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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On the January 24 morning commentary of SMM, Futures Market, during the night session, saw the most-traded alumina 2502 contract opening at RMB 3,668 per tonne, hitting a high of RMB 3,689 per tonne and a low of RMB 3,641 per tonne, and finally closing at RMB 3,660 per tonne, down RMB 58 per tonne or 1.57 per cent, with an open interest of 35,800 lots. Industry Dynamics This week, the operating rate of leading downstream aluminium processing enterprises in China continued to drop sharply by 6.3 percentage points W-o-W to 51.1 per cent. This week marked the last trading week before the Chinese New Year, and operating rates across aluminium processing sectors generally declined due to the holiday. The operating rate of primary aluminium alloy fell to 51 per cent, with some enterprises...
According to Platts assessment, a division of S&P Global, the premium for Japanese primary aluminium imports in the first quarter of 2025 stands at $228 per tonne over the London Metal Exchange cash price, reflecting a 30.29 per cent rise from $175 per tonne in Q4 2024. Image source: Sumitomo Corporation The main Japanese port aluminium premium has been assessed on the basis of 12 trades done between December 12, 2024, and January 22, 2025, involving a total trade volume of 15,000 tonnes per month. The premium averaged in the first quarter of 2025 is the highest since the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to $205 per tonne. According to Platts, the contributing factor to this spike in Q1 premium is the limited availability of primary metal due to production cuts on high alumina prices,...
Recently, no new transaction prices have been observed for imported bauxite from Guinea, as buyers and sellers remain in a standoff. However, both supplier quotations and the intended prices from bauxite buyers have shown a decline, suggesting that the price of imported bauxite from Guinea may experience a certain degree of pullback. The supply fundamentals of domestic bauxite remain relatively tight, providing some price support. However, the significant drop in alumina transaction prices has still stimulated the desire of some domestic ore buyers to bargain down prices. In the short term, domestic ore prices may exhibit volatile movements, and further developments need to be closely monitored. Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauxite Domestic bauxite This week, the domestic...
2024 has been all about jumping hoops to advance in the industrial progress for the non-ferrous metal, aluminium. The entire extraction and the subsequent production, starting from bauxite mining, progressing through alumina refining and finally reaching the manufacturing of a varied type of aluminium, is a mammoth task. And, producers across the globe, at times, need each other and even external supporting entities to steer forward. Today, we delve into some of the crucial agreements and contracts from the calendar year that shaped the industry smoother than before. NTPC to supply uninterrupted power for NALCO’s smelter expansion NTPC Limited (National Thermal Power Corporation) and National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a Navaratna Company, came together in a non-binding Memorandum...
Icelandic metals analysis pioneer DTE has appointed Jakob Asmundsson as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), marking a pivotal step in the company’s growth journey. A seasoned executive with a proven track record of transformative leadership, Asmundsson will steer DTE’s strategy as it scales up operations to become an integral partner to the aluminium industry. With DTE set to expand into new markets, Asmundsson will leverage his success in guiding businesses through major growth phases to cement the company’s position as the leading industry supplier of real-time molten metal analysis. Drawing on his past experience, he will focus on optimising DTE’s operational performance and resources to meet the company’s ambitious growth targets. Meanwhile, Asmundsson will bolster DTE’s product...
At the dawn of the new presidential era on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump announced his intent to impose a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese product imports, including aluminium, as early as February 1. Following the news, the three-month aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange decreased by 0.9 per cent to US$2,611 per tonne, feeling the pressure of trade tensions. On his second day in office, the US President called for an investigation into US-China trade to assess potential penalties on Chinese goods. Previously, he had threatened China with a 60 per cent tariff on imports but later adjusted his proposal to a 10 per cent duty, despite which China's blue-chip CSI 300 index and the Shanghai Composite index closed nearly 1 per cent lower, representing the highest fall in nearly two...
Aluminium recycling goes beyond sustainability; it serves as a key catalyst for economic growth, enhances supply chain resilience, and supports environmental responsibility. And talking about recycling, Novelis, the global leader in aluminium rolling and recycling, is leading the way in end-of-life vehicle recycling, going beyond just production scrap. Image Source: Novelis By utilising advanced scrap sortation and segregation technologies, the company aims to capture specific aluminium alloys from decommissioned vehicles, preserving their value and quality. In partnership with key industry players, Novelis is driving a circularity platform for end-of-life vehicles, optimising material flow, increasing access to high-quality recycled aluminium, and minimising landfill waste. Collaborating...
The grocery aisle is a kaleidoscope of colourful packaging crafted to grab the attention of the buyers and entice them to make a purchase. Be it aluminium cans, bottles, and other materials, the packaging story doesn't end once it is opened and recycled; the real story begins when the material returns to the shelves as a new product or is transformed into something very different. The latest report from the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) paints a reasonably positive picture: in 2022–23, packaging across all industries in Australia contained an average of 44 per cent recycled content. However, this figure hides significant variation between materials. To explore the differences, ABC Science examined three commonly used and relatively easy-to-recycle packaging materials —...
During the night session, the most-traded alumina 2502 futures contract opened at RMB 3,800 per tonne, with a high of RMB 3,806 per tonne and a low of RMB 3,772 per tonne, closing at RMB 3,784 per tonne, down RMB 17 per tonne or 0.43 per cent. Open interest stood at 48,700 lots. As for spot alumina transactions, in Henan, 7,000 tonnes of spot alumina were transacted at a price range of RMB 3,880-3,900 per tonne. The spot-futures price spread daily report suggests that, according to SMM data, as of 11:30 on January 22, the SMM alumina index showed a premium of RMB 392 per tonne against the latest transaction price of the most-traded contract. Warehouse warrant daily report On January 22, the total registered warehouse warrants for alumina decreased by 902 tonnes from the previous trading...
A new campaign promoting metal packaging recycling has been introduced by Leicestershire County Council. In a bid to improve recycling rates, households across the county are being encouraged to recycle their metal packaging including food and drink cans, aluminium wrapping foil and foil trays, as well as empty aerosols and metal screw tops. Spearheaded by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), the ‘MetalMatters’ programme will use targeted social media and digital messaging to communicate the widespread benefits of recycling metal household packaging. Starting in January, it is hoped that within the six-week long campaign, Leicestershire County Council can engage with the majority of the 316,000 households in Leicestershire. Since its launch in 2012, more than 128 local...
The conversation around bauxite mining in Western Australia (WA) is heating up, with politicians and stakeholders engaging in a spirited debate over its future. The Greens have proposed a bold plan to phase out bauxite mining in WA’s native forests, aiming to preserve the region's rich biodiversity and water resources. AI generated image for referential purposes only However, industry leaders, workers, and the state government see a different path — one that balances environmental stewardship with economic vitality. A vision for sustainability The Greens have committed to banning new bauxite mining in WA’s native forests and gradually winding down existing operations over the next decade. They emphasise the irreplaceable value of WA’s South West forests for climate regulation, water...
According to customs data, China's aluminium extrusion exports (HS codes 76041010, 76041090, 76042100, 76042910, 76042990) in December 2024 totalled 74,100 tonnes, down 40.04 per cent M-o-M and 16.58 per cent Y-o-Y. The decline was mainly due to the Ministry of Finance's announcement on November 15 to cancel the aluminium semis export tax rebate policy starting December 1, leading to a rush to meet deadlines in November that overdrew subsequent export volumes. Among export registration locations, the top three provinces in December were Guangdong, Shandong, and Jiangsu. Chongqing saw a surge in export volumes, while other provinces experienced significant declines. For export destinations, Vietnam ranked first in December, accounting for 10 per cent of exports, followed by Israel at 8 per...
The share value of a leading mining company, based in India, specialising in the extraction, manufacturing, and trading of minerals and their derivative products, surged by 10 per cent following the signing of a long-term Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Railway. Price hike stance With a market capitalisation of INR 5,075.30 crore (approx. US$618.94 million) as of Monday, shares of Ashapura Minechem Ltd (NSE: ASHM) rose by 10 per cent, reaching a high of INR 571.55 (USD 6.62) per share compared to the previous closing price of INR 519.60 (USD 6.02) per share. The back story Ashapura Minechem Limited, through its overseas subsidiary, has been bound in a long-term Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Railway. The company specialises in the mining, manufacturing, and...
Yunnan Aluminum Co., Ltd. has recently received the "EATNS Carbon Management System Evaluation Certificate" from the Carbon Management System Evaluation Committee of the Shanghai Environmental Energy Exchange. This makes Yunnan Aluminum the first electrolytic aluminium company in the domestic aluminium sector to earn this recognition. The evaluation encompasses eight electrolytic aluminium enterprises and one carbon production enterprise under Yun Aluminum Co., Ltd. This achievement marks a significant breakthrough in carbon management for the company, signaling the beginning of a new era in the green development of the aluminium industry. The system incorporates four key components—carbon emissions, carbon assets, carbon trading, and carbon neutrality—forming an integrated carbon...
At the renowned BAU Expo in Germany, Viva, Asia's leading manufacturer and supplier of aluminium composite panels (ACP), introduced SOLID X—India's first pre-coated, ready-to-install solid aluminium panels. This revolutionary product ushers in a new era of architectural design, blending exceptional strength, versatility, and sustainability to transform modern facades and interiors. Image Source: Viva SOLID X aluminium panels SOLID X aluminium panels are meticulously engineered to offer outstanding performance, establishing new standards in architectural materials. With an A1 fire rating—the highest classification for non-combustible materials—and a weather-resistant PVDF coating, these panels guarantee both enduring beauty and safety. Crafted with parallel flatness to reduce internal...
Recently, the weekly operating rate of alumina has continued to increase slightly, with no significant changes on the demand side. The price centre of recent spot alumina transaction prices remains on a downward trend, but the decline has narrowed compared to earlier periods. As of now, alumina capacity has not entered a large-scale loss-making state. It is expected that the short-term operating rate of alumina will remain high, with the supply and demand fundamentals maintaining a slight surplus. Overall, spot alumina prices are expected to continue their downward trend in the short term. Close attention should be paid to bauxite transaction prices, alumina costs, and overseas spot alumina prices in the near term. In the overnight session, the most-traded alumina 2502 contract opened at...
Alcoa Inespal SL, a subsidiary of Alcoa Corporation, has reportedly entered into a strategic agreement with IGNIS Equity Holdings, SL, the majority shareholder in the IGNIS Group, the Spanish National Government, and the Xunta de Galicia, to continue to support San Ciprián smelter's operations. All the San Ciprián stakeholders have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining some strategic plans to address the current issues at the smelter. The plans include: To correspond with San Ciprián's workers to establish joint efforts to stabilise operations once the smelter becomes fully operational by October 1, 2025. To streamline renewable energy projects and deploy policies for achieving competitive energy costs To reduce CO2 emissions from operations To support residue storage area (RSA)...
The European aluminium industry needs swift action to keep the region competitive in the wake of high energy prices, expensive raw materials and increased global competition, Paul Voss, director general of industry body European Aluminium, told S&P Global Commodity Insights in an interview at the aluminium trade fair in Dusseldorf on October 8, 2024. "There is a need for a serious shift to competitiveness for the European aluminium industry; we won't sit and wait for someone to solve our problems; we must engage," Voss said. According to International Aluminium Institute (IAI) data, the European aluminium industry has steadily declined across the past decade, with Western and Central European primary aluminium production deflating 25.5 per cent from 2010 (production during this year was...
