Saudi Arabia’s aluminium consumption could climb to as much as 1.8 million tonnes a year by 2030, as the Kingdom ramps up infrastructure and industrial development ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Ahmad Al-Alshaikh, executive vice president of Maaden’s Aluminum Business Unit, said demand is expected to reach at least 1.6 million tonnes annually by 2030, up from around 1 million tonnes currently. Consumption could potentially double over the next five to seven years, he said. Speaking on the sidelines of the Fastmarkets International Aluminium Conference in Budapest, Al-Alshaikh said construction of 15 new stadiums for the football tournament is helping to support aluminium demand, Reuters reported. Major exhibitions and preparations for the World Cup are also expected to contribute to...
The story of the aluminium industry is starting a chapter wherein scrap availability, recycling technology, trade policy, carbon costs and demand growth are becoming increasingly interconnected. From the US and Canada to Europe, India, New Zealand and China, recent developments show that the global aluminium supply chain is being reshaped on several fronts at once. These developments point to a changing aluminium business model: access to metal alone may no longer be enough. Quality of recycled feedstock, domestic processing capacity, carbon intensity, trade exposure and the ability to meet increasingly specific customer requirements could become equally important competitive factors. Join the fourth edition of the webinar “Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours” by Jorge...
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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:...
Futures Market: On Friday, the most-traded alumina 2509 futures contract opened at RMB 2,909 per tonne during the night session, with a high of RMB 2,922 per tonne, a low of RMB 2,889 per tonne, and closed at RMB 2,898 per tonne, down RMB 3 per tonne or 0.10 per cent from the previous close. Open interest stood at 307,000 lots. Image for referential purposes only Ore Market: As of June 6, the SMM Import Bauxite Index was reported at USD 75.20 per tonne, up USD 0.26 per tonne from the previous trading day. The SMM Guinea Bauxite CIF average price was reported at USD 75 per tonne, unchanged from the previous trading day. The SMM Australia Low-Temperature Bauxite CIF average price was reported at USD 70 per tonne, unchanged from the previous trading day. The SMM Australia High-Temperature...
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...
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) today announced that Min Ta Al-Tech (Taicang) Co., Ltd. has been certified against the ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022). The Certification covers processes including aluminium extrusion, processing, deep processing and surface treatment. The facility operates ten aluminium extrusion production lines and produces seamed and seamless aluminium tubes, industrial profiles and aluminium alloy parts for automobiles and electronic machinery as well as medical, sports and transportation equipment. The facility has an annual production capacity of 20,000 tonnes. The ASI Certification program was developed through an extensive multi-stakeholder consultation process and is the only comprehensive voluntary sustainability standard initiative for the aluminium...
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....
According to SMM data, China's metallurgical-grade alumina production in May 2025 (31 days) increased by 2.66 per cent M-o-M and 4.06 per cent Y-o-Y. As of the end of May, China's existing capacity for metallurgical-grade alumina was approximately 110.82 million tonnes, while the actual operating capacity decreased by 0.46 per cent M-o-M, with an operating rate of 77.3 per cent. The operating capacities of domestic alumina refineries varied in May. Due to an overall decline in bauxite prices and a significant rebound in alumina prices, the profitability of alumina enterprises improved, leading to partial resumption of production at plants that had previously undergone maintenance and production cuts. Meanwhile, some enterprises conducted maintenance and production cuts. Overall, the...
During the May 9 to June 6 period, aluminium fluoride prices continued to weaken. As of now, SMM aluminium fluoride prices closed at RMB 9,630-9,900 per tonne, and SMM cryolite prices were quoted at RMB 7,500-9,500 per tonne. On the raw material side, for fluorspar, the current delivery-to-factory price for 97 per cent fluorspar powder concentrated in the RMB 3,200-3,550 per tonne range. Throughout the period, the fluorspar market remained sluggish, with intense supply and demand bargaining, and the price center continuously declined. In terms of supply, northern enterprises gradually resumed production as temperatures rose, coupled with a large influx of low-priced foreign trade goods into the market, leading to a significant YoY increase in overall supply, and continuous pressure on the...
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...
Aluminium prices moved up in the futures market on June 5, 2025. Traders increased their position sizes based on favourable spot market news. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), the July aluminium futures rose by 5 paise to INR 242.10 (USD 2.82) per kilogram. This represents positive momentum driven by demand and interest from speculators, suggesting confidence in aluminium's outlook for the short-term. In India, aluminium futures have been rising. Spot rates were around INR 239 per kg (USD 2.79) on June 5, 2025, while July futures are estimated at INR 242.10 (USD 2.82) per kg. Also read: US aluminium premiums spike to a record $900/t, fueling hope for Novelis’ bottom line boost. But how? Market dynamics driving aluminium futures The increase in aluminium futures is largely due to new...
