Nimba Mining Company SA has appointed Patrice L'Huillier as Director General and Djiba Diakité as Chairman of the Board of Directors, with both appointments confirmed through separate presidential decrees. The announcement was made on Friday, October 23, 2026, during a national television news broadcast. L'Huillier, a civil engineer specialising in bridges and roads, will serve as Director General for an initial three-year term, which is renewable. According to his appointment decree, he will work under a performance contract with the Ministry of Mines and Geology. The contract will establish his objectives, the methods for assessing his performance and his obligations regarding the transfer of skills to national staff. In a separate decree, Diakité, Minister Director of the Cabinet of...
India’s trade deficit with China crossed USD 100 billion in the first nine months of 2026 as imports continued to outpace exports, with aluminium trade data showing a widening imbalance in the latest available period. While India’s overall exports to China recorded strong growth between January and September, the value of its aluminium exports to the neighbouring country declined year on year through July, even as aluminium imports from China increased. Data released by China’s General Administration of Customs showed that bilateral trade rose 25.4 per cent to USD 144.45 billion between January and September 2026. India’s imports from China increased 23.3 per cent to USD 125.19 billion, while exports to China grew 40.7 per cent to USD 19.26 billion. Despite the rise in exports, the trade...
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Australia-based mining and metals company South32 released its financial report for the June quarter 2026 (Q4) and the FY2026 annual performance, delivering a mixed operational performance across its aluminium portfolio during FY2026. Higher year-on-year production from Brazil Alumina and Brazil Aluminium (despite its weak quarter-on-quarter output) offset softer sales at several operations and the suspension of production at Mozal Aluminium. Worsley Alumina maintained stable production levels. South32 CEO Matt Daley stated, “On 1 July, we announced a step change for South32, with the sale of our aluminium value chain business to Alcoa. Once complete, this sale will unlock significant value for shareholders and reposition South32 as a leading upstream base metals-focused company.” Explore...
The Aluminium Association of India (AAI) has urged the Ministry of Finance to strengthen safeguards for the domestic aluminium industry, citing shrinking export markets, rising imports and increasing global competition. In a representation to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the association pointed to higher US tariffs, growing protectionism in Mexico, Indonesia's aluminium capacity expansion, Russian dumping and rising imports of low-quality aluminium scrap and aluminium products from Gulf and ASEAN countries as key challenges facing the sector. The association said India should adopt quality standards for aluminium scrap similar to those followed by major global markets, where only high-quality scrap is accepted for imports. It added that a calibrated customs duty...
Aluminium has long been the material of choice for flexible packaging because of its barrier performance, strength and recyclability. Today, however, another characteristic is attracting equal attention-its carbon footprint. For decades, discussions around aluminium packaging largely revolved around functionality. Could it keep moisture out? Would it extend shelf life? Could it be recycled at the end of its use? Those questions still matter, but a new one is steadily moving to the forefront: How much carbon is embedded in the aluminium before it even becomes packaging? That question is becoming increasingly relevant as businesses face growing pressure to account for emissions throughout their supply chains. For packaging manufacturers, reducing emissions is no longer only about designing...
The Aluminium Extrusion Manufacturers Association of India (ALEMAI) has launched 'Aluminium Bharat-2026', a national initiative aimed at strengthening India's aluminium midstream and downstream manufacturing sector. The initiative was unveiled at a press conference in Mumbai ahead of an exhibition that will be held alongside Alumex India 2026 from September 26 to 29, 2026, at the Helipad Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. ALEMAI said Indian aluminium manufacturers, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), continue to face high raw material costs because of elevated interest rates, energy expenses and taxes on inputs. The association noted that under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with ASEAN countries and the UAE, downstream aluminium products can enter India at zero...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices eased on July 17, as cash prices, futures contracts and longer-dated contracts all moved lower from the previous session. LME aluminium inventories also continued to fall, while the Platts alumina price recorded an increase. On July 17, the LME aluminium cash bid price fell from USD 3,169 per tonne to USD 3,152 per tonne, down 0.54 per cent. The cash offer price also declined from USD 3,170 per tonne to USD 3,154 per tonne, a decrease of 0.50 per cent. The LME aluminium three-month contract also weakened. The bid price dropped from USD 3,166 per tonne to USD 3,146 per tonne , while the offer price fell from USD 3,166.5 per tonne to USD 3,146 per tonne, representing declines of 0.63 per cent and 0.65 per cent, respectively. The December 2027...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices eased on July 17, as cash prices, futures contracts and longer-dated contracts all moved lower from the previous session. LME aluminium inventories also continued to fall, while the Platts alumina price recorded an increase. On July 17, the LME aluminium cash bid price fell from USD 3,169 per tonne to USD 3,152 per tonne, down 0.54 per cent. The cash offer price also declined from USD 3,170 per tonne to USD 3,154 per tonne, a decrease of 0.50 per cent. The LME aluminium three-month contract also weakened. The bid price dropped from USD 3,166 per tonne to USD 3,146 per tonne , while the offer price fell from USD 3,166.5 per tonne to USD 3,146.5 per tonne, representing declines of 0.63 per cent in both cases. The December 2027 bid price...
Coventry University has partnered with aluminium foundry Alucast to investigate how recycled aluminium can be processed into high-grade materials suitable for use in critical industries. The initiative is part of the Clean Futures Programme and aims to help reduce the UK's reliance on imported primary-grade aluminium alloys, which are widely used across sectors including automotive and defence. According to the university, the UK currently imports up to 1.25 million tonnes of primary-grade aluminium each year because domestic production is insufficient to meet demand. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report – World Recycled ALuminium Market Analysis Industry forecast to 2032 As part of the project, researchers from Coventry University's Institute for...
CRISIL Ratings has upgraded the credit ratings of Vedanta Ltd, Vedanta Aluminium Metal Ltd and Vedanta Oil and Gas Ltd following the group's demerger, citing stronger business and financial risk profiles across the three companies. Vedanta Ltd's long-term rating was upgraded to CRISIL AA+/Stable from CRISIL AA/Watch Developing, while its short-term rating was reaffirmed at CRISIL A1+. The rating agency also assigned a CRISIL AA+/Stable rating to the company's non-convertible debentures. According to CRISIL, Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) will continue to be fully consolidated with Vedanta because of the strong strategic, operational and financial integration between the two companies. HZL contributed more than 95 per cent of Vedanta's earnings in fiscal 2026 on a post-demerger basis, supported...
Arrow Minerals Limited has been granted a new three-year Industrial Exploration Permit for its Niagara Bauxite Project in Guinea following a government review of the company's historical work and operational capabilities. The permit, issued by Guinea's Ministry of Mines and Geology on July 15, 2026, covers 499.61 square kilometres and is identical in area and boundaries to the company's previous exploration licence. It was awarded to Arrow's wholly owned subsidiary, Mineralfields Bauxite SARLU. The company said the permit followed the Guinean government's review of its exploration activities, operational capacity and ability to advance the project in line with the country's Mining Code. Managing Director David Flanagan said the new licence covers the mineralised plateaux hosting the...
Laser Power & Infra Limited announced its first commercial order of advanced transmission conductors from Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL). The order, amounting to USD 436,100, is for a turnkey reconductoring project in the Nalagarh Electrical Division of Himachal Pradesh to improve the reliability of the state’s power supply. The project will utilize Aluminium Encapsulated Carbon Core Conductors (AECC) manufactured by Laser Power & Infra under a licensing agreement signed with TS Conductor Corp., USA, in March 2025. This project will replace traditional conductors with High Temperature Low Sag (HTLS) conductors, enabling increased transmission capacity without the need for new transmission towers or additional right of way. The company noted that this solution is...
The global aluminium downstream market has been experiencing staggering declines, mapped with price and trade volatility. Recent incidents and market trends are must-watch, to be monitored closely for navigating and decision-making about future trading, hedging and subsequent investments. Products in the spotlight and where to buy them The global aluminium coffee capsule market is expanding rapidly, driven by rising coffee consumption and demand for convenient, premium-quality brewing solutions. Valued at USD 2.48 billion in 2025, the market is projected to reach USD 4.5 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 8.1 per cent. Europe accounts for about 40 per cent of global aluminium coffee capsule consumption, followed by North America with 32 per cent. The industry's growth is driven by...
When aluminium prices moved this year, demand was not always the driving force. Sometimes the catalyst was a Guinean bauxite export terminal. At other times, it was a power contract in South Africa, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Taken together, these developments reflected a broader shift in the upstream aluminium industry. Geopolitics, government policy and supply-chain resilience are increasingly shaping raw material flows, investment decisions and long-term market strategy. Strait of Hormuz disruption reshaped trade The Middle East conflict highlighted the vulnerability of the aluminium supply chain to maritime disruptions. Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz caused higher freight costs, rising war-risk insurance premiums and shipping uncertainty disrupted bauxite movements into the...
Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) has signed a strategic delivery agreement with Canadian engineering firm Hatch to support the development and execution of its future mining and metals projects. Under the agreement, Hatch will serve as Maaden's delivery partner for its project pipeline, providing engineering and project delivery support across upcoming developments. The agreement was signed in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Investment Fahad bin Abduljalil Al-Saif, Hatch Vice-chair Joe Lombard, Maaden Senior Vice President of Project Development and Engineering Abdulrahman As-Sadlan, along with senior government officials from both Canada and Saudi Arabia. Hatch has worked with Maaden in Saudi Arabia for more than 30 years, delivering...
Aluminium casting is the process of melting aluminium and pouring it into a mould, taking a fixed shape when it cools. That shape can be an engine block, a wheel, a gearbox housing, a window frame or a battery tray for an electric car. People pick aluminium over steel or iron for one simple reason: It is lightweight but still strong. A cast aluminium part can be up to half the weight of the same part in steel. Less weight means a car burns less fuel, an EV drives further on one charge and a plane carries more. There are three main ways to cast aluminium and the difference between them decides cost, speed and quality: Casting method How it works Best for Typical use Die casting Molten aluminium is forced into a steel mould under high pressure High volumes, thin walls, complex shapes Car...
Recycled aluminium producer Aluminum Dynamics LLC will invest more than USD 200 million to build a recycled aluminium slab centre in Lowndes County, Mississippi, creating 100 new jobs. The facility, to be located in the Golden Triangle Industrial Park, will recycle aluminium-bearing materials, mainly used beverage cans, into 180,000 tonnes of aluminium slabs for the aluminium products industry. Operations are expected to begin in the first half of 2027. The Mississippi Development Authority is supporting the project through road and rail infrastructure improvements, while the facility will also qualify for tax incentives under the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority programme. Lowndes County is also providing support for the development. Aluminum Dynamics Operations Manager Devin...
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) materials scientists Aashish Rohatgi and Kate Rader have been awarded the 2026 ASM International Henry Marion Howe Medal for research that advances scientific understanding of aluminium manufacturing. The award recognises the best paper published in Metallurgical and Materials Transactions and marks the culmination of nearly a decade of work on how ultrasonic processing affects aluminium solidification. The research began in 2017, when Rohatgi set out to answer a challenging question: what happens inside aluminium castings when ultrasound is applied during solidification? While earlier studies had compared materials before and after processing, the underlying mechanisms remained largely unknown. Four years later, Rader joined PNNL as a...
The Pacific alumina market is expected to find stronger support in the third quarter of 2026 as uncertainty over Guinea's proposed bauxite export controls, rising aluminium demand in Indonesia and the gradual recovery of Middle Eastern smelting operations begin to ease the surplus seen in the previous quarter. Although the market remains well supplied, participants expect supply and demand conditions to tighten compared with Q2, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights' CERA analysis. Supply concerns have centred on Guinea, where possible export restrictions have raised questions over future bauxite availability. China, which relies heavily on Guinean bauxite, imported a record 23 million tonnes of bauxite in May, up 31.9 per cent year on year, with Guinea accounting for 85.1 per cent...
Alcoa Corporation reported record second-quarter 2026 revenue of USD 4 billion (24 per cent increase sequentially), supported by higher aluminium prices, improved operational performance and progress on key strategic projects. During the quarter, the company also signed an agreement to acquire South32’s interests in bauxite, alumina and aluminium assets, further strengthening its upstream portfolio. Alcoa president and CEO William F. Oplinger said, “During the second quarter, in addition to delivering strong financial results that captured favourable aluminium prices, our team executed on strategic initiatives, most notably the announced agreement with South32.” Bauxite Bauxite production declined to 8.3 million tonnes in the second quarter from 9.1 million tonnes in the previous quarter....
