
The transition towards lower-carbon manufacturing is changing how companies evaluate aluminium and copper. Beyond availability and technical performance, buyers are increasingly examining the emissions embedded in the metals they purchase and whether reducing that footprint justifies a higher price. While low-carbon aluminium has developed into an established premium market, low-carbon copper remains at a developing stage, raising the loaded question: How much are buyers willing to pay for lower-carbon metal? Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: “ Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook ” Why aluminium is further ahead Aluminium has had more time to establish a market for...
The EU aluminium scrap market could face disruption if proposed changes to the Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR) restrict access to major Asian recycling destinations, the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has warned. The Brussels-based association issued its response after the European Commission published a draft proposal on September 18 listing non-OECD countries authorised to receive certain non-hazardous materials from the EU . Excluding countries such as India , Malaysia and Thailand from authorised destinations for ferrous and nonferrous metals could weaken recycled material markets rather than strengthen Europe’s recycling capacity. Join the fourth edition of the webinar “Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours” by Jorge Dyszel. At the centre of BIR’s concern is...
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Two prominent East Asian nations, the world's top economies, are leading in the steel industry. Now, from the cross border, two steel giants are poised to make significant investments in the aluminium sector. Kobe Steel, the third-largest steelmaker in Japan, and China Baowu Steel Group, a global leader in steel production, are joining hands to establish a pioneering joint venture. This partnership aims to capitalise on the booming demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in China by introducing cutting-edge lightweight aluminium panels . This strategic collaboration highlights the evolving trade dynamics between Japan and China and addresses international considerations and environmental imperatives, marking a significant advancement in the market. Collaborative partnership in the electric...

On Monday, February 26, LME aluminium opened at US$2,182 per tonne, with its high and low at US$2,195 per tonne and US$2,175 per tonne, respectively, before closing at US$2,182 per tonne, down 0.09 per cent. According to the LME data, LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price plunged for the third day in a row. Both the prices shrank by US$16.50 per tonne or 0.77 per cent to initiate the week at US$2,140 per tonne and US$2,140.50 per tonne, respectively. With this fall, the prices hit a one-month low on Monday, attributed to an inventory surge in Shanghai and the withdrawal of sanctions by the United States on Russian metal. On the same day, the 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price slipped by US$11.50 per tonne to come in at US$2,185 per tonne and...

On Tuesday, February 27, China’s A00 aluminium ingot price ascended by RMB110 per tonne to settle at RMB 18,810 per tonne, with the spot contract price expected to be traded at a discount price of RMB 50 per tonne to RMB 10 per tonne. The average prices are expected to stand between RMB 18,790 per tonne and RMB 18,830 per tonne. As per the SMM data, the prices in Gongyi, Hangzhou and Chongqing have expanded by RMB 110 per tonne to peg at RMB 18,720 per tonne and RMB 18,810 per tonne. On the same day, the prices in Wuxi have added RMB 100 per tonne to reside at RMB 18,810 per tonne, followed by a growth of RMB 80 per tonne in Foshan to clock at RMB 18,870 per tonne. The domestic aluminium ingot prices in Shenyang and Linyi have hiked by RMB 60 per tonne to reach RMB 18,810 per tonne. In...

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) generally trended positively for the week ending on February 23, except aluminium, which saw a decline of 1.7 per cent due to increasing stocks. Aluminium stocks at LME warehouses notably rose by over 8 per cent to 580,275 tonnes from 534,925 tonnes. On the LME, three-month aluminium futures decreased to $2,180 per tonne, while nickel prices increased by 6.9 per cent to $17,495 per tonne. Copper prices rose to $8,567 per tonne, marking a 0.9 per cent increase; zinc gained 0.8 per cent to reach $2,405 per tonne, and lead prices saw a 1.5 per cent rise to $2,095 per tonne. In India, there were minor fluctuations in imported and domestic aluminium scrap prices, while prices for P1020 on the primary market declined. Copper and zinc prices...

In the initial eight months of a new sustainability initiative, Cherwell District Council reported that over one million aluminium or plastic coffee pods have been recycled. Collaborating with the non-profit organization Podback, the council has been collecting used pods from residents for recycling. Since its launch in May 2023, approximately 3,000 households have participated in the scheme. Following collection, the pods undergo transportation to specialized reprocessing plants for recycling. Upon joining the scheme, participants are provided with white or green bags based on their use of aluminium or plastic coffee pods. Councillor Andrew McHugh, portfolio holder for cleaner and greener communities, said, "Waste reduction and recycling are key commitments for the council, but we can...

On February 20, He Shuping, secretary of the Guangyuan Municipal Party Committee, chaired the eighth meeting of entrepreneurs in Guangyuan City along with the Forum on aluminium ingot trade. During this session, he engaged in direct discussions with entrepreneurs and representatives from banking institutions, actively seeking their insights and suggestions regarding the development of supply chain finance and the expansion of the aluminium ingot trade. About the meeting He emphasized the critical need to thoroughly study and implement the guidance provided by the General Secretary during the visits to Sichuan and Guangzhou. Furthermore, he highlighted the necessity of fully executing the decisions and plans set forth by the Party Central Committee and the provincial Party Committee. The...

Last week, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative announced the joining of Reynaers Aluminium, a European developer of aluminium products for the building sector, as a new Industrial User member. With its innovative range of aluminium products, Reynaers Aluminium offers comprehensive support to architects, fabricators, project developers, investors, and end users. Reynaers is a leading specialist in developing and marketing sustainable aluminium solutions for windows, doors, and facades. Reynaers’ key focus is to create energy-efficient architectural aluminium products to help its customers build a future-proof home. It constantly strives to increase the circularity level of building materials to enhance the lifespan of products it develops and improve environmental impact. On becoming an...

Lava Blue is progressing with developing its Predictive Research into Specialty Materials (PRiSM) centre towards small-scale commercial production. The Centre for Predictive Research into Specialty Materials (PRiSM) by Lava Blue, situated in Redlands, Brisbane, was established to explore and showcase the scalability of processing methods for high-purity materials. PRiSM integrates research, development, and demonstration capabilities within a facility enriched with sensors and equipped for machine learning applications. The manufacturer of high-purity materials initiated its collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology in 2018 to devise a method for producing high-purity alumina (HPA) from sapphire-bearing kaolin clay deposits located in northwest Queensland. HPA, an...

On Monday, February 26, China’s domestic A00 aluminium ingot price shed off RMB 170 per tonne over the weekend to reach RMB 18,700 per tonne, found the Shanghai Metals Market data. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 18,680 per tonne and RMB 18,720 per tonne, with a spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 50-10 per tonne. Compared to the same period last week , today’s domestic aluminium ingot price stands 0.64 per cent lower than 18,820 per tonne. Similarly, on a month-on-month basis, the price has registered a plunge of 2.2 per cent from RMB 19,120 per tonne. A00 aluminium ingot prices in Foshan and Hangzhou also declined by RMB 170 per tonne over the weekend to stand at RMB 18,790 per tonne and RMB 18,700 per tonne, respectively. In Gongyi and Wuxi, the...

On February 25, Alcoa announced a new agreement with Alumina Limited regarding acquiring Alumina Limited, pending the finalization of a scheme implementation agreement. The companies have signed an exclusivity and transaction process deed with Alumina Limited's Board of Directors indicating its intent to recommend the transaction to shareholders. About the agreement In this all-scrip (all-stock) deal, Alumina Limited shareholders are set to receive 0.02854 shares of Alcoa for each share of Alumina Limited they own, as per the "Agreed Ratio." As of Alcoa's closing share price on February 23, 2024, this ratio suggests an equity valuation of approximately $2.2 billion for Alumina Limited. The Board of Directors of Alumina Limited plans to recommend the Agreed Ratio to its shareholders,...

In January 2024, the Gulf Cooperation Council produced 532,000 tonnes of primary aluminium compared to 530,000 tonnes in December 2023 and 525,000 tonnes in January 2023, found the International Aluminium Institute. Meaning, the output in January 2024 recorded a month-on-month growth of 2,000 tonnes or 0.38 per cent and a year-on-year hike of 7,000 tonnes or 1.33 per cent. The average daily production stood at 17,200 tonnes in January 2024 versus 17,100 tonnes in the previous month. On a year-on-year basis, the daily output increased by 1.78 per cent from 16,900 tonnes. According to the IAI data, the Gulf Cooperation Council's primary aluminium production in January 2024 accounted for 8.81 per cent of the world's total output. Compared to the same period last year, the Gulf countries'...

LME aluminium opened at US$2,202 per tonne last Friday, with its high and low at US$2,213 per tonne and US$2,175 per tonne, respectively, before closing at US$2,184 per tonne, down US$17 per tonne or 0.77 per cent. On Friday, February 23, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price dropped by US$21.5 per tonne or 0.98 per cent to settle at US$2,156.50 per tonne and US$2,157 per tonne. As per the LME data, both the 3-month bid price and the 3-month offer price contracted by US$26.5 per tonne or 1.19 per cent to peg at US$2,196.50 per tonne and US$2,197 per tonne. The LME aluminium price graph revealed that December 25 bid price and December 25 offer price both dipped by US$25 per tonne or 1.02 per cent to stop at US$2,415 per tonne and US$2,420 per tonne....

Samsung has reportedly unveiled its entry-level health and fitness tracker Galaxy Fit 3 in the Philippines market. The product started being available in the market from February 3, 2024, featuring aluminium frame. The new fitness band comes in grey, silver, and pink gold colour options. Although the product is currently available in select market, it will soon expand to more regions in the coming days. The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 band sports a 1.6-inch rectangular AMOLED display, with 256MB on-board storage and 16MB RAM. The product is powered by a 208mAh battery, which, according to the company, will last for up to 13 days on a single charge. The list of sensors on the fitness tracker includes accelerometer, barometer, gyro sensor, optical heart rate sensor, and light sensor. As far as...

The continuous innovation in downstream aluminium processing technologies enhances product quality, efficiency, and versatility. Countries investing in research and development within this sector gain a competitive edge in international trade by offering high-quality products with improved characteristics. Nations like China, Germany, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Mexico, and many others with a robust downstream aluminium industry can export value-added products, contributing positively to their trade balance. Conversely, countries heavily reliant on importing downstream aluminium products may need a competitive domestic industry to avoid trade deficits. The most recent industry report from AL Circle, titled "Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2024 " mini version," provides comprehensive...

Every Can Counts has recently announced an exciting new partnership with one of the UK's leading brewers, Molson Coors Beverage Company. This collaboration marks a significant step for the not-for-profit initiative, which aims to promote the recycling of aluminium drink cans. About the partnership Under this partnership, Molson Coors, renowned for producing popular brands such as Carling, Coors, and Madrí Excepcional, will work closely with Every Can Counts, drink can manufacturers and the wider recycling industry. Together, they will raise awareness about the importance of recycling drink cans, particularly at events and festivals. Molson Coors will be the first brewer to commit to an annual partnership with Every Can Counts in the UK in a groundbreaking move. By doing so, Molson Coors...

Amidst a tumultuous turn of events, the price of aluminium has witnessed a surge propelled by speculations of imminent US sanctions against Russia, with the metal industry likely to be a focal point. However, the price gained momentum and dropped again later in the week. The ambiguity surrounding the precise sectors to be impacted has instilled unease among investors, heightened by President Joe Biden's allusion to a forthcoming "major" sanctions package scheduled for unveiling on February 23, 2024. The most recent industry-focused report by AL Circle, titled "Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2024," provides forecasts for various aspects of the aluminium industry, encompassing primary and secondary aluminium production, as well as consumption and usage across different segments. Here are...

The spot prices for Aluminium ADC12 alloy ingots used in automobiles rose by INR 2,000 per tonne W-o-W, reaching INR 204,000 per tonne. This surge is primarily linked to the rise in local tense scrap prices. India's prominent automobile manufacturer, which holds significant influence in setting prices within the domestic aluminium alloy ingot market, has revealed its monthly settlement prices for aluminium alloy ingot ADC12 at INR 207,400 per tonne for March 2024. This reflects a monthly increase of INR 7,900 per tonne and signifies the highest level seen in ten months, dating back to May 2023. North Indian market In the North Indian market, a scarcity of raw materials, particularly tense scrap, has caused prices to surge to INR 172,500 per tonne ex-Delhi, excluding GST. Seizing the...

The CEO of leading European aluminium roller and recycler Speira signed the Antwerp declaration for a European industrial deal on February 22, 2024. Einar Glomnes, the CEO of Speira, said, “The factor for us to join the Antwerp Declaration is that it combines and supports the Green Deal and our business. We are part of the solution and are committed to building a circular world that works. As an industrial front-runner shaping and driving the transformation towards decarbonisation and circularity, we are eager to work closely with EU and national legislators to build European framework conditions that increase global competitiveness for European industries. We believe in the power approaching and thinking commodity, energy, climate, and industrial policy in an integrated way.” On February...