
The Canyon Resources’ subsidiary has acquired 42.8 per cent of Douala Port Timber Terminal, adding a port interest to its existing railway stake as it develops a planned route for Minim-Martap bauxite. Camalco Cameroon is extending its position in the logistics network being planned for the Minim-Martap bauxite project, acquiring a 42.8 per cent stake in Douala Port Timber Terminal (TBPD). The investment adds a port-related interest to its existing shareholding in Camrail, the railway operator expected to form part of the project’s transport route. The acquisition was completed through a capital increase at TBPD, rather than the purchase of shares from existing shareholders. Camalco invested XAF 347.447 million (USD 604,000), subscribing to newly issued shares reserved entirely for the...
The aluminium industry is entering another phase of supply-chain repositioning. Across bauxite, alumina and primary aluminium, companies are investing in new resources, consolidating strategic assets and expanding processing capacity, while governments are increasingly treating domestic supply as a strategic priority. The latest developments from Australia, Guyana, Guinea, Indonesia, the US and India point to a market where resource security, processing location and control over supply chains are becoming as important as production growth. At the same time, new trading mechanisms and changing investment patterns are beginning to influence how aluminium and its raw materials reach the market. Bauxite supply expands, but securing the right tonnes is becoming harder In Western Australia, VBX...
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According to the data released by the China Automobile Association, China’s automobile production and sales in November 2023 increased month-on-month by 7 per cent and 4.1 per cent, respectively, to stand at 3.093 million units and 2.97 million units. On a year-on-year calculation, they stood significantly higher by 29.4 per cent and 27.4 per cent, respectively. Of the total units sold, 2.488 million cars were sold domestically, reflecting a month-on-month rise of 5.2 per cent and a year-on-year hike of 24.3 per cent. The rest 482,000 tonnes were exported, down by 11 per cent month-on-month and up by 46.3 per cent year-on-year. At the 2024 China Automobile Market Development Forecast Summit, Xu Haidong, deputy chief engineer of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, shared his...

TraxIQ, a groundbreaking initiative by Anglo American Plc, a British multinational mining company with headquarters in London, has recently been introduced, aiming to revolutionise conventional quarrying and mining haulage practices. The project is spearheaded by Luke Smith, who serves as the Principal of Technology Development at Anglo American. Collaborating with key team members such as Anglo-American Venture Builder Aljoscha Gleser, TraxIQ is poised to bring innovation to the forefront of the quarrying and mining industries. Smith asserts that TraxIQ is advancing significantly towards a more intelligent, secure, and environmentally friendly future for the mining and quarrying industry. According to him, idle trucks translate to financial losses, and TraxIQ's autonomous vehicles are...

LME aluminium opened at US$2139 per tonne yesterday, with its high and low at US$2141 per tonne and US$2116 per tonne respectively before closing at US$2124 per tonne, down 0.47 per cent. On December 11, the LME aluminium live price chart experienced a downward flow in aluminium prices, with the LME aluminium cash bid price and the LME aluminium official price discarding US$28 per tonne or 1.33 per cent and US$28.50 per tonne or 1.35 per cent to officially close at US$2,082 per tonne and US$2,082.50 per tonne. Due to weak consumption recovery, inventories are beginning to accumulate at some places causing the aluminium price to fall. The market is beginning to anticipate a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve next year. Although favourable policies are expected to be...

On Tuesday, December 12, the A00 aluminium ingot price in China gained RMB 60 per tonne to clock at RMB 18,440 per tonne, with the average prices expected to stand between RMB 18,420 per tonne and RMB 18,460 per tonne. The spot contract price may be traded at a discount price of RMB 70 to RMB 30 per tonne. As per the Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) data, the prices have grown in all regions except Tianjin, where they have slumped by RMB 130 per tonne to settle at RMB 18,440 per tonne. In Foshan and Wuxi, the prices have added RMB 90 per tonne and RMB 70 per tonne to stop at RMB 18,590 per tonne and RMB 18,430 per tonne. On the same day, the domestic aluminium ingot prices in Gongyi and Chongqing have ascended by RMB 60 per tonne to settle at RMB 18,560 per tonne and RMB 18,490 per tonne. The...

Cutting-edge sensor solutions transform the aluminium industry, improving safety, efficiency, and productivity through accurate monitoring and condition-based maintenance. Despite its pivotal role in modern manufacturing, the aluminium industry grapples with significant challenges. These include aligning with global environmental standards, managing high energy costs, and contending with dwindling raw material reserves. As the worldwide demand for aluminium rises, tackling these issues becomes increasingly critical. A primary concern in the industry is worker safety, given the risks associated with high-temperature environments, electrical hazards, machinery, and exposure to harmful gasses. The extreme heat, dust, and magnetic fields in aluminium production necessitate robust sensor...

According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China's metallurgical-grade alumina production in November 2023 recorded a further M-o-M decline to stand at 6.745 million tonnes. The output decreased by 1.44 per cent over a month from 6.842 million tonnes. But the daily average output stood 1.86 per cent higher month-on-month at 224,800 tonnes compared to 220,700 tonnes in October, in line with SMM projection. SMM estimated last month that China's daily alumina production would stand at 223,000 tonnes per day in November, with an operating capacity of 81.15 million tonnes. In reality, China's daily output as well as operating capacity surpassed the SMM forecast by 1,800 tonnes and 92,000 tonnes, respectively. At the end of November 2023, China's operating alumina capacity was 82.07...

A giant bull ant's nest transformed into the main attraction of Queensland Museum's exhibition, titled the Insect Agency. Weighing around 130 kilogrammes with shimmering silver tentacles almost two metres long, the extraordinary structure hanging from the museum's ceiling is an aluminium replica of the intricate internal framework of the interior structure of a large bull-ant nest. However, this is not the first time aluminium has been used to unlock creative outputs. Aluminium has been used in many innovative designs, including dresses, jewellery, bag packs, jackets and more. The Queensland Museum team contacted the Australian Ant Art (AAA) hobbyist pair to construct the casting. AAA crafted it from a massive bull-ant nest discovered in Armidale, New South Wales. "From the aluminium...

Yunnan’s aluminium production shutdowns due to the ongoing dry season have resulted in lower aluminium output in November 2023. According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China’s aluminium production in the said month stood at 3.488 million tonnes, down by 4.2 per cent from 3.641 million tonnes in October 2023. The decline in November 2023 aluminium production happened as per the SMM forecast. The Shanghai Metals Market had estimated the aluminium production to decline in November to reach 3.45 million tonnes , marking a M-o-M down of 5.25 per cent. In line with monthly production downfall, the average daily output also decreased in November 2023 to 116,300 tonnes from 117,500 tonnes in October. However, on a year-on-year calculation, China’s aluminium production in November 2023...

Shandong Yuhang Special Alloy Equipment Co., Ltd has received ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) Certification for its Zouping, China factory. The factory has an annual capacity of 150,000 tonnes of aluminium alloy industrial profiles, 250,000 tonnes of ingots, and 10,000 tonnes of deep-processed aluminium alloy products. Aluminium rods, aluminium alloy industrial profiles, aluminium alloy accessories, and aluminium re-melting/refining and casthouse processing are manufactured at this site. Bureau Veritas Certification conducted an independent, third-party audit of Shandong Yuhang Special Alloy Equipment Co., Ltd. Wang Chenggang, General Manager of Shandong Yuhang Special Alloy Equipment, said, “Through the ASI Performance Standard V3 certification, Shandong Yuhang will focus on...

The feasibility study review meeting for Southwest Aluminum's super-large and high-performance aluminium alloy extrusion product line project was conducted on December 1st at the Aluminium City Hotel. The expert panel assessed and evaluated the project's feasibility study report, and the project successfully cleared the expert demonstration evaluation. Representatives from Chinalco Group, Chinalco high-end production departments, China Colour technology and project divisions, Southwest Aluminum's deputy general manager Yang Lu, deputy chief engineer and other relevant professionals attended the project feasibility evaluation conference. Yang Lu, representing Southwest Aluminium, said that Southwest Aluminium is now in a strategic phase of adjusting its industrial structure and undergoing...

The Russian aluminium giant Rusal has unveiled a groundbreaking AlZn alloy explicitly designed for the automotive industry. The company has collaborated successfully on multiple research and development initiatives with significant global automotive parts suppliers, creating a proprietary AlZn alloy. This innovative alloy is formulated based on the Al-Zn-Mg system and enriched with Fe-Ni for enhanced manufacturability during the casting process. It boasts superior strength characteristics compared to the conventional alloys widely employed in the automotive sector. The high-strength cast alloy opens the door for implementing lightweight designs in critical automotive components, such as wheels and suspension parts. The casting process for the AlZn alloy employs both low-pressure die...

Last week, December 7, at the hearing of the GHG emissions intensity investigation, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and the Aluminum Association intimated to the US International Trade Commission (USITC) that the domestic recycled materials industry’s support for the aluminium producers to fight climate change by providing high-quality renewable materials as replacements for extracted resources has resulted in lowering energy consumption and carbon emissions. Both ISRI and the Aluminium Association testified to this fact after conducting surveys on several aluminium companies in response to the USITC’s fact-finding investigation on the intensity level of greenhouse gas emissions from aluminium and steel produced in the United States. ISRI pointed out at the hearing that...

Baotou Aluminium Industry's cast aluminium alloy ingots have passed the China Quality Certification Centre's evaluation and certification test. Each kilogram of cast aluminium alloy ingot has a carbon footprint value of 14.87 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent, which fulfils national green product emission regulations and has been given the Product Carbon Footprint Certificate. This initiative ensures the expansion of downstream markets and the improvement of firm competitiveness, serving as a significant milestone for Baotou Aluminium Industrial in establishing an environmentally friendly aluminium industrial chain and attaining sustainable, low-carbon, and high-quality growth. This is the second product, manufactured by China's Baotou Aluminium that has successfully obtained...

The European Union plans to implement the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) starting January 1, 2026, a carbon tax on specific imported goods, prompting varied perspectives from across the globe, including India. The United Nations 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai has discussed the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a carbon tax on imports of carbon-intensive sectors, including aluminium. Despite the Indian government labelling it as "unfair" and seeking intervention from the World Trade Organization (WTO), industry leaders are expressing a more pragmatic stance at the climate conference. Seema Arora, Deputy Director General at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), recognised the need for a proactive approach, dismissing the idea of...

The Sunrise Dam gold mine in Western Australia, operated by AngloGold Ashanti, is creating a historic moment by conducting the inaugural trial of the Sandvik TH665B. This mining truck is noteworthy for being the world's largest battery-electric vehicle designed for underground mining. The revolutionary truck boasts an electric driveline that delivers an impressive 630kW (858hp) power output, paired with a significant 354kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4 or LFP) battery. Notably, this prototype battery-electric vehicle (BEV) can transport a substantial maximum payload of 65,000kg. Its zero emissions and 80 per cent reduction in heat generation have the potential to transform underground mining operations. The Sadvik TH665B is showcased in action at the Sunrise Dam gold mine. Andrew...

The unstable consumption pattern of China’s domestic aluminium ingot has pushed the A00 aluminium ingot price further down on Monday, December 11, 2023, found the Shanghai Metals Market. As per the official data, the price has plunged by RMB 140 per tonne over the weekend to stand at RMB 18,380 per tonne, marking a week-on-week fall of 1.71 per cent from 18,700 per tonne. Over the last one month, China’s domestic A00 aluminium ingot price has arrived to the range of RMB 18,000 per tonne from RMB 19,000 per tonne due to weaker purchase sentiment among downstream sectors. Today, the average prices are expected to range between RMB 18,360 per tonne and RMB 18,400 per tonne, with a spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 50-10 per tonne. In Wuxi and Chongqing, A00 aluminium...

LME aluminium opened at US$2137 per tonne last Friday, with its high and low at US$2161.5 per tonne and US$2130 per tonne, respectively, before closing at US$2134 per tonne, up 0.14 per cent. On Friday, December 8, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price grew by US$11.5 per tonne or 0.54 per cent and US$12 per tonne or 0.57 per cent to clock at US$2,110 per tonne and US$2,111 per tonne. As per the reports, this rise may be attributed to many causes, including decreased inventories in warehouses monitored by the Shanghai Futures Exchange, ongoing production limitations caused by China's winter power deficit, and capacity constraints at local smelters. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price hiked by US$10.5 per tonne or 0.49 per cent to settle at...

Biffa, a trash management firm in the United Kingdom, is scheduled to install its first electric skip loader on the Isle of Wight, including a new Volvo electric 18-tonne 42. Biffa has adopted the electric skip loader into its fleet, which consists of 104 new Volvo Trucks trucks, as part of a comprehensive fleet modernization programme. Cerveja Cacildis, from Grupo Petrópolis, celebrates its tenth anniversary with a music event. Contedo Urbano, the producer, designed the Cacildis Instrumentos Musicais cans. The reco-reco, tantan, tambourine, rattle, and afoxé were developed by transforming ordinary aluminium cans into high-quality musical instruments. CCL Container, a North American recyclable aluminium packaging producer, has introduced new aluminium bottles that resemble traditional...