USD 6.89) throughout the day. Image source: Baheti Recycling Industries Limited Baheti’s share price has been performing very strongly, returning 52.96 per cent this year and 5.01 per cent in the past five days. The recycling firm has TTM P/E ratio 33.47 as compared to the sector P/E of 20.16. Ever since, Baheti has declared its robust financial performance, with a net profit significantly up by 159 per cent at the end of H2 FY2025, the...
Europe, including Russia, recorded a 2.2 per cent year-on-year growth in primary aluminium production during the first four months of 2025, driven by consistent growth in almost every month barring February when the output was 537,000 tonnes this year, compared to 540,000 tonnes in February 2024. Interestingly, the production pattern in 2025 closely mirrored that of the previous year, following a similar trajectory—dipping in February, rebounding in March, and tapering again in April – yet concluded the first four months with a rise from 2.26 million tonnes to 2.31 million tonnes, according to data releaved by the International Aluminium Institute. This increase was particularly due to a stronger growth momentum in production through April 2025 compared to the previous year. For instance,...
In a landmark move, China’s East Hope Group (EHG), one of the world’s leading non-ferrous metals conglomerates, has unveiled plans to invest over USD 12 billion in Kazakhstan’s green aluminium and non-ferrous metals sector. The announcement came following high-level talks on February 17, 2025, between EHG’s General Director Changjun Meng and top Kazakh officials, including First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar and the leadership of Kazakh Invest. Image source: https://www.energyinnovation.net.au/ What the project entails The investment blueprint by East Hope Group outlines the development of a vertically integrated industrial complex that will span multiple regions across Kazakhstan. This megaproject is expected to include a mining and raw material processing plant, a full-fledged...
A Chicago-based startup Sun Metalon is taking on one of the world’s biggest climate challenges with a bold solution of turning industrial waste into a valuable resource. The company says its breakthrough technology can removes gunk and grime from discarded metal slivers, enabling their reuse and helping cut emissions in aluminium and steel production that together account for roughly 7 per cent of global carbon emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. Decarbonising these heavyweights is no small task. It will require a sweeping transformation of industrial systems rooted in more than a century of tradition, along with costly upgrades to massive steel and aluminium mills. But by tapping into overlooked waste streams, this startup hopes to chip away at emissions one dirty...
Researchers at MIT have developed a novel method to produce sustainable green hydrogen using recycled aluminium and seawater, a breakthrough that promises dramatically lower emissions and cost compared to traditional methods. Conventional hydrogen production relies heavily on steam methane reforming, which emits 9-12 kg of CO₂ per kg of hydrogen, far from climate-friendly. Even “green” hydrogen via solar or wind-powered electrolysis remains resource-intensive and expensive. MIT’s innovative method harnesses the aluminium-water reaction (AWR), when aluminium reacts with water, it generates hydrogen, heat and aluminium oxyhydroxide. Aluminium’s abundance and high energy density (twice that of diesel by volume) make it an appealing feedstock. “We were explaining the science of this process...
President John Dramani Mahama has announced the government’s intention to ban the importation, production, and use of Styrofoam plastic takeaway containers in the country. He made this declaration during the formal launch of the One Tree Per Child Initiative at Kwabenya Community Senior High School in Accra as part of the World Environment Day celebrations. The President informed manufacturers and importers of Styrofoam about the government’s decision, emphasising that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, they would ban both the importation and production of Styrofoam in Ghana. President Mahama added that food packaging in the country would instead be made from paper and aluminium materials. “One of the most pernicious polluters is...
When energy heavyweights, financiers and geopolitical policymakers convened at CERAWeek 2025, they confronted a truth too long ignored: the path to a net-zero future is being redrawn by geopolitics, national security imperatives and a resurgent fossil-fuel lobby. The publication titled ‘The energy transition’s disrupted path forward’ by S&P Global Commodity Insights, which gathers all the key points from the convention, it is clear that what emerges is not an orderly glide to clean power, but a fractured landscape where ‘energy security’ increasingly trumps decarbonisation. For industry leaders and investors, this realignment demands recalibrated strategies, deeper risk assessments and a readiness to pivot on both policy and market fronts. Image for representational purposes only (Source:...
Industries in the Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, have been altering the region by creating mining investments and enhancing downstream processing. Ketapang Regency has the potential to extend from the seas and plantations to bauxite mining. Mining investment, as reported by West Kalimantan Investment Coordinating Board and One-Stop Service, included the Realisation of Domestic Investment (PMDN) as well as Foreign Investment (PMA) in 2024, totalling IDR 31.47 trillion (USD 1.94 billion). One of the significant investments made to PMDN and PMA by Ketapang Regency was valued at IDR 8.60 trillion (USD 530.86 million). Image for representational purposes only (Image source: researchgate.net) Extended downstream processing and mining investments at Ketapang Regency will have broader...
Rio Tinto Group has entered into talks with Australian authorities over a potential multibillion-dollar bailout for its Tomago aluminium smelter, with discussions focusing on the electricity supply contract for 2026 to 2029 and the design of production tax credits to shield the operation from spiralling power costs. According to people familiar with the deliberations, any rescue package is likely to be “more sophisticated” than a simple cash hand-out and is being negotiated chiefly with the New South Wales state government. Image for referential purposes only Tomago, in which Rio Tinto holds the majority stake, consumes roughly 12 per cent of New South Wales’s total power generation, making it the state’s single largest electricity user. Such voracious demand underlines both the plant’s...
What if a product comes into light that not only carries your luggage but also helps you find a seat anywhere? You read that right because Rimowain's collaboration with Vitra has turned their former aluminium luggage into a limited-edition luxe living room decor. Image source: rimowa.com Crafted by the innovations of two major German engineers, making the impossible possible. The Swiss furniture company Vitra and a luxury luggage and bag manufacturer, Rimowa, recreated their former aluminium suitcase to aid people with aesthetic sitting stools and toolboxes. Thanks to aluminium, the master of converting travel mobility into a seater of living spaces has finally come to light. The luggage that transforms into a seat for a full-grown person is made with a signature grooved aluminium...
Emballator, an aluminium packaging company, has announced the construction of its new 8,000 m² facility in Lempäälä, Finland. This new project will be a part of the strategy to support growth and optimise material flows for the company. Developed in partnership with Meijou Oy, the factory aims to enhance service for existing and new customers and is scheduled for autumn 2026. With a long-standing reputation for high-quality packaging solutions, Emballator reinforces its commitment to innovation and sustainability through the new factory. By investing in advanced technology and environmentally friendly practices, the company aims to boost production capacity while minimising its environmental footprint. Christian Höglund, Head of Paint & Construction, Emballator, said, “We want to continue...
India is set to retain its position as the world’s second-largest primary aluminium producer, with a record-breaking monthly output in the opening month (April) of FY2025-26. Provisional figures indicate strong year-on-year growth in both primary aluminium and its core raw material (bauxite). While bauxite output soared with a double-digit jump, aluminium production posted a modest rise, underscoring an overall impressive growth trajectory in India’s metal and mining industry. Raw material first In April 2025, production of bauxite rose 13.9 per cent year-on-year from 1.87 million tonnes to 2.13 million tonnes. During FY2024-25, the country produced 24.7 million tonnes of bauxite, securing its place as the world’s fifth-largest producer after Guinea, Australia, China, and Brazil....
Saudi Arabian mining company Ma'aden is close to achieving total control of its integrated aluminium business after getting critical regulatory consent to buy Alcoa's 25.1 per cent stakes in two significant joint ventures. The Capital Market Authority (CMA) approved the offer by Ma'aden to buy Alcoa's shareholding in both Ma'aden Aluminium Company (MAC) and Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina Company (MBAC) on June 2. This move is a stepping stone towards Ma'aden’s long-term plan for full ownership and full operating and managing control of both the bauxite and alumina business and the downstream aluminium smelter. The transaction, as previously reported, is valued at USD1.1 billion and represents Ma'aden strategic intent for its aluminium operation and pursuit of increasing domestic industrial...
The implementation of the United States’ tariff hike to 50 per cent on June 4 instantly prompted a 4.85 per cent surge in the US Midwest duty-paid premium on the physical market on June 5, clocked at USD 973, compared to USD 928 the previous day. Image source: lme.com Trump doubled the aluminium and steel tariff from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, creating severe tensions among key players in the industry worldwide, especially those heavily reliant on imports and exports. Ever since Donald Trump proposed tariffs on aluminium and steel with his second term of his presidency, the US Midwest duty-paid premium witnessed a gain of 190 per cent. It is already known that the US heavily relies on imports when aluminium is in question. To date, the exports have been paying the premiums per the...
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a 'Navratna' company under the Schedule 'A' category of CPSEs, announced on Thursday, June 5, that its INR 30,000-crore capital expenditure plan for smelter expansion with captive power is still on track. This announcement was made to clarify the previous announcement that NALCO would delay the project by approximately a year. The company stated that the detailed project report (DPR) for the brownfield smelter expansion and related facilities, such as the captive power plant integrated with renewable energy, is being updated to reflect the latest business needs. NALCO stated that discussions with technology partners like Rio Tinto Aluminium (RTAL) are on track and not delayed. "The Nalco management refutes the report. It added that discussions...
Aluminium scrap is a common byproduct on military bases and aircraft carriers worldwide. Now, the US Army is partnering with Georgia Tech to convert that waste into a powerful, off-grid energy source. Backed by a $20 million grant from the Army Research Office, Georgia Tech and its collaborators are developing scalable, efficient technologies to transform aluminium into hydrogen energy. The initiative aims to create a low-cost, clean, and reliable energy solution using discarded aluminium materials. Aaron Stebner, professor and Eugene C. Gwaltney Jr. Chair in Manufacturing at Georgia Tech’s George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and also a professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering, will lead the multi-year project alongside Scott McWhorter, who heads...
RUSAL has officially launched commercial production of its new Primary Equivalent Foundry Alloys (PEFA), tailored for the automotive industry. These innovative alloys incorporate up to 40 per cent post-consumer aluminium scrap, marking a significant step towards sustainable manufacturing in the sector. The production is being carried out at the Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter, where RUSAL has also expanded the use of recycled metals. The PEFA production builds upon the company’s earlier initiative launched in early 2023, which began with trial runs incorporating 20 per cent end-of-life aluminium scrap. The process integrates post-consumer scrap into molten low-carbon ALLOW aluminium, RUSAL’s proprietary brand made using renewable energy sources. This production method results in a carbon...
