Guinea has emerged as a major driver of Africa’s export growth to China, with its bauxite shipments to the Asian market nearly quadrupling between 2018 and 2025. Chinese imports of Guinean aluminium ores and concentrates, consisting almost entirely of bauxite, increased from 38.2 million tonnes to approximately 149.5 million tonnes over the period. The surge has bolstered Guinea’s position in China’s bauxite supply chain, while the country advances its alumina refining capacity expansion plans. Trade figures highlight the importance of Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to Africa’s bauxite and copper exports to China, respectively. Between 2018 and 2025, the two countries added USD 25.77 billion to Chinese purchases from the continent, exceeding Africa’s overall net...
Aluminium’s trade map is no longer drawn by smelters alone. Scrap flows, power contracts, industrial policy and specialist grades now shape who secures metal, at what cost and under whose rules. Ten recent developments across Europe, the US, Australia, Japan and Mexico show how recycling, energy and regulation are becoming the new levers of aluminium competitiveness. They also show where traders, exporters and policymakers may need to adjust. Scrap tug-of-war: the US pull, Europe’s leak and the recycling base at stake The pull starts with price. The US UBC scrap benchmark averaged USD 2,322.89 a tonne in July, USD 2,491.22 in August and USD 2,602.51 in September. That is a 12 per cent climb, and it came after a July that opened at USD 2,464.98 and fell to USD 2,270.76 within two days....
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The Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI) has reportedly urged the government to waive the 2.5 per cent import duty on aluminium scrap, following the Aluminium Association of India's demand for a rise in the same tariff to 7.5 per cent . Although AAI and MRAI's appeals are contradictory, both have come ahead of the Union Budget 2024. MRAI has made the elimination request, highlighting the critical role of recycled aluminium in reducing carbon emissions and stimulating a circular economy. MRAI President Sanjay Mehta emphasised, "India's aluminium recycling industry plays a pivotal role in harmonising efforts to combat climate change and bolster environmental sustainability." He further asserted that recycling aluminium also reduces the usage of raw materials and protects natural...
Daisy Goddard-Dickinson, a year six student from St Nicholas CofE Primary School near Ripon, has secured first place in a national competition conducted by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro). The competition, part of the 'Bin-fluencers' educational program targeting Key Stage 3 pupils to enhance recycling awareness, challenged students nationwide to design a unique recycling bin to encourage classmates to reconsider discarding their waste. Daisy's entry perfectly met the criteria with its creative flair, earning her the top spot. Judges were impressed by her imaginative approach, leading to her selection as the winner. As a reward, Daisy will have her winning design featured on a new recycling bin and receive an iPad. Additionally, her classmates will benefit from a...
In May 2024, upstream aluminium production (primary metal and alumina) scaled up across Europe, driven by higher profitability for producers due to increased aluminium prices. Throughout May, the aluminium benchmark price on the London Metal Exchange rallied by 5.19 per cent, reaching US$2,677 per tonne from US$2,545 per tonne on April 30. Overview of primary aluminium production According to the International Aluminium Institute, primary aluminium production in both Western & Central Europe and Russia & Eastern Europe saw a significant month-on-month increase. While the production in Western & Central Europe saw a hike of 4.42 per cent to 236,000 tonnes, the output in Russia & Central Europe experienced an increase of 3.88 per cent to 348,000 tonnes. On an annual basis, Western & Central...
Spot prices for ADC12 aluminium alloy ingots (non-OEM) in Delhi NCR and Chennai remained steady week-over-week, with only a slight decline, according to BigMint's latest assessment. In the Delhi-NCR region, ADC12 spot prices were recorded at INR 212,000 per tonne ex-Delhi, matching the domestic Tense scrap prices, which settled at INR 180,000 per tonne ex-Delhi. Similarly, ADC12 prices were noted at INR 214,500 per tonne in Chennai on an immediate payment basis, excluding GST. Concurrently, casting scrap prices were INR 181,000 per tonne ex-Chennai. The current spread between Tense and ADC12 spot levels is INR 29,000-30,000 per tonne. Major automaker adjusts ADC12 prices India's leading automobile manufacturer has set the ADC12 August settlement prices at INR 222,000 per tonne, a slight...
The construction of the Fengshan Lake production support project, a graphene-coated carbon aluminium foil production base, has officially commenced. This project is a collaboration between Jiangmen Jiangfa Industrial Park Investment and Development Group Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Jiangmen Development Group's industrial park development and operation sector, and Guangdong Shengkai Metal Industrial Co., Ltd. The Fengshan Lake production support project, focused on producing graphene-coated carbon aluminium foil, is funded by Jiangfa Industrial Park Group through special funds from the provincial large-scale industrial cluster. The project entails a construction and equipment investment of approximately 500 million yuan. Upon reaching full production capacity, it is expected to generate an...
Bright Laser Technologies (BLT) recently unveiled two advanced additive manufacturing materials, including a high-strength aluminium alloy designed specifically for aerospace 3D printing applications. About BLT-AlAM500 The BLT-AlAM500 made its debut at TCT Asia earlier this year. It aims to address challenges such as cracking and low component density often encountered in selective laser melting processes. The Chinese manufacturer claims to have optimised process parameters for high-strength aluminium alloys, particularly targeting manufacturing large, intricate components with integrated structures. During the Shanghai event in May, BLT showcased several examples of thin-walled parts featuring internal cavities, including a bent tube, ventilation duct, and connecting pipe. These...
According to the US Geological Survey, domestic primary aluminium production in the United States trended down in April 2024, recording a month-on-month drop of 3.51 per cent and a year-on-year decline of 12.7 per cent. Source: USGS The data from USGS indicates that the Y-o-Y drop in full-month output resulted from a dip in daily average production during April 2024, reaching 1,850 tonnes versus 2,100 tonnes in April 2023. However, on a month-on-month basis, the daily output in April mainly remained unchanged compared to 1,840 tonnes. The United States’ full-month primary aluminium production in April stood at 55,000 tonnes, compared to 57,000 tonnes in March 2024 and 63,000 tonnes in April 2023, reinforcing growing reliance on secondary aluminium sourced from scrap for producing end-user...
The previous trading day, LME aluminium opened at US$2,415.5 per tonne, reached a high of US$2,424 per tonne and a low of US$2,397 per tonne, and closed at US$2,405.5 per tonne, down US$10.5 per tonne, a decrease of 0.43 per cent. On Wednesday, July 17, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price went down by US$5 per tonne or 0.21 per cent and US$14 per tonne or 0.58 per cent to settle at US$2,362.50 per tonne and US$2,363 per tonne. As per the LME price graph, both 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price slumped by US$18 per tonne or 0.73 per cent to clock at US$2,418 per tonne and US$2,418.50 per tonne. December 25 bid price and December 25 offer price slipped by US$15 per tonne or 0.57 per cent to dock at US$2,577 per tonne and US$2,582 per tonne....
The Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has presented mining lease agreements for bauxite and lithium to Parliament for consideration. The Ministry submitted a lease agreement with Ashanti Bauxite Limited Company to mine bauxite in the Nyinahini Block 2 Area in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region. A lease agreement with Barari DV Ghana Limited was also presented to explore lithium at Ewoyaa in the Central Region. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, laid these agreements before the House on behalf of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources. The agreements seek parliamentary approval for mining activities in the specified areas. In response, Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin referred the agreements to the Committee...
MA Aluminum Co., Ltd. has announced a strategic investment to double its production capacity for aluminium pipes with internally threaded surfaces, also known as torsion pipes. This expansion will address the increasing demand for high-quality aluminium piping in the air conditioning industry. The Japanese aluminium products manufacturing company will invest JPY 500 million (approximately $3.1 million) to establish a new torsion pipe processing line at its Fuji Works facility in Shizuoka. Scheduled to commence operations in November 2025, the new line will enhance the monthly production capacity from the current level of over 50 tonnes to more than 100 tonnes. This significant increase in production capacity reflects MA Aluminum Co., Ltd.'s mission to serve its clients better and meet the...
Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) reportedly expects Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd’s core earnings to increase by up to 20 per cent Q-o-Q and 60 per cent Y-o-Y in the second quarter of CY2024, led by higher prices of the metal. According to Hong Leong’s projection, the company’s Q2 earnings will range between RM480 million and RM500 million, resulting in the first half’s earnings surging by 51 per cent to RM897-RM917 million. This positive forecast is based on robust prices of global aluminium on LME, especially during the end of May, reaching RMB 2,677 per tonne on May 31, said HLIB, maintaining a “buy” call on Press Metal with an unchanged target price of RM6.51. Supported by the strong aluminium prices, HLIB considers Press Metal’s risk and reward profile favourable and is set to...
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has reportedly issued a letter seeking public opinion on the revised import policies of secondary aluminium alloy and aluminium alloy raw materials and secondary copper and copper alloy raw materials. It is a revised version of the “Announcement No. 43” issued in 2020. The revised version has amended the policies for secondary aluminium alloy imports, taking into account the status and recent developments in the field. Once the revised policies are implemented, high-quality raw materials of secondary aluminium alloys, such as wrought aluminium alloy and secondary pure aluminium, will possibly be allowed for imports. The revised draft includes the categories of secondary aluminium alloy to be imported, inspection standards, and index requirements....
A report by the Canadian Beverage Association (CBA), researched and authored by Eunomia Research & Consulting Inc. has concluded that the best approach for Ontario to achieve a 90 per cent recovery rate for beverage containers like aluminium cans is to expand the current deposit system managed by The Beer Store. The recommendation suggests increasing the number of retail and depot locations where Ontarians can return bottles and aluminium cans to receive a 10-cent refund per container. CBA commissioned Eunomia The CBA commissioned Eunomia to conduct a research report and a DRS modelling study to identify a cost-effective, consumer-friendly, high-performing deposit-return system (DRS). Implementing such a system would achieve high recycling rates, reduce environmental litter, and increase...
In June 2024 (30 days), China's metallurgical-grade alumina output dipped 2.1 per cent M-o-M, standing at 6.842 million tonnes versus 6.989 million tonnes. However, on a year-on-year basis, the production in June 2024 edged an increase of 5.91 per cent from 6.46 million tonnes, according to the Shanghai Metals Market survey. The average daily production in June 2024 was 228,100 tonnes per day, down by 4,900 tonnes from 233,000 tonnes in May 2024 but up by 13,100 tonnes from 215,000 tonnes in June 2023 . Combining China's alumina output in each month of H1 2024, the country's total production of the ore amounted to 40.293 million tonnes, up 3.84 per cent Y-o-Y. At the end of June, China's installed capacity for metallurgical-grade alumina was 100.6 million tonnes, with an operating...
Novelis Inc., a premier provider of sustainable aluminium solutions and the global leader in aluminium rolling and recycling, announced an investment of approximately $90 million to expand its recycling capacity for used beverage cans (UBCs) at the Latchford plant. The investment encompasses the construction of a new dross house, three new bag houses, and the installation of cutting-edge shredding, sorting, de-coating, and melting technologies. "Of all the recycling players in the European market, Novelis has the highest ambition to maximize its recycled content across our product range. Globally, Novelis had an average of 63% recycled content in our products in fiscal year 2024," said Emilio Braghi, executive vice president of Novelis and president of Novelis Europe. About the project...
The Jamaican Minister of State for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Mining, Hon. Frank Witter, has emphasised the critical role of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) in the research and governance of bauxite residue management. At the opening ceremony of the JBI International Workshop on Bauxite Residue and Red Mud Disposal Legacy Issues, held at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston on July 15, Witter commended the institute's significant contributions to tackling the environmental challenges associated with bauxite mining. The Minister said, "Through regular reviews of the industry's environmental performance, JBI ensures necessary corrective actions are implemented. Furthermore, the Institute promotes research and development to identify new technologies for cleaner, more...
Ahead of the Union Budget 2024, Indian aluminium producers have sought an increase in the import duty on aluminium scrap to 7.5 per cent from the present 2.5 per cent. In addition, they have also asked to maintain the import duty on primary aluminium at the current rate of 7.5 per cent or a marginal rise to 10 per cent. These urges are to curb the excessive inflow of substandard aluminium products and protect the domestic industry, which provides livelihoods to more than 10 lakh people. This news came on Tuesday, July 16, after the Aluminium Association of India (AAI) asked the government to control aluminium scrap imports by increasing duties to 7.5 per cent, akin to those on primary aluminium. AAI is also advocating for the maintenance of the duty on primary aluminium imports, including...
Aluminium stands as an indispensable pillar in our modern world, driving the pulse of our global economy with its unparalleled versatility and sustainability. From powering aeroplanes to speeding up cars, its unique properties propel industries forward and shape the products we rely on daily, from beverage cans to smartphones. In the dynamic realm of aluminium production, the quest for sustainability is gaining momentum amidst significant challenges. The traditional Hall-Héroult cell technology, vital yet beset by external electricity supply issues, is at a crossroads. Rising demand, set to surge nearly 40% by 2030, underscores the urgent need for greener production methods. Innovation, however, remains constrained by the durability and affordability of essential materials, crucial for...
