Vietnam’s first electrolytic aluminium project has reached another major milestone, with the second phase of the 450,000-tonne-per-year (tpa) Da Nong project producing its first batch of molten primary aluminium on October 31, 2026. The milestone, achieved by China Nonferrous Metal Industry’s Foreign Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (NFC), which is the project’s general contractor, came four months and three days ahead of the contractual schedule, officially moving the second phase from construction to trial production. The latest development builds on the progress made during the first phase, which produced its first batch of molten primary aluminium on July 14. By September 15, all electrolytic cells in the first phase had successfully started producing aluminium. The second...
French renewable energy company Neoen has secured AUD 1.8 billion (USD 1.26 billion) in debt financing from 13 lenders to support a 1.2 GW portfolio of solar, wind, and battery storage projects across Australia, marking its largest financing transaction to date. The financing package covers five operating and under-construction assets across New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia. The portfolio includes the 440 MWp Culcairn solar PV plant and its associated 215 MW/963 MWh battery storage project, alongside wind and storage assets in the other two states. Neoen said the transaction would strengthen its balance sheet and support further investment in new projects, as the company continues to expand its renewable energy footprint in Australia. “This transaction reflects the...
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Mortal, a trailblazing beverage innovator headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, has taken a monumental step towards sustainability by introducing the world's first kombucha brand packaged in 16oz aluminium bottles. This pioneering initiative discards the conventional glass bottles used since 2017, reduces Mortal's carbon footprint and ushers in a new era of resealable and infinitely recyclable packaging. Partnering with SPROUTS Market, a champion of innovation and sustainability, Mortal Founder Becca Schepps expressed gratitude for their collaboration, emphasising the commitment to bringing this eco-friendly packaging to the market. Becca Schepps, the Founder of Mortal, asserted: "Sprouts has a commitment to innovation and sustainability, and we are so thankful they were with us to bring it...
LME aluminium opened at US$2,174 per tonne yesterday, with its high and low at US$2180 per tonne and US$2,152.5 per tonne, respectively, before closing at US$2,155 per tonne, down by US$17.5 per tonne or 0.81 per cent. The LME aluminium official price chart on January 22 showed decreasing rates, with the LME cash bid price halting at US$2,109.50 per tonne with a slump of US$11.50 per tonne or 0.54 per cent. The LME official settlement price stopped at US$2,110 per tonne, having registered a drop of US$12 per tonne or 0.56 per cent. When the price on January 15, last Monday, is taken into account, we can observe a Week-on-Week decrease of US$43 per tonne or 2 per cent. The LME 3-month bid price and LME 3-month offer price dwindled by US$11 per tonne or 0.51 per cent and US$10.50 per tonne...
Rio Tinto's Weipa operations bounced back in a big way in 2023. Despite a slow start to the year, the mining company managed to ship 35.12 million tonnes of bauxite from Weipa, an improvement from 34.52 million tonnes in 2022. The journey wasn't without its challenges, as weather and equipment issues raised concerns during Easter. Only 7.49 million tonnes were shipped in the first quarter of the year. However, each quarter saw an increase, reaching 8.81, then 9.0, and finally 9.81 million tonnes in the last quarter of 2023. Shona Markham, the general manager of Rio Tinto's Weipa operations, noted, "Due to the wet weather in Q1, 2023 was a challenging year but were able to make a strong recovery in the second half of the year". Markham commended the team's efforts, saying, "We had a strong...
Italy-based railway operator Ferrovie della Calabria (FdC) embarked on an agreement with Swiss company Stadler for the procurement of three additional narrow-gauge hydrogen trains, with an additional requirement of up to 15. Notably, these trains mark Stadler as the global pioneer in crafting narrow-gauge marvels with hydrogen propulsion, leveraging lightweight aluminium structures for enhanced energy efficiency. Stadler's innovative approach extends beyond revolutionising rail transport with hydrogen power; it encompasses a commitment to sustainability through the incorporation of aluminium in their train bodies. The technical marvel of these narrow-gauge wonders lies in their aluminium-rich composition, contributing to both structural integrity and environmental responsibility. Unique...
The ongoing geopolitical conflict between Israel and Palestine has hit the aluminium factories in Palestine in terms of production and profits. Muhanad Nairoukh, manager of one of the three biggest aluminium factories in the occupied West Bank of Palestine, has reportedly told Al Jazeera that the industry is near a halt. Effects of the conflict He says his company is operating at 40 per cent of its capacity, and production is reduced by 60 per cent. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) estimated at the end of December 2023 that the economy of the State of Palestine shrank to $1.5 billion during the initial days of the conflict, equivalent to approximately $25m per day, excluding direct losses in properties and assets. As an effect of the geo-political crisis, the internal...
Austal Australasia is set to embark on an exciting maritime venture, having secured a prestigious contract to craft a cutting-edge 32-metre aluminium catamaran for Rottnest Fast Ferries, headquartered in Hillarys, Western Australia. As the company's official announcement revealed, this groundbreaking project is a collaborative effort with the renowned vessel designer Incat Crowther. The construction of this state-of-the-art aluminium catamaran is scheduled to kick off in the first quarter of CY2024 at Austal's Philippines shipyard. Paddy Gregg, the Chief Executive Officer of Austal Limited, expressed enthusiasm about this venture, highlighting the enduring and fruitful partnership between Austal and Incat Crowther. This collaboration has spanned multiple vessels and several decades. The...
Effective February 1, 2024, Hisham Alkooheji will uphold the post of Alba's Acting Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) after the former CMO Khalid A. Latif steps down. Hisham Alkooheji's journey within Alba has been marked by significant contributions and a progression of roles. Commencing his tenure as an Operational Excellence specialist in 2011, he ascended to the position of Health Compliance and pricing-marketing in 2016. Hisham Alkooheji's chronology in ALBA Demonstrating versatility, from 2018 to 2020, Alkooheji shouldered responsibilities as the Manager of Customer Services & Marketing Operations and Manager of Sales in the Middle East & Africa. Notably, during this period, he oversaw Alba's global export logistics and Casthouse production planning. Recognising his prowess, Alkooheji...
A team of scientists led by Professors RB Harikrishna, Hemagni Deka, T Sundararajan, and G Ranga Rao from the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Madras has successfully demonstrated the utilisation of discarded metal wastes like aluminium cans as feed materials for the thermochemical production of green hydrogen. In this process, hydrogen gas is generated by splitting water using industrial waste metal scrap at elevated temperatures. While the initial stage of the process requires a substantial energy input to achieve the desired temperature, the researchers highlight that the subsequent stages benefit from the exothermic nature of the reaction, allowing for a reduction in energy input. The details of their findings are published in a recent article in The International Journal of...
Malaysia-based LB Aluminium Bhd has put forward a notion to acquire a particular segment of freehold industrial land with constructions in Beranang, Selangor. The complete purchase might take RM30.41 million. LB filed for the purchase agreement under Bursa Malaysia and was helped by Puspajaya Realty Sdn Bhd for the final acquisition. A few extended concerns The property in question, as described by LB, is a parcel of freehold industrial land, which includes two units of single-storey detached factories, a single-storey office, and a guardhouse. The company has clarified that the proposed acquisition will be funded by cash from internally generated funds and/or bank borrowings. The company said in a statement: "The proposed acquisition is of strategic importance to the company as it is...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) survey, China produced 3.562 million tonnes of primary aluminium in December (31 calendar days) 2023. That was an annual increase of 3.6 per cent, leading to a cumulative output of 41.513 million tonnes in the entire year. Production analysis The daily average domestic aluminium production recorded a drop of more than 3,800 tonnes month-on-month to stand at around 114,900 tonnes in December. Although domestic operating capacity increased slightly over a month, the electrolytic cells in Yunnan that were shut down previously no longer produced aluminium liquid. The annual domestic output of 2023 experienced a rise of 3.6 per cent, found SMM. In December 2023, the domestic aluminium liquid alloying ratio remained high, except for some smelters in...
In an enigmatic move within the ambit of the #FirstMoversCoalition, Ball Corporation and Novelis have seamlessly joined forces with Alcoa to unveil a distinctive edition of the Ball Aluminum Cup®. This avant-garde creation, premiered amid the intellectual milieu of Davos at #WEF2024, serves as a testament to the paramount importance and feasibility of collaborative efforts in decarbonizing the aluminium supply chain. Crafted from a composition of 90% recycled aluminium sourced from Novelis, a pioneering force in sustainable aluminium solutions, and supplemented by 10% primary aluminium extracted through Alcoa's revolutionary ELYSIS carbon-free smelting technology, this cup stands as a paragon of innovation. The utilization of ELYSIS not only underscores Alcoa's commitment to...
A group of innovative students from the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) has achieved a breakthrough by transforming used aluminium into a sustainable energy source. M Rizki Akbar, the leader of the ITS PKM-RE team, shared that his inspiration for this research stemmed from his concern about the accumulation of cans and used aluminium foil in the laboratory. Known by the nickname Kiba, this student highlighted the significance of the pre-treatment phase in obtaining clean aluminium metal that is free from impurities. A 60-second pre-treatment revealed that 0.5 grams of aluminium cans could generate an impressive 233.93 milliwatts of electrical power. In stark contrast, untreated aluminium cans only yielded a mere 29.78 milliwatts. Through their participation in the Exact...
Today, on January 22, the SMM A00 aluminium price has remained stagnant on its previous weekend’s position, recording a price of RMB 18,830 per tonne. If we consider China’s A00 aluminium ingot price on October 23, last year, there can be found a Quarter-on-Quarter descend of RMB 90 per tonne or 0.47 per cent from RMB 18,920 per tonne marked that day. Similarly, if we take last year’s SMM aluminium price on December 22, there can be seen a Month-on-Month loss of RMB 290 per tonne or 1.52 per cent from RMB 19,120 per tonne logged that day. It is clear that China’s aluminium market was slowly regaining traction last December but the price is on the downhill since mid-January. Decoding the prevailing conditions in China’s aluminium market The Chinese market if facing a new trouble at this...
LME aluminium opened at US$2,172 per tonne last Friday, with high and low at US$2,182 per tonne and US$2,158.5 per tonne, respectively, before closing at US$2,172.5 per tonne, an increase of US$4.5 per tonne or 0.21 per cent. On Friday, January 19, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price dropped by US$9 per tonne or 0.42 per cent and US$8.5 per tonne or 0.39 per cent to stand at US$2,121 per tonne and US$2,122 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price decreased by US$11 per tonne or 0.50 per cent and US$11.5 per tonne or 0.52 per cent to settle at US$2,164 per tonne and US$2,164.50 per tonne. December 25 bid price and December 25 offer price dipped by US$10 per tonne or 0.41 per cent to peg at US$2,420 per tonne and US$2,425 per tonne. LME...
Shanghai Dragon Aluminium Foil Products Co. Ltd, a prominent aluminium foil packaging industry player, has recently joined AL Biz, the world's 1st B2B online marketplace that connects millions of buyers and sellers across the entire aluminium value chain. Established in 2009, the company has emerged as one of China's largest producers of aluminium foil packaging products. Nestled in the scenic coastal city of Yancheng, Jiangsu province, within the thriving Yangtze River Delta, their expansive factory spans 60,000 square meters and boasts a workforce of over 300 skilled employees capable of producing nearly 5000 tonnes of aluminium products. With an impressive annual total output value of around 200 million, Shanghai Dragon Aluminium Foil Products Co. Ltd has become a key player in the...
Aluminium production is energy-intensive, primarily through the smelting process. Many companies have invested in technologies and practices to enhance energy efficiency, such as adopting more sustainable energy sources and improving overall production processes. Sustainability in the aluminium industry was gaining momentum, driven by various factors such as environmental concerns, regulatory pressures, and market demands for responsibly sourced materials. Recycling aluminium is a key aspect of sustainability in the industry. Aluminium is highly recyclable, and recycling requires significantly less energy compared to primary production. Many companies have been increasing their focus on recycling and incorporating recycled content into their products. Here are the latest sustainability...
As we enter the third week of the new year in 2023, industry predictions have proven accurate, with the primary aluminium prices experiencing a continuous decline. Notably, the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) price has demonstrated better resilience compared to the London Metal Exchange (LME) price. Projections indicate that metal prices are anticipated to decrease by 5 per cent in 2024, with subsequent stabilisation in 2025. The World Bank's Metal Price Index is set to undergo a 5 per cent reduction in 2024. Nickel is expected to witness the most significant price decline, followed by aluminium, tin, zinc, lead, and copper. However, a modest rebound is foreseen in 2025, with price increases ranging from 2 per cent for lead to 9 per cent for aluminium. Let's review the top news and...
AL Biz , as the world's first and largest online B2B marketplace for the entire aluminium value chain, hosts 1800+ suppliers worldwide. This article spotlights the top 13 suppliers who have risen to prominence within this transformative platform. Jindal Aluminium Ltd: Jindal Aluminium Ltd, with a rich history spanning 50 years, stands as India's largest aluminium extrusion company. Focused on aluminium extrusions and flat-rolled products, the company's commitment to quality has led to global recognition. Boasting a turnover of approximately INR 30 Billion and a production capacity of 1.75 lac MT, Jindal Aluminium Ltd has pioneered in achieving certifications like HSB and ISO 9002. Bagaria Aluminum Alloys Pvt. Ltd: Bagaria, established in 2007, processes over 1100 metric tonnes of...
