The Aluminium Federation (ALFED) has launched a new Reindustrialising UK Aluminium briefing, developed through its Trade Committee, setting out the immediate trade and industrial priorities facing the UK aluminium sector. The briefing comes as aluminium takes on increasing strategic importance within UK Government policy. Aluminium is recognised within the UK’s Critical Minerals framework and as a Growth Mineral, reflecting its importance to future UK manufacturing and economic growth. Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy describes critical minerals as foundational inputs to the Industrial Strategy’s growth-driving sectors. ALFED’s latest economic modelling estimates that the UK aluminium industry supports a wider economic footprint of £8.18 billion (USD 11.03 billion) in GVA and...
European Aluminium and the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) are calling on the European Parliament and the Council to make low-carbon aluminium eligible alongside steel under the proposed material-credit mechanism for vehicle CO2 standards. The joint industry statement focuses on the revision of Regulation (EU) 2019/631, under proposal 2025/0420 (COD). The two organisations want both materials covered by a single, technology-neutral mechanism with harmonised carbon-intensity thresholds and verification rules. They said the approach would give automakers greater flexibility in meeting regulatory requirements while supporting European markets for low-carbon materials. It would also allow vehicle engineers to continue selecting materials based on technical and economic...
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Canada’s involvement in the primary aluminium industry dates back to 1901, when the Northern Aluminum Company (now referred to as Alcan), established its first smelter in Shawinigan, Québec. Today, Canada is the world’s fourth-largest aluminium producer, with China holding the first position, then India and Russia. Québec’s aluminium sector to receive federal aid Québec’s aluminium sector, the backbone of Canada’s production capacity, is poised to receive substantial federal support as it grapples with the ongoing US tariffs. As per the latest news, industry minister Mélanie Joly announced that Québec’s aluminium industry could receive “hundreds of millions of dollars” from a USD 5 billion federal fund designed to support sectors hit by Trump tariffs. Since nearly all of Canada’s...
Aditya Alumina Refinery, Kansariguda – a unit of Hindalco Industries Limited – has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Centurion University of Technology. The MoU is a major initiative for establishing a veterinary hospital in Kansariguda and is a key move by the company towards rural and community welfare. This project is a significant part of Hindalco’s well-thought-out strategy for corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, which seeks to provide high-quality and much-needed veterinary services for poultry, livestock, and stray animals, directly addressing the requirements for accessible animal healthcare in the rural communities. The key initiative of the Animal Health Van includes mobile ambulatory services, which will cover 50 villages across the...
In 2025, Greece—and specifically the city of Thessaloniki—will become the focal point for the European and international community involved in aluminium surface treatment, by hosting the sector’s leading international conference. This prestigious event is organised by ESTAL, the European Association for Surface Treatment of Aluminium, headquartered in Brussels. Held biennially, it is a key reference point in the industry, bringing together scientists, professionals, and senior business executives from across Europe. This year’s conference will take place from October 1 to 3, 2025, at The MET Hotel in Thessaloniki. The choice of Thessaloniki aligns with the innovative nature of the conference, as the city has long been a crossroads of cultures, a hub of innovation, and an emerging centre...
Goods and Services Tax, rather commonly known as GST, was first introduced in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on July 1, 2017. It was said to have replaced a complex web of central and state taxes such as excise duty, service tax, VAT, octroi, and entry tax, unifying them under a single Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework. 8 years later, present Finance Minister of India has introduced ‘GST 2.0’ slashing previous five slab structure into a more concise 4 slab distribution. Image source: https://www.iasexpress.net/ Also read: Electricity behind aluminium’s price tag? Then, why does Europe’s “green” metal costs so much? When it rolled out in July 2017, the tax system was dressed in five different slabs of 0 per cent, 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per...
Tucked away in a modest office block between Buckingham Palace and London’s Victoria coach station operates one of the world’s most profitable yet least visible companies, Vitol. The privately held energy trader has averaged more than USD 12 billion in net profit annually over the past three years, equivalent to roughly USD 6 million per employee, and has returned close to USD 20 billion to its 600 senior partners through its share scheme. These record-breaking payouts followed an extraordinary run, as Vitol outperformed rivals by seizing on market upheavals sparked first by the Covid pandemic in 2020 and then by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While the group does not publicly disclose its results, filings in Luxembourg show profits jumping from USD 2.3 billion in 2019 to a record...
China's domestic thermal coal prices declined last week (September 1-5), extending the downward trend for the second consecutive week, as cooler weather dented power demand and coal consumption, industry sources said. At northern transfer ports, coal trading remained at a standstill as utilities held back from spot purchases. Sources said most buyers focused on meeting long-term contract obligations, supplemented by occasional imports of seaborne thermal coal. With coal consumption falling on cooler weather, utilities saw little need to seek additional cargoes from the domestic market. As of Friday, Mysteel assessed 5,500 kcal per kg NAR thermal coal at RMB 686 per tonne (USD 96.2 per tonne), FOB northern ports with VAT, down by RMB 9 per tonne from a week earlier, adding the total...
Odisha’s mineral-rich Rayagada district is once again at the centre of debate over how far industrial growth can go without damaging local lives and fragile ecosystems. The operations of Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL), a key player in the state’s bauxite industry, have drawn fresh scrutiny after villagers reported rising dust, noise, and water contamination linked to the company’s facilities. Image used for representational purpose A rejoinder affidavit submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on August 11, 2025 pointed to persistent dust, noise, and water contamination in and around Lachhuguda village, situated close to UAIL’s long-distance conveyor belt and red mud pond. A joint inspection led by the Rayagada District Magistrate acknowledged the presence of dust...
Chinese banking regulators are making plans to permit Russian energy firms to restart selling yuan-denominated bonds in mainland China, a step that would give a vital non-Western source of funding to Moscow and represent a strong deepening of economic relationships between the two countries. The possible relaunch of this so-called "Panda Bond" market would restore a trail first blazed by Russian aluminium behemoth Rusal. A new system of finance in the making Senior Chinese financial policymakers signalled their approval of the proposal in recent talks with Russian energy executives. If it goes ahead, it will be the first time a Russian firm would raise capital on mainland China since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The only historical precedent for such a step is from the aluminium sector....
India’s coal import landscape is undergoing a notable shift, marked by contrasting trends between power and steel sector demand. Latest data from mjunction services shows a sharp drop in overall coal imports in July 2025, underscoring the impact of seasonal demand slowdown, high domestic stock levels, and rising domestic coal production. India’s coal imports dropped sharply by 16.4 per cent in July 2025, falling to 21.08 million tonnes (Mt) from 25.23 Mt in the same month last year. The decline, driven by subdued demand during the monsoon season and sufficient domestic stockpiles, was reported by mjunction services, a joint venture of Tata Steel and SAIL. The fall aligns with a broader downward trend, as coal imports for the April–July period of the fiscal year also recorded a decline,...
Analyst raises earnings forecast for Ball Corporation Equities research analysts at Zacks Research have raised their Q4 2026 earnings per share (EPS) as a research note issued to its investors on September 3. Zacks Research analyst Team now expect the company to earn USD 1.03 per share for the quarter, up from the previous estimate of USD 0.99. The estimated earnings for Ball for this current year are USD 3.48 per share. Zacks Research analyst Team have also issued estimated earnings of USD 4.43 EPS for the company in FY2027. On August 5, Ball released its earnings results, where the company reported USD 0.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Whereas the estimation of the topping analysts' consensus remains at USD 0.87 by USD 0.03. The company has earned a total revenue of USD...
As of September 8, 2025, Adani Power Limited, an Indian multinational power and energy company, also a subsidiary of Adani Group, saw its share price skyrocket by 4.34 per cent, with the intraday high reaching INR 649.60 (USD 7.78). The increase in the share price was witnessed after the firm made an announcement of its latest expansion plan within the international territory by striking a strategic partnership with Bhutan's Druk Green Power Corp. Ltd (DGPC), the sole hydropower operator in Bhutan. With an impressive installed capacity of 18,110 MW spread across several states, with an additional dedicated 40 MW solar facility in Gujarat, this company is steadily reinforcing India's energy sector . The firm's ongoing investments are not just powering homes, it is playing a pivotal role in...
9.9 SMM cast aluminium alloy morning comment Futures: The most-traded cast aluminium alloy ad2511 contract opened at RMB 20,295 per tonne overnight, hit a high of RMB 20,330 per tonne, and closed at the day's low of RMB 20,200 per tonne, down RMB 95 per tonne (0.47per cent) from the previous close. Trading volume stood at 288 lots, with open interest at 7,769 lots, mainly driven by short position increases. Spot-Futures Price Spread Report: According to SMM data, the theoretical premium of the SMM ADC12 spot price over the most-traded cast aluminium alloy contract (AD2511) 10:15 am closing price was RMB 465 per tonne on September 8. Aluminium scrap: Spot primary aluminium prices edged up m-o-m on Monday, with SMM A00 spot aluminium closing at RMB 20,680 per tonne, while aluminium scrap...
Odisha has three large alumina refineries at present; and they are the backbone for the primary metal production in the country. Photo Caption: Damanjodi Alumina Refinery Damanjodi Alumina Refinery (NALCO) The Alumina Refinery is located at Damanjodi, Koraput district in Odisha, approximately 14 km from the bauxite mine at Panchpatmali and started its operation in 1986. The mined-out bauxite is transported from captive mine to refinery by a 14.6 km long single-flight multi-curve 1800 tonnes per hour (TPH) capacity cable belt conveyor. The alumina produced is transported to aluminium smelter at Angul (Odisha) and to Vizag (Andhra Pradesh) port by rail. The present capacity of Alumina Refinery is 2.3 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa). The Salient Features are as follow: Atmospheric pressure...
In America’s ongoing battle with climate change and mounting waste, the recycling line is becoming the stage for an unexpected revolution. Despite decades of effort to sort plastics, papers, and metals, the country’s recycling system remains deeply inefficient. Each year, about USD 6.5 billion worth of recyclable materials is lost to landfills, as a result of outdated processes, contamination, and an overstretched workforce. Image for representational purpose The solution may not be more people on the sorting line but a new kind of worker: robots powered by artificial intelligence. With high-speed cameras, sensors, and nimble robotic arms, these machines are beginning to transform how recyclables are recovered, cleaned, and put back into circulation. Why the system is under strain? Inside...
With a slight surge on September 5, the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price also saw a dip as the market opened on September 8. A significant difference could be seen in live warrants and the cancelled warrants. On September 8, the LME aluminium cash bid and offer price saw a decline by USD 2.5 per tonne or 0.09 per cent, where the cash bid price went down from USD 2,615.5 per tonne to USD 2,613 per tonne and the cash offer went down from USD 2,616 per tonne to USD 2,613.5 per tonne. The 3-month bid price witnessed a downward movement by USD 2 per tonne or 0.07 per cent, where the price fell from USD 2,612 per tonne to USD 2,610 per tonne. A similar trend has been seen in the offer price, where it dropped from USD 2,613 per tonne to USD 2,612 per tonne, reflecting a decrease of...
SMM data showed China's metallurgical-grade alumina production in August 2025 (31 days) increased 1.15 per cent M-o-M and 7.16 per cent Y-o-Y. As of August month-end, China's metallurgical-grade alumina existing capacity stood at around 110.32 million tonnes, with operating capacity up 1.15 per cent M-o-M and operating rate at 82.6 per cent. August saw both increases and decreases in alumina operating capacity, with a net increase of approximately 1.04 million tonnes. On one hand, the average spot alumina price remained moderate, and daily cost-profit models showed theoretical industry profits exceeding RMB 300 per tonne, maintaining strong production incentives. Some plants raised operating capacity, while newly commissioned projects further ramped up output. On the other hand, minor...
Three solar companies, Vikram Solar, ACME Solar and SPML Infra, announced major contract wins on Monday. This instantly sparked a strong interest in their shares. The deals span renewable energy and water infrastructure – sectors that are drawing heavy investment as India pushes its sustainability agenda. Image for representational purposes only Also read: The updated version of our report — World Recycled ALuminium Market Analysis Industry forecast to 2032 Vikram Solar has received a significant contract from L&T Construction for 336 MW of EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) high-efficiency solar modules to be installed in Khavda, Gujarat. The company will deliver its latest Hypersol G12R modules, designed with N-type technology and bifaciality of up to 80 per cent. The...
Odisha has emerged as the cornerstone of India’s aluminium industry, accounting for 59 per cent of the country’s bauxite reserves, primarily located in the Eastern Ghats. The state hosts integrated operations encompassing bauxite mining, alumina refining , and aluminium smelting, led by major players such as NALCO, VEDANTA, and HINDALCO. The predominance of gibbsitic bauxite enables efficient extraction under low temperature and pressure conditions, enhancing economic viability. The large aluminium smelters are also located in the Jharsuguda and Angul industrial belts of this state. Odisha's industrial growth is further supported by robust infrastructure, dedicated industrial zones, and proactive government policies. With planned capacity expansions, renewable energy integration, and...
