Spanish racing driverFernando Alonso has added a one-off Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse to his growing collection of rare cars. Known as chassis 8.100, the car is distinguished by bespoke aluminium bodywork that required more than 20 tonnes of aluminium to produce, along with dedicated CAD programmes developed by Bugatti. Its history is equally distinctive, being produced after an original customer pushed Bugatti to create something it had initially considered too expensive. For Alonso, the automobile fits closely with an approach to luxury he outlined in 2024 about choosing manufacturers that treat individual customers differently rather than simply producing cars in larger numbers. To know the aluminium casting demand forecast in the transportation sector, explore our report "Global...
China Rare Earth Group is in talks to acquire a controlling stake in Shenghe Resources, a move that could bring the Chinese rare earth producer under tighter state control while giving Beijing influence over Shenghe’s overseas holdings, including a stake in US rare earths company MP Materials. Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that discussions between the companies have been underway since earlier this year. One source said China Rare Earth Group is seeking a controlling stake, although neither source knew when the acquisition could be announced or completed. If the deal goes through, China Rare Earth Group would take control of Shenghe’s interests in foreign companies, including its 3 per cent stake in MP Materials. The US rare earths company counts the US Department of...
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European Union’s sanction against Russia has unfolded numerous speculations about future trade scope among countries and continents. The EU’s proposal states a one-year phase-in period, with 275,000 tonnes exempted during this transition. This would mean a further decline in the import of Russian primary aluminium. On the one hand, in 2023, 500,000 tonnes were imported from Russia into the EU, on the other, the figure declined to 330,000 tonnes in the period of January to November 2024. The ripple effect of the uncertainty around the trade front has inevitably hit the market pricing segment as well. Pricing trend analysis Aluminium prices hiked 0.18 per cent to INR 253.9 (USD 2.90), owing to supply concerns post the European Union’s (EU’s) decision to phase by phase ban Russian aluminium...
Westlab is an innovative Australian manufacturer specialising in laboratory and industrial workspace solutions. With a strong focus on modular, scalable, and technically advanced systems, the company continues to push the boundaries of design and functionality. The business has a long-standing relationship with Capral, Australia's largest extruder and distributor of aluminium products, and prides itself on the responsible sourcing of locally extruded aluminium for its products. Recent innovations by the Westlab team, including the Modulab © Connect System, offer adaptable and high-performance solutions for scientific, pharmaceutical, and educational applications. “We’re always looking to improve and standardise our systems globally,” says Russell Grace, Director at Westlab. “With our...
Imported aluminium scrap prices in India witnessed an upward trend week-on-week (w-o-w), driven by a rise in London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium tags. BigMint's benchmark assessment for Tense scrap originating from the US was at $1,850/tonne (t), increasing by $35/t w-o-w, while Wheels from the UK stood at $2,420/t, down $30/t w-o-w, both CFR west coast, India. This week, LME prices rose by 1.4 per cent to $2,624/t. Meanwhile, stocks at LME-registered warehouses stood at 587,200 t, falling by around 1 per cent w-o-w against 592,625 t last week. Market scenario A trader stated that the UAE's domestic market remains silent due to weak demand; however, trades in major grades like extrusion and taint tabor were heard concluded at higher levels for CIF Mundra. Some deals were heard for...
Phinix LLC, a St. Louis-based company specialised in providing product and process development, research and commercialisation, and marketing and manufacturing services for primary, scrap, secondary, and fabricated products, has reportedly launched its two-year project to develop a commercial process of removing iron and manganese from molten aluminium scrap metals, in a bid to enhance the quality and sustainability of recycled aluminium. Led by Phinix founder and CEO Subodh Das and supported by a group of secondary aluminium producers, industrial and academic research institutions, industry consultants, and component suppliers, this $1.8 million project is funded by the Remade Institute in Rochester, New York. It builds upon a 2024 Remade-funded R&D initiative, leveraging patent-pending...
Africa & Asia (ex-China) ranks as the world's third-largest alumina-producing region after China, Oceania, and South America, accounting for nearly 10 per cent of the world's output annually . In 2024, the region's share of global alumina production increased slightly to exactly 10%, up from 9.65% in the previous year. The contribution has grown in line with the increase in production volume from 13.014 million tonnes in 2023 to 13.859 million tonnes in 2024 , reflecting a Y-o-Y rise of 6.49 per cent, according to the data revealed by the International Aluminium Institute. Throughout 2024, Africa & Asia's (ex-China) alumina production stood between 1.12-1.19 million tonnes. There were only three months when production exceeded 1.2 million tonnes, such as in March, June, and December....
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently released the 2024 Green Manufacturing list. As per the list, two subsidiaries of Mingtai Aluminum, namely Henan Mingsheng New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. and Henan Mingtai Technology Development Co., Ltd, were recognised as "National Green Factories." Source- Mingtai Aluminum website The National Green Factory certification, organised by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, plays a key role in advancing the goals of "Made in China 2025" and the "Double Carbon" strategy. With this achievement, Mingtai Aluminum now boasts a total of four national green factories. It aims to drive industrial enterprises toward greener, more efficient, and low-carbon operations while enhancing resource utilisation and...
Technology and advancements are the backbone of progress, continuously reshaping how we live, work, and interact with the world. Both are like the invisible thread that connects the simplest tasks to the most extraordinary feats, shaping how we live, work, and explore, from the flick of a switch that brightens a room to the complex orchestration of a spaceship soaring beyond our atmosphere. It is the bridge between imagination and reality, transforming ideas into tools, machines, and systems that redefine human potential. Technological progress is accelerating solutions to global challenges, from artificial intelligence optimising complex data analysis to renewable energy breakthroughs reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. In materials science, for instance, innovations in aluminium...
Futures Market: SHFE aluminium was closed overnight due to the Chinese New Year holiday. On Tuesday, February 4, 2025, LME aluminium opened at US$2,622 per tonne, reached a high of US$2,644.5 per tonne, a low of US$2,611 per tonne, and closed at US$2,629 per tonne, up US$8.5 per tonne or 0.32 per cent. Macro: (1) On February 1, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to raise a 10% tariff on goods imported from China. (Bearish★★) (2) Due to factors such as the approaching Chinese New Year holiday and the mass return of employees to their hometowns, the manufacturing PMI in January was 49.1 per cent, down 1.0 percentage point from the previous month. (Bearish★) (3) On January 29, the US Fed concluded its two-day monetary policy meeting and announced that the federal funds rate...
Before the Chinese New Year holiday, domestic aluminium prices shifted lower as end-use consumption weakened. On January 27, the most-traded SHFE aluminium contract (AL2503) closed at RMB 20,240 per tonne, down 0.78 per cent on the day. During the Chinese New Year holiday (January 28 to February 4), the SHFE aluminium market was closed, while LME aluminium prices maintained a fluctuating trend, with a high of US$2,634 per tonne and a low of $2,553 per tonne. On February 4, LME aluminium closed at US$2,637.5 per tonne, up 1.11 per cent over the period. Macro economy: US fed maintains cautious stance on rates, US and eurozone economies slow The US Fed recently stated that there is no urgent need for an interest rate cut until inflation and employment data require further adjustments,...
The global transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is revolutionising the automotive industry, driven by increasing concerns over air pollution and stringent emission regulations imposed by governments worldwide. With the environmental imperative to reduce fossil fuel dependency, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have gained substantial traction among consumers, with USD 4216.91 billion in 2024. This shift has also sparked a corresponding rise in the demand for lightweight materials such as aluminium in automobile manufacturing. One of the key factors accelerating the adoption of EVs is their lower maintenance cost compared to traditional petrol and diesel vehicles. The COVID-19 pandemic initially dampened the automotive market, with a sharp decline in...
Canyon Resources Limited is pleased to announce that the location of its Inland Rail Facility (‘IRF’) has been approved by the Government of Cameroon. In addition, Canyon’s in-country subsidiary Camalco Cameroon SA (‘Camalco’) has been allocated 105 hectares of land by the Lamido of Ngaoundere to be used for future additions to the IRF and associated infrastructure. The signing of this land approval marks another major milestone achieved by the Company in the rapid development of the Minim Martap Bauxite Project (‘Minim Martap’ or ‘the Project’). The approved IRF location is strategically situated near the existing Makor Railway Station, enabling seamless integration with existing local infrastructure and enhancing construction efficiency. The approval for the IRF location and allocation...
Somerset Council and their waste collections contractor, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK have launched a new campaign promoting recycling metal packaging. In a bid to improve kerbside recycling rates, households across the county are being encouraged to recycle food and drink cans, aluminium wrapping foil and foil trays, empty aerosols and metal screw tops. Spearheaded by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), the 'MetalMatters' campaign will use targeted social media, digital messaging, and radio and bus advertising to communicate the benefits of recycling metal household packaging. Starting in February, it is hoped that within the six-week-long campaign, we can engage with most of the 270,000 households in the Somerset Council area. Since its launch in 2012, more than...
HPQ Silicon Inc., a Quebec-based advanced materials engineering provider, has filed a provisional patent application for its latest innovative process developed by its France-based affiliate, Novacium SAS. The process is designed to transform black aluminium dross, a toxic by-product of aluminium recycling typically sent to landfills, into valuable resources. The waste-to-energy process will use black aluminium dross as a feedstock to produce green hydrogen and transform the remaining material into waste neutralisation and valorisation of the solid by-products. As rightly stated by Dr Oliver Moos, the Managing Director of Casthouse Engineering and Technology AG (CETAG) of Switzerland, this innovation has developed a promising approach to address critical materials like black aluminium...
Mixed-Up Cocktail Co. (Mixed-Up), the creator and producer of bold, Ready-to-Drink (RTD) aluminium canned craft cocktails, has announced the plan to expand its facility further in 2025. According to IWSR's RTDs Strategic Study 2024, demand for ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages grew by an average of 2 per cent, with Mexico seeing the highest growth at 8 per cent and Germany at 4 per cent. Image Source- Mixed-Up website In response to this demand, Mixed-Up successfully launched in Japan in late spring, with plans to continue growing its presence into 2025. Looking to capitalise on potential opportunities, especially in Japan, Mixed-Up is taking significant steps to support its growth in 2025. The brand has secured a 45,000 sq ft facility capable of producing over 20,000 cases of cocktails per...
IBAAS is pleased to announce the 13th International Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Conference & Exhibition (IBAAS-IMMT-IIM 2025), scheduled to be held from October 8-10, 2025 , in Bhubaneswar, India. This prestigious event is being organised in collaboration with the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) and the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM), Bhubaneswar Chapter. The theme for this year’s conference, “A Green and Smart Aluminium Industry for Tomorrow,” reflects the industry’s focus on sustainable and innovative solutions to address global challenges. As the aluminium sector undergoes a transformation driven by decarbonisation, digitalisation, and advanced technologies, this conference will provide a global platform for discussions on cutting-edge developments,...
India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp, is intensifying its efforts in the electric vehicle (EV) space to capture a larger market share. The company, which launched its Vida brand in 2023, has been expanding its presence across the country, with a presence in over 116 cities and 203 touchpoints. Downstream product manufacturer, aluminium die-casted automotive parts manufacturer Sundaram Clayton (also known as TVS Holdings), is also in on its game-changing strategy to revolutionise the face of the electric vehicle market in India. Hero to establish independent electric vehicle unit Hero MotoCorp Ltd, one of India’s leading two-wheeler manufacturers, continues to intensify its efforts in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. With a market share in the mid-single digits, the...
February 4, 2025 – today is the day the United States' 25 per cent additional import tariffs on Canada, Mexico and 10 per cent on China are coming into effect. Already, the tariffs, even before being implemented, have brought several opinions from industry leaders on possible changes in market dynamics for the United States and the rest of the world. Jorge Eduardo Dyszel, a risk management consultant and expert in base metals and the London Metal Exchange, has weighed in on the situation. He suggests the United States importers will either need to pay the 25 per cent tariff or seek alternative sources for commodities like aluminium. He also warns that a reduced supply of aluminium could lead to higher premiums for US buyers, potentially resulting in a contango curve—an upward-sloping...
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), a collaborative endeavour aimed at enhancing sustainability throughout the value chain, announced the successful certification of Lizhong Group with the Performance Standard V3 (2022). Lizhong Group's Guangdong Longda Aluminum Industry Co., Ltd. facility, located in Guangdong Province, China, has bagged the certification for producing aluminium alloy ingots and cast aluminium alloy liquid. The certification was announced by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI). The facility specialises in melting, alloying, and casting processes for aluminium alloys, with its primary products being cast aluminium alloy ingots and liquid aluminium alloy. The facility boasts an annual production capacity of 100,000 tonnes. The independent third-party audit of...
