Aluminium scrap: This week, China's aluminium scrap market prices followed the decline before partially rebounding, with the centre pulling back alongside primary aluminium. As of September 17, SMM A00 aluminium prices closed at RMB 24,180 per tonne, down RMB 380 per tonne from RMB 24,560 per tonne last Thursday, while domestic aluminium scrap prices followed the decline by a relatively limited margin. In terms of price spreads, on September 17, the price difference between A00 aluminium and mixed aluminium extrusion scrap free of paint in Foshan stood at approximately RMB 2,468 per tonne, and the price difference between A00 aluminium and shredded aluminium tense scrap stood at approximately RMB 1,247 per tonne, with the aluminium tense scrap price spread narrowing further W-o-W. On the...
Impact Minerals Limited has raised approximately AUD 2.2 million (USD 1.56 million) before costs through a renounceable rights issue, providing additional funding to advance its two high-purity alumina projects in Australia. The company issued nearly 69 million new shares and approximately 46 million options under the capital raising, which was launched in August. Impact Minerals said the offer received strong participation from existing shareholders, including full take-up by its major German family office investor. Any remaining shortfall shares may be placed within three months, subject to the allocation policy outlined in the offer. Funding targets pilot and customer qualification work The fresh capital will support development of Impact Minerals’ Lake Hope and Alluminous high-purity...
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Gujarat-based aluminium casting manufacturer Swastika Castal is set to launch its initial public offering (IPO) on July 21, marking its debut on the capital markets via the BSE SME platform. Image for representational purpose The fixed price issue will be open until July 23, with the allotment of shares expected to be finalised by July 24. The company’s shares are scheduled to commence trading on July 28. Swastika Castal aims to raise INR 14.07 crore through the public issue of 21.64 lakh shares at a fixed price of INR 65 per share. The company plans to use INR 5 crore from the IPO proceeds for the purchase of plant and machinery and the construction of new facilities. An additional INR 5.5 crore is earmarked for working capital requirements, while INR 1.6 crore will be directed towards...
As of June 2025, global bauxite prices have declined, primarily due to reduced import volumes in China. At the same time, alumina refineries and ports have reported higher inventory levels, reflecting an oversupplied market. In response to ongoing global supply uncertainties, major Australian producers such as ABx and Rio Tinto are ramping up production. Looking ahead, bauxite demand is expected to rise through the remainder of 2025, driven by expanding infrastructure projects in emerging economies. The bauxite price in China shows a decline in June 2025, which was mainly due to the high imports from the big producing nations. Moreover, the region has also witnessed a decline in their overall domestic aluminium production by 3.23 per cent month-on-month, directly affecting its overall...
Globally, the race to decarbonise is heating up and aluminium is at the centre of this transformation. With China pledging that 30 per cent of its aluminium smelting will be powered by renewables by 2027, the pressure is mounting on other nations to step up. India, for its part, is not only in the race but is also hitting the accelerator. In 2024, India nudged its aluminium output slightly higher, reaching approximately 4–4.2 million tonnes. But this is just the beginning. Indian producers are charting an aggressive course toward both capacity expansion and carbon reduction. The “Big Four”—Vedanta, Hindalco, Nalco, and Balco have announced a collective investment of $5 billion to build 20 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. The goal is clear, to shift aluminium production from its...
Alcoa and Rio Tinto, two of the biggest aluminium players with significant operations in North America, are publicly challenging the very policy that once appeared to shield them. According to fresh revelations this week, Alcoa claims Trump’s aluminium tariffs have cost it USD 115 million in elevated raw material expenses during the ongoing year’s second quarter, while Rio Tinto has warned of “distortions” in the US market that are “undermining competitiveness rather than enhancing it.” Image for referential purposes only When former US President Donald Trump launched the Section 232 tariffs in 2018, cloaked in the language of national security, American aluminium producers cheered. The logic seemed straightforward. As the nation slapped a 10 per cent import tariff on aluminium, it would...
Primary aluminium has long been the backbone of aircraft construction, valued for its unmatched combination of strength, durability, and low weight. Today, its role is expanding beyond performance, into sustainability. With the aviation industry under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, recycled aluminium is taking centre stage in modern aircraft manufacturing. Image for representational purpose From next-generation commercial jets like the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 to legacy models such as the MD-11 and Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy, the metal continues to shape the skies, now with a greener edge. The backbone of aircraft structures Primary aluminium's versatility and strength-to-weight ratio make it the ideal choice for the structural integrity of aircraft. Aircraft such as the...
Canyon Resources Limited (CAY), one of Australia's largest bauxite producers, has officially started construction of its Inland Rail Facility (IRF) at Makor, Cameroon - an important milestone in the delivery of its flagship Minim Martap Bauxite Project into production. The company is also upgrading the ore haulage access road, which will enable the high-grade bauxite to be transported from the mine to the IRF and on to the Port of Douala for export. Image for referential purposes only The commencement of construction is a crucial step forward, and the groundbreaking ceremony attended by senior government officials, community leaders, Executive Chairman Mr Mark Hohnen and investment company Eagle Eye Asset Holdings showed how significant this project is for the future of mining in...
Strong results amid market headwinds, Alcoa's Q2 2025 earnings reflect resilience worth noting. On July 17, Alcoa Corporation, an American-based leading aluminium manufacturer, posted its financial performance for the second quarter of 2025. This report represents the firm's strong operational performance with a subsequent increase in its cash deposits, irrespective of the lowered alumina and aluminium prices, with increased tariff costs. Image source: wikipedia.org Q2 in a nutshell In Q2 2025, Alcoa demonstrated strong operational performance, underpinned by robust aluminium production. The company also reported increased sales following the completion of its acquisition of a full 25.1 per cent ownership interest in the joint venture with Saudi Arabian Mining Company, Ma'aden, effective...
Rio Tinto, the world’s second-largest metals and mining corporation, posted a mixed yet overall strong operational performance in the second quarter of 2025, reporting year-on-year growth across bauxite, alumina, and aluminium production. Bauxite and aluminium output rose both compared to Q2 2024 and the previous quarter, while alumina production increased from a year earlier but edged down slightly from Q1 2025. Image source: Rio Tinto Production overview Bauxite production in Q2 2025 rose to 15.6 million tonnes, up 6 per cent from 14.7 million tonnes in Q2 2024. The figure also marked a slight increase from 15 million tonnes recorded in Q1 2025, signalling consistent quarterly growth. Alumina production reached 1.8 million tonnes in Q2 2025, reflecting an 8 per cent year-on-year...
A railway container train carrying 2,688 tonnes of alumina departed Baise city in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on July 14, bound for Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, marking the first full-load alumina container train between the two regions, according to a news report by Guangxi Daily. Image for referential purposes only Operated by the Baise office of the Nanning Railway Logistics Center under China Railway Nanning Group, the train consists of 84 containers and is scheduled to arrive at Sanping Station in Urumqi, Xinjiang, in ten days, the report said. The new train service establishes a direct logistics corridor linking Guangxi's alumina production bases with Xinjiang's energy-rich industrial bases. Located in the western part of Guangxi, Baise...
On Wednesday, July 16, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price dropped by USD 26 per tonne or 1 per cent to halt at USD 2,567.5 per tonne and USD 2,568 per tonne. As per the London Metal Exchange (LME) data , both 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price slumped by USD 29.5 per tonne and USD 29 per tonne to clock at USD 2,566 per tonne and USD 2,567 per tonne. On the same day, both December 26 bid price and December 26 offer price dropped by USD 27 per tonne or 1 per cent to settle at USD 2,603 per tonne and USD 2,608 per tonne. LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference Price fell by USD 3 per tonne to arrive at USD 2,577.5 per tonne. In contrast, LME aluminium opening stock gained 6,550 tonnes to settle at 423525 tonnes. Live warrants gained 6650 tonnes...
Century Aluminium Company, an integrated producer of bauxite, alumina and primary aluminium products and the largest primary aluminium producer in the United States, has announced the pricing of its previously disclosed private offering of USD 400 million aggregate principal amount of 6.875 per cent senior secured notes due August 2032. The company also operates production facilities in Iceland, the Netherlands and Jamaica. The notes will be issued at par (100.00 per cent of their aggregate principal amount) and will pay interest semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1 each year, starting February 1, 2026, at a rate of 6.875 per cent per annum in cash. Unless earlier redeemed or repurchased, the notes will mature on August 1, 2032. The transaction is expected to close on July...
At the 2025 Indonesia Mining Conference & Critical Metals Conference - Aluminum Industry Forum, Melati Sarnita, Business Development Director of PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Persero) (INALUM), shared insights on the topic of "Transforming Southeast Asia into the Future Hub of Global Aluminum and Critical Minerals." Image source: SMM At the 2025 Indonesia Mining Conference & Critical Metals Conference - Aluminum Industry Forum, Melati Sarnita, Business Development Director of PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Persero) (INALUM), shared insights on the topic of "Transforming Southeast Asia into the Future Hub of Global Aluminium and Critical Minerals." MIND ID maintains strong government support through Danantara and MSOE On March 22, 2025, the government transferred all its Series B shares...
Guinea, also referred to as Guinea-Conakry, after its capital, Conakry, and the second-largest bauxite exporter in the world, is redefining its maritime and mining future with new regulations aimed at increasing national control and economic advantages. In July 2025, Bouna Sylla, Minister of Mines and Geology, stated that at least 50 per cent of all bauxite exports will require shipping under the Guinean flag. This is a clear sign of Guinea's drive for more value than just raw mineral sales. Maritime sovereignty with GUITRAM The formation of Guinéenne des Transports Maritimes (GUITRAM), a public shipping company which will be responsible for a lot of outbound logistics for bauxite, is a central part of this reform. Thus, Guinea is not just mining but moving its mineral wealth, reaffirming...
In a huge crackdown on illegal waste processing, the Malaysian government has raided an unlicensed e-waste factory in the Bukit Rambai industrial estate, confiscating about 300 tonnes of aluminium ingots worth an estimated RM2.1 million (USD 445,000). The raid spotlights an emerging and lethal trend whereby toxic electronic waste is imported illegally to be processed for precious metals. Details of the raid The raid on July 15 was the culmination of a multi-agency operation between the Royal Malaysia Police, the Department of Environment, and the Inland Revenue Board after a week-long surveillance. Within the unlicensed plant, authorities found stacks of aluminium ingots on pallets, smelted from an enormous collection of waste electronics. It might have been destined for China, where...
The United States’ dynamic transformation in aluminium trade landscape is very well reflected through its semi-finished product imports, specifically aluminium plates, sheets, and bars as they show both volume growth and evolving sourcing patterns in Q1 2025. Despite maintaining a modest 22 per cent share of the country’s total aluminium imports during the quarter, this segment displayed a notable increase in volume, reaching 324,000 tonnes, up 10.69 per cent from 292,700 tonnes in Q4 2024. Yet, this sequential uptick didn’t surpass the 339,000 tonnes imported in Q2 2024. However, it did outpace Q3 2024’s figure of 300,600 tonnes and marked a 10.97 per cent rise year-on-year from 292,000 tonnes, reinforcing the upward trajectory driven by policy anticipation and domestic demand. February...
From the end of 2024 to the beginning of 2025, alumina production was highly profitable, with the operating capacity of alumina remaining high. However, alumina refineries had low inventory levels of bauxite raw materials and actively purchased bauxite. Affected by this, bauxite prices surged significantly. With limited domestic bauxite supply, imported bulk bauxite became the main source of raw material supplementation, with frequent transactions and continuously rising prices. In mid-January, the SMM CIF index for imported bauxite peaked at USD 116.19 per tonne. Image source: https://www.igrsgroup.com/products/metals-minerals/bauxite/ Driven by high prices, Guinea's bauxite shipments surged, and the supply of imported bauxite reached record highs, leading to a clear surplus in bauxite....
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump asserted that the US is “making major progress” in gaining access to the Indian market, attributing the breakthrough to his administration’s increasing use of tariffs to pressure countries into lowering trade barriers. The remarks come amid tensions between Washington and New Delhi, as the US imposes a fresh round of steep tariffs on Indian metal exports and broadens its use of “reciprocal duties” to target what it sees as unfair foreign trade practices. Speaking shortly after announcing a new zero-tariff trade pact with Indonesia, President Trump pointed to the deal as a model for how tariff pressure can yield results. Under the new agreement, American companies will enjoy zero-tariff access to Indonesian markets, while Indonesian exports to the US will...
Moscow, July 1, 2025. RUSAL, one of the world's largest aluminum producers, is implementing artificial intelligence to monitor the aluminum melt preparation. The preparation includes up to 20 operations, and a specially trained neural network monitors compliance with the optimal sequence of operations. The technology using AI reduces the risk of obtaining a low-quality alloy. The RUSAL Engineering and Technology Centre (RUSAL ETC) developed a system for monitoring melt preparation using machine vision together with employees of the Foundry Directorate of the Taishet Aluminum Smelter (TaAZ). Tests at TaAZ demonstrated the accuracy and efficiency of the system. "A specially trained neural network monitors the melt preparation, the personnel actions and the equipment operation through...
