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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According to a report, the Indian Government may consider addressing the issue of inverted duty structure for some products in the aluminium sector in the forthcoming Union Budget for the fiscal year 2025-26. The news came on December 11 after an official said the government would revisit the inverted duty structure to protect and boost domestic manufacturing. Inverted duty structure refers to a situation where the domestic industry pays a higher cost for raw materials in terms of duty while the finished products land at lower duty and cost, leading to credit accumulation and compounding expenses. The Indian aluminium industry already knocked the government in mid-November to remind them about increasing import duties on both primary and downstream aluminium products. The demand is a 10...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China's A00 aluminium ingot price has gained RMB 40 per tonne to reach RMB 20,420 per tonne on Thursday, December 12. Since the beginning of the week, China's domestic aluminium ingot prices have moved within a fixed range, hovering between RMB 20,410-20,420 per tonne. Today's average prices are estimated to range between RMB 20,400-20,440 per tonne, with a spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 40 per tonne. Image Source: iStock Due to the ongoing traditional off-season, the subtle trading of aluminium ingot in the domestic market has led to range-bound prices throughout December. From December 2 to 12, China's A00 aluminium ingot price has increased by only RMB 40 per tonne. The provinces have demonstrated a mixed trend,...
A shipment of Chinese diesel locomotives was spotted at the Zhanghuabang cargo terminal in Shanghai Port on December 10, 2024, ready for dispatch to Conakry, the capital of Guinea. This batch of ten locomotives is specifically designed to handle heavy loads and accommodate various track types, catering to the unique transportation demands of bauxite mining operations. Guinea stands at the top of the list of the world's leading bauxite-producing nations, and the West African nation also holds the record of the world's leading bauxite exporter. China's homegrown brands will further enhance their global presence with the continued shipment of these diesel locomotives from Shanghai Port. Customs clearance at Shanghai's Wusong Port has been adapted to align with the specific characteristics of...
Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability of Malaysia, clarified during the Minister's 'Question Time' in the ‘Lower House of Parliament, Malaysia, on December 12, 2024, that bauxite mining activities in Bukit Goh, Kuantan, Pahang, have not secured approval for their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. He revealed that the initial EIA report for the project was rejected, and a revised report was submitted to the Department of Environment a few months ago, which is now under review. Responding to Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, Member of the House of Representatives of Malaysia, Nik Nazmi said, “Once again, the department received an EIA report for a project proposal titled Proposed Bauxite Mining Operation in Bukit Goh with an area of...
DTE, Iceland’s groundbreaking metals analysis innovator, announces the appointment of Auður Árnadóttir as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). With a proven track record of guiding startups through complex growth phases, Auður brings a wealth of expertise in financial strategy, operational efficiency and international business - a crucial addition as DTE enters an accelerated expansion stage. Auður’s new position at DTE builds on her impressive track record of financial and executive roles in industries ranging from genetics to renewable energy. Most recently, she served as CFO at Icelandic plant-based biotech firm ORF Genetics, where she managed EU Horizon 2020 grant funding, led a successful bond issuance and supported ongoing scaling efforts. Auður has previously served as CFO for Avania...
In November 2024, just ahead of the cancellation of the aluminium semis export tax rebate on December 1, overseas orders for Chinese extruded aluminium products surged, driving some billet enterprises to increase operations. Therefore, despite one less operating day in November than October, China’s domestic primary aluminium billet production per day remained stable at 49,000 tonnes. Image Source: Guoxin Aluminum According to the Shanghai Metals Market, the monthly output also stood firm at 1.477 million tonnes in November versus 1.507 million tonnes in October. That reflected a 2 per cent drop month-on-month, primarily due to one operation day less. The number of sample enterprises in the SMM monthly survey was 169, with a total capacity of 31.205 million tonnes, unchanged from the...
RUSAL, one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, has developed an artificial intelligence-based technology for container control. This innovation significantly reduces the time required to dispatch containers from the terminal for loading with finished products. The technology, developed by RUSAL’s Engineering Department, is currently being tested at one of the container terminals at the Krasnoyarsk Aluminium Smelter (KrAZ). It involves creating a virtual twin of the terminal, where machine vision and high-precision positioning systems recognize and track containers. The system records the location and identification numbers of all containers awaiting loading with aluminium. This project won the ComNews Awards—best Solutions for the Digital Economy 2024 in the “Best Digital...
The Canadian beverage brand — 1642, known for its qualitative tonics and mixers, has brought forth a new range of 355 ml tonic and ginger cans. The brand has yet again taken a step forward towards its commitment to sustainability. As the demand for green packaging booms, 1642 has partaken in the initiative by presenting recyclable aluminium beverage cans after more than a year's effort that, on one hand, preserve the refreshing taste of its signature 'Tonic' and 'Ginger' flavours and, on the other, noticeably reduce the brand's carbon footprint. This initiative is a testament to 1642's unwavering pledge to environmental responsibility and innovation in the beverage industry. Image Source: https://en.1642.ca/ "Our new can format is a direct response to consumer demand for more sustainable...
The European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, is spearheading efforts to dilute the EU’s key policies aimed at reducing CO 2 emissions from cars, according to a draft position paper reviewed and reported by Reuters. This push by the centre-right party aligns with growing calls from automakers and national governments for immediate support to address the challenges facing Europe’s struggling car manufacturing industry. The EPP document proposed reversing the European Union's 2035 ban on sales of new CO2-emitting cars, advocating for the continued sale of combustion engine vehicles powered by biofuels and alternative fuels beyond the set deadline. Additionally, the draft recommended revising the law to provide support for plug-in hybrid cars,...
The proportion of Russia-origin aluminium in London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses in November 2024 grew to 67 per cent, following a drop in the previous month from 66 per cent to 65 per cent. Although the proportion increased, the volume of stocks continued to drop, amounting to 254,500 tonnes at the end of November, as LME-registered warehouses still restrict aluminium-made-in-Russia. On the other hand, India-origin aluminium stocks remained stable in LME warehouses at 120,000 tonnes, with a proportion increased to 32 per cent from the previous 30 per cent. Amid this assorted trend, the total on-warrant aluminium stocks on LME dropped by 6 per cent to 380,400 tonnes, reflecting a shift in trade dynamics and weaker commodity inflow due to the ongoing compliance measures and geopolitical...
A Newcastle-based electric motor (e-motor) manufacturing company, Advanced Electric Machines (AEM), has announced the replacement of copper and rare earth elements with aluminium in their products owing to the latter's cost and energy efficiency. Image Source: https://www.electricmotorengineering.com/ "Dependence on rare earth elements and copper brings significant political and financial challenges and harms the environment," a convinced CEO and co-founder James Widmer conveyed. "By replacing copper with aluminium, coil costs could be reduced by 89 per cent, and performance increased by up to 30 per cent. This technology redefines how motors are manufactured, recycled, and integrated into sustainable mobility solutions," he added. AEM, which was founded in 2017, strives to alter the way...
The West African nation Guinea, one of the leading bauxite producers and the world's top bauxite exporter, intends to channel a portion of the revenue generated from mining the world’s largest iron ore reserve into a sovereign wealth fund. According to Planning and International Cooperation Minister Ismael Nabe, who addressed parliament on December 9, 2024, this fund will be utilised to finance critical development initiatives under the government’s Simandou 2040 Program. A sovereign wealth fund is a state-owned investment fund comprised of money generated by the government, often derived from a country's surplus reserves. Ismael Nabe said, "We aim to transform agriculture, education, health and to increase the construction of modern infrastructure, a large-scale railway linking mining...
On Wednesday, December 11, the average price of a00 primary aluminium ingot in the Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) increased by RMB 30 and stood at RMB 20,380 per tonne with a range of RMB 20,360 to 20,400 per tonne. The average pricing of the primary metal ingot has witnessed a depletion of 5.2 per cent M-o-M (average price on November 11, 2024, was RMB 21,490 per tonne) as opposed to the 10.8 per cent hike Y-o-Y (average price on December 11, 2023, was RMB 18,380 per tonne). Image Source: https://thinkingforpeople.com/ The spot contract was traded at a similar rate to yesterday, with a discount price of RMB 20 per tonne to a premium of RMB 20 per tonne. Provincial price of primary aluminium ingot The average A00 aluminium ingot pricing has risen in most of the provinces, with average...
Prices of aluminium ADC12 alloyed ingots declined m-o-m across south India, with BigMint's benchmark monthly assessment placing the OEM-approved grade at a ten-month low of INR 208,000/t in Chennai, levels last seen in February 2024. This marks a fall of INR 2,000/tonne (t) m-o-m, primarily due to continued sluggish demand in the automotive sector and a weakened export market. However, prices remained stable in the northern region, with the OEM-approved grade at INR 209,000/t in Delhi. Meanwhile, on a w-o-w basis, prices saw a slight decline, driven by ongoing weak demand in the auto sector. Alloy ingot producers have warned that further cuts could pressure margins by narrowing the price gap between Tense and ADC12. Presently, most companies are quoting INR 210,000-211,000/tonne for...
According to the US Geological Survey data, the United States' primary aluminium production slightly rebounded in the third quarter, standing at 167,600 tonnes versus 167,000 tonnes in Q2. However, despite the sequential increase, the Q3 output volume was less than the Q2 production of 172,000 tonnes. Also, the output in Q3 recorded a year-on-year fall of 9.89 per cent from 186,000 tonnes. Image Source: Alcoa Corporation The above data indicates the sluggish trend in the United States' primary aluminium production prevails , primarily due to rising production costs. Companies like Alcoa cited higher raw material prices and overall economic pressures as key factors impacting their output. In September 2024, the output was down by 2.5 per cent M-o-M, amounting to 54,600 tonnes versus 56,000...
Imported aluminium scrap prices in India remained range-bound w-o-w, with variations by up to 2 per cent, amid slow trading activity, which has caused market uncertainty towards the year-end. BigMint's benchmark assessment for Tense scrap originating from the UAE stood at $1,800/tonne (t), firm w-o-w, while Zorba 95/5 from the UK was at $2,110/t, largely stable w-o-w, both CFR west coast, India. This week, London Metal Exchange (LME) prices dropped marginally by around 0.9 per cent to $2,587/tonne. Meanwhile, stocks at LME-registered warehouses stood at 681,600 tonnes, falling by around 9,000 tonnes w-o-w from 690,700 tonnes. Market scenario Demand for aluminium scrap picked up slightly this week, with some buyers securing material for shipments scheduled for January-February. Indian...
The Indian aluminium industry has been encountering challenges in recent times, principally due to the surge in competitively priced imports from countries like China. The industry has been advocating for higher import duties to level the playing field and protect domestic producers. But is it at all necessary? And, if so, why? The current state of affairs India's aluminium production has steadily increased over the years, with the country producing around 4.1 million tonnes of aluminium in FY2022-23. However, despite this growth, the industry has been struggling to compete with cheap imports. In FY2022-23, India imported around 1.4 million tonnes of aluminium, with China being the largest supplier, accounting for over 40 per cent of the total imports. "The current import duty of 7.5 per...
Lorin Industries, Inc., the global industry leader in the innovation and production of coil anodised aluminium, has increased its warranty coverage for Architectural Class I and II exterior products. Lorin now offers one of the best warranties in the industry, ensuring that its customers get the most value out of their investment in Lorin’s innovative products. Lorin has always offered a decades-long warranty to guarantee against surface damage. Now, after continued testing, Lorin will make this warranty even longer. For a period of 70 years, Lorin warrants that the surface of Class I and II products will not chip, flake, peel, blister, crack, or split. By providing this exceptionally long warranty, Lorin provides customers with peace of mind. The long warranty also reinforces anodised...
