China’s national carbon market is scaling up rapidly, with annual trading volume reaching a record 235 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025, up 24.36 per cent year-on-year, according to a report released at the China Carbon Market Conference 2026 in Wuhan. By the end of August 2026, cumulative trading volume since the market’s launch had reached 961 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, while total turnover stood at RMB 65.7 billion (about USD 9.71 billion). A key development for the aluminium industry is the expansion of China’s national carbon market to include aluminium smelting, alongside power generation, steel and cement. As of 2026, 3,680 key emitters across these four sectors had been included in the market, collectively covering around 8.3 billion tonnes of CO₂...
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...
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Six months into Donald Trump’s 2025 tariff regime and it seems to be a never-ending roller-coaster journey with new sets coming in. So, what’s the update this time? More than 400 additional aluminium and steel product categories have come under the fold of 50 per cent tariffs. What are included? Auto parts, auto components, railcars construction materials, wind turbines specialty chemicals, and household items like refrigerators, freezers, dryers, and furniture components. In short, anything that contains or is contained in aluminium and steel. Brian Baldwin, vice president of customs at Kuehne + Nagel International AG, quipped anything and everything that looks shiny, metallic, or remotely like aluminium or steel, is included in the new list of product categories hit by tariffs. The new...
After three consecutive days of decline from Monday to Wednesday, LME aluminium prices rebounded on Thursday, August 21, rising by USD 4 per tonne (0.15 per cent) and USD 3.5 per tonne (0.13 per cent). Why did the price increase? The growth was supported by expectations of stronger demand from the top consumer, China. Market participants also kept a close watch on US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming speech for cues on the policy outlook. According to analysts at broker Guosen Futures, anticipation of a seasonal demand recovery next month may have further lifted aluminium prices. Earlier in the week, efforts to broker an end to the geopolitical crisis had raised hopes of increased supply from Russia, putting downward pressure on aluminium prices at that time. LME price Both...
Alcoa’s plan to expand its bauxite mining operations in Western Australia’s jarrah forest is undergoing detailed environmental review. A recent study by engineering consultancy GHD highlighted potential risks to Perth’s water supply while also recognising measures the company has proposed to mitigate them. The research, commissioned by Alcoa in relation to its application to mine 67 sq km of forest, identified 22 potential pathways to dams serving the city's 2.3 million people. The key risks that were identified included sewage-borne pathogens, hydrocarbon contamination from oil spills, and turbidity due to erosion of soil, which might render water treatment plants ineffective. Potential contamination of Perth's water supply The government-owned Water Corporation has been warning about...
Midal Cables has achieved ASI Performance Standard V3.1 (2023) for the production of aluminium rod coils and bare aluminium conductors for overhead lines (OHL) at their Midal Cables International, Lda Mozambique facility located in Matola Rio, Mozambique. Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) today announced that Midal Cables International, Lda has been certified against the ASI Performance Standard V3.1 (2023). The facility manufactures aluminium wires, rods, and conductors for industrial applications , with an annual production capacity of 60,000 tonnes. Operations include casting, rolling, wire drawing, heat treatment, and stranding, supported by two melting furnaces, a continuous casting line, wire drawing and stranding lines, and an oven. The ASI Certification program was developed...
Hind Aluminium, a maker of aluminium and alloy conductors and aluminium wire rods, has recently announced its financial results for the quarter ending June 2025 (Q2). The results highlight a positive shift in the company’s evaluation, with its score improving to 4 from 3 over the past three months. The company reported a sharp rise in Profit After Tax (PAT), which stood at INR 8.71 crore (USD 1.05 million), an impressive year-on-year growth of 216.73 per cent. This performance significantly outpaces the previous twelve-month period, when PAT was INR 3.00 crore (USD 360,000). A significant surge of 123.33 per cent was also recorded from INR 3.90 crore recorded in Q1 2025. Remarkably, Hind Aluminium has already exceeded its full-year PAT of the prior fiscal year within just the first six...
The reliability of the price benchmarks for commodities is fundamental to global trade and investment decisions made. When even slight adjustments happen to the benchmarks, it is important for the participants in the market to know the implications. The recent adjustments made to the alumina index in Australia focus attention on the accuracy of price reporting and the mechanisms that hold the system accountable. Alumina is the medium for making aluminium from bauxite ore, an important input factor to the global supply chain of metals. About two tonnes of alumina are needed to create a tonne of aluminium, which makes alumina widely used from aerospace to packaging. The FOB Australia alumina index is now the world's most significant benchmark, serving as a reference point for contracts,...
The European Union is still waiting for Washington to deliver on key promises made under the trade deal struck at the end of July 2025. While the agreement set a 15 per cent baseline tariff on European exports, already in effect since last week — Brussels says other critical measures remain pending. EU officials had earlier signalled that a joint statement and executive orders from US President Donald Trump would follow the deal “very soon.” But on Tuesday, a European Commission spokesperson admitted uncertainty over the timeline. The spokesperson said , “It is an agreement that we believe is strong and the best we could have ... Of course, we expect the US to take further steps that are part of this agreement but I don’t believe at this stage we can put a timeline on these engagements.”...
There is a long history of economic relationships between India and Japan. The key events that fortified this relationship were Japan's contributions to India in the steel sector in the 1950s and Japan's direct investments in the IT sector in the 1990s, and now Japan is beginning to depend on India for aluminium sector supply. India is developing as a reliable provider for Japan's aluminium supply. In 2024, Japan imported nearly USD 337 million (UN COMTRADE) worth of aluminium from India, one of the top four suppliers. This has not happened by accident. Changing geopolitical scenarios, sanctions that included Russia and the need for cleaner production have opened up new space for India's manufacturers. Why aluminium matters to Japan Japan's major industries, comprising transport,...
The festive drums have already started rolling. With only 38 days left to the much-awaited celebrations of the year, preparations for Durga Pujo have already begun in full swing. Pandals are rising like dreams in every corner, artisans are giving life to the goddess with strokes of devotion, and amidst this wave of anticipation, Agrico is stepping into the spotlight with a celebration like no other. This year, the local Durga Puja Committee in Jamshedpur has unveiled its grand plans for a one-of-a-kind pandal that will gleam with the brilliance of shining aluminium sheets, adding a modern, reflective twist to the age-old tradition. The foundation ritual, held at the Agrico Club House ground on Tuesday, August 19, was graced by committee president Y.P. Singh, general secretary Bhupendra...
Just when the Indian aluminium industry is prioritising its production, aiming to increase it by sixfold to achieve more than 30 million tonnes per annum of output from the present 4.2 million tonnes, the mandate issued by Renewable Consumption Obligation seems to have dampened the spirit because the mandate says the captive power consumers must derive 29.91 per cent of electricity from renewable sources and scale it up to 43.33 per cent by FY2030. On paper, this mandate is a well-meaning policy designed to support the Indian manufacturing industry to decarbonise its production, but in case of aluminium, some are of the opinion that it contradicts the country’s ambitious production dream and may even stall the progress it seeks to accelerate. Critics warn that aluminium smelting requires...
China produced 52.67 million tonnes of alumina, including both metallurgical-grade and other types, during January-July this year, higher by 8.5 per cent from the same period in 2024, according to the latest data released by the country's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Image for representational purposes only In July alone, national alumina output totalled 7.57 million tonnes, which was 4.6 per cent up on-year but marked a 2.4 per cent on-month decrease, the NBS data showed. Last month's decline in alumina output compared with June was mainly because supplies of domestic bauxite, a key raw material for alumina production, were tight in certain regions, according to market analysts. Equipment maintenance at some alumina producers had also led to production cuts or suspensions, they...
Karnataka’s aluminium extrusion sector, once a steady contributor to India’s industrial ecosystem, is facing its toughest test in decades. A convergence of global trade shocks, inclusive of but not limited to the 50 per cent tariff imposed by the United States under President Trump, along with a steady influx of cheap Chinese imports, has left extrusion units in the state squeezed from both ends. Image source: https://rupiko.in/ For an industry heavily dependent on exports and sensitive to cost fluctuations, the impact has been immediate and severe. India exported nearly 200,000 tonnes of aluminium to the US in FY2024, valued at USD 894 million. Among the cumulative volumes, India’s downstream export volume to the US accounted for 84,850 tonnes. It inflated from 53,633 tonnes in 2020 (a...
Saudi Arabia’s mining sector is fast emerging as a cornerstone of the kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 transformation. With SAR 246 billion (USD 66.4 billion) in committed investments and untapped mineral wealth estimated at USD 2.5 trillion, the industry is poised to become the nation’s third economic pillar, complementing oil and petrochemicals. But to unlock its true potential and remain competitive on a global scale, the sector must go beyond expansion. It must embed cost discipline, operational transparency, and financial resilience at its core. A new report from Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), Optimising Cost Control in the Industrial Sector , highlights how a culture of cost excellence could redefine the future of mining in Saudi Arabia. The report introduces a four-part strategy designed...
A recent US ruling extending steep tariffs to include steel and aluminium-containing products is poised to drive up costs for both electric-vehicle components and aftermarket exhaust systems. This move is expected to significantly impact the cost structures of electric-vehicle components and aftermarket exhaust systems. Under the new rule implemented on August 19, 2025, the US Department of Commerce expanded its steel and aluminium tariffs, adding 407 product categories to the existing "derivative" list. These newly imposed tariffs on imports will face a 50 per cent duty on any steel and aluminium content, in addition to standard country-specific tariffs on non-metal components. Affected categories include appliances (such as refrigerators, freezers, dryers and air conditioners),...
Tracing back to July 2025, Impact Minerals, an Australia-based mineral exploration company, is advancing its focus on high-purity alumina (HPA) with the Lake Hope Project in Western Australia, where a completed pre-feasibility study positions it as one of the world's lowest-cost potential producers. The organisation now, besides the Lake Hope Project, reinforces its strategic commitment to HPA through Alluminous, its 50 per cent-owned entity, which is advancing the HiPurA HPA pilot plant toward commissioning. Lake Hope Project at a glance The project, located about 500 km southeast of Perth , holds a maiden ore reserve of 1.7 million tonnes grading 26 per cent Al₂O₃, translating to around 450,000 tonnes of contained alumina and supporting a projected 33-year mine life. With plans to ramp...
Alumina production in Asia (including China) and Africa continued to rise in the first half of 2025, but fresh data from the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) indicates signs of cooling by mid-year. With China still dominating global output, new projects in Indonesia, India, and Africa are reshaping the supply landscape, as governments in bauxite-rich regions tighten rules to encourage local refining. In the first half of 2025, alumina production across Asia and Africa reached 49.07 million tonnes, a 6.1 per cent increase from 46.26 million tonnes in the same period of 2024 and a 10.5 per cent rise from 44.41 million tonnes in 2023. The year began on a strong note, with output including China at 8.58 million tonnes in January, but volumes slipped to 8.03 million tonnes by June,...
RHB Investment Bank Bhd (RHB Research) reportedly expects that Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd is projected to post a higher net profit for the second quarter (Q2) of 2025, supported by lower alumina prices. The core earnings are expected to grow Q-o-Q to between RM480 million and RM520 million, though this remains slightly below its earlier projections. During Q1 2025, the company's revenue stood at RM 3.89 billion. If we compare Y-o-Y, during Q2 2024 , Press Metal's revenue closed at RM 3.95 billion, representing a significant boost during Q2 2025. The improvement is attributed to the decline in alumina prices to USD 350 per tonne, which has reduced its alumina-to-aluminium cost ratio to 14 per cent, compared to the three-year historical average of 18 per cent. "However, this may be...
In a bold leap toward self-reliance and semiconductor supremacy, National Aluminium Company (Nalco) is gearing up to become the first Indian company to produce the elusive rare metal gallium within the next two years. On Tuesday, the firm announced its initiative to extract gallium is now at the advanced stage and the likelihood to start the commercial production in the upcoming two years. India's leading aluminium producer has partnered with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and the Heavy Water Board (HWB) on R&D initiatives focused on gallium extraction and non-nuclear applications of heavy water. Leveraging these collaborations, the company has successfully developed an indigenous technology to extract gallium, a critical metal recovered as a by-product in the alumina production...
