India’s renewable energy transition is gathering pace, with installed renewable power capacity surpassing 300 gigawatts (GW) in 2026, almost quadrupling over the past decade. The country has also achieved its target of sourcing 50 per cent of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources five years ahead of schedule, strengthening its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing clean energy markets. The expansion is beginning to deliver measurable energy security benefits by reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, while competitive renewable power costs and expanding domestic manufacturing are opening new investment opportunities. However, sustaining this momentum will require substantial improvements in electricity transmission, storage infrastructure and...
Glencore has defended its progress on the Aurukun bauxite project in Queensland, saying it has met all commitments under its licence conditions, as calls for greater scrutiny mount over its proposed sale to Rio Tinto. Queensland MP Robbie Katter, a member of the Parliamentary Primary Industries and Resources Committee, is seeking an inquiry into the deal. The reported sale value has been put at USD 250 million, though this figure has not been confirmed. Katter questioned why a multinational company should hold a public resource without developing it and then sell its interests. He said, “That resource is owned by the people of Queensland, it’s not the government’s to play around with, or for any of these global mining companies to just trade.” Explore the production, demand and...
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The exclusion of aluminium from the strategic raw material list put down by the European Commission has raised fundamental questions about the long-term future of the primary sector. Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, the vice-chair of the European Parliament's International Trade Committee (INTA), explained how bauxite has been included, the raw material used in extracting aluminium. At the same time, the 100% per cent recyclable variant has been removed. Alcoa, the eighth largest aluminium producer, records a price hike for declining orders and posts an 18.92 per cent year-on-year revenue fall. The gradually declining state of the western economy has kept a check on the LME aluminium price, with it falling this week by US$86.50 per tonne or 3.62 per cent to rest at US$2,302 per tonne on...
Norsk Hydro said on Thursday that it would sell a 30 per cent share in Brazilian alumina refinery Alunorte and a 5 per cent investment in bauxite producer Mineracao Rio do Norte to Swiss miner and trader Glencore. However, in a recent update, Glencore plans to pay about $700 million for the equity interests upon the conclusion of the agreement in the second half of 2023, according to a separate statement, which will provide the miner and dealer with a proportional offtake of the metal. "The growing decarbonisation trend is driving demand not only for the mass production of batteries that require the raw materials which Glencore produces but also for primary aluminium as a strong, lightweight manufacturing metal," said Robin Scheiner, head of alumina and aluminium at Glencore. As per the...
The recycled sector has been witnessing a steady bloom in the past few years, with all the major companies investing on a large scale to align their businesses with the current sustainability goals laid out by world associations. In collaboration with premium companies and specialists, BMW AG has churned the fortune wheel to have a better scope at a circular economy with the recycling of end-of-life cars with the Car2Car project. Ball Corporation has been running the "Play Clean" recycling programme for the past 15 years, intending to raise awareness. This year marks Ball's third venture with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) in educating people about sustainable practices. As per the US Census Bureau data, the aluminium scrap export volume has made an unprecedented leap of 358 per...
On Friday, April 28, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative announced that it certified Aluminij Industries d.o.o. against Performance Standard V3 (2022) certification for producing and selling foundry aluminium alloys in the form of billets, slabs, and small ingots at its facility in Mostar, Bosnia. The company represents Bosnia and Herzegovina as the first recipient of ASI certification. Aluminij manufactures a wide range of foundry aluminium alloys using recycled aluminium, primary aluminium and pre-alloys. It is the largest importer and exporter of the materials in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an annual production capacity of more than 200,000 tonnes. The brand new ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) certification defines 11 principles and 62 criteria under three sustainability pillars –...
Aluminium is the sustainable material of choice since it is lightweight, robust, resilient, and endlessly recyclable. A lot of companies are taking their shift towards this sustainable metal. KOPU Water Company organised a Lunch & Learn event on April 27 to promote the importance of recycling aluminium and how it can drive towards a sustainable path. Tata Steel will present a sustainable packaging discovery developed with Grupo Calvo at the METPACK 2023 exhibition in Essen, Germany, next week. The Protact will be introduced with another new product, the Vuelca Fácil® or 'Easy Flip' aluminium film cover. Belvac, a Dover business that has been a significant global manufacturer of two-piece metal packaging for over 60 years, introduced the Servo Belvac Necker, the latest aluminium can...
Sunview Group Berhad, a well-known solar panel manufacturer, recently stated that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Vafe System Sdn Bhd, has signed a share sale agreement and shareholder agreement to purchase a 20 per cent stake in Winstar Aluminium Manufacturing Sdn Bhd for RM12 million. Aluminium, metal, and alloy are the primary products that Winstar, a limited liability business, produces, fabricates, processes, and sells. "Post-acquisitions, Sunview will have access to its own aluminium alloy solar mounting system through Winstar. The measure will allow the group to reduce its dependency on external suppliers of the aluminium alloy solar mounting system," said Sunview CEO and ED Ong Hang Ping. Sunview CEO and ED Ong Hang Ping said that the purchase of Winstar is in keeping with the...
In response to the increased focus on a sustainable environment, aluminium manufacturers throughout the globe are embracing ecologically-friendly manufacturing processes. To begin with, BMW Group, a German multinational manufacturer of luxury automobiles, unveiled a new programme named "Car2Car" that aims to boost the percentage of recycled materials used in new models to 50%. Volgron, Australia's largest bus body manufacturer, took its step towards sustainability with the Volgren Optimus E-Bus, one of the lightest zero-emission bus bodies in its class, now in service in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth. Novelis, the world leader in aluminium rolling and recycling and a worldwide producer of sustainable aluminium solutions, recently launched its second Green Bond report. The report...
Through their collaboration, ASCONA and D-CUBE are transforming the aluminium industry with an innovative approach to inline surface inspection of aluminium profiles. Their joint efforts have led to the development of Promex Cyrus, a cutting-edge product that employs AI technology to benefit leading aluminium extrusion plants in Europe. This strategic partnership exemplifies the power of teamwork and demonstrates the potential for global impact in aluminium profile inspection. Promex Cyrus, with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), can identify various types of surface anomaly live, whatever the shape, number or size of the extruded aluminium profile might be. The inspection can be done in singularity or series, and Cyrus sends a warning message for the operators to rectify their...
Norsk Hydro has restarted working on a tender offer process to complete the acquisition of the 100 per cent share of Polish recycler Alumetal S.A. The tender offer was first launched in April 2022 but expired in the meantime. The European Commission’s merger review of the transaction is pending, and now the deadline is May 23, 2023. “The acquisition of Alumetal would be a strong strategic fit towards delivering on Hydro’s recycling strategy. We see a growing demand for recycled low-carbon aluminum in Europe. Forward leaning customers are leading the way in decarbonizing materials used in the production of automotive, building and construction, and consumer durables,” said Executive Vice President Eivind Kallevik, Head of Hydro Aluminium Metal. Acquiring a recycler will strengthen Hydro’s...
The Illinois Chapter of the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), located in Arlington, has testified in opposition to legislation that would establish a deposit-return system (DRS) for beverage containers like aluminium cans, bottles, etc in that state. The proposed State Beverage Container Recycling Refunds Act (Senate Bill 85) would create a container recycling redemption return programme, which the NWRA chapter claims would increase the cost of household recycling programmes. According to the NWRA, the legislation is unlikely to be introduced during the spring 2023 legislative session. In the Prairie State, NWRA Illinois Chapter member John Pausma of Homewood, Illinois-based Homewood Disposal spoke on how, in his company's opinion, a bottle charge would raise the cost of home...
Liquid Death Canned Water has recently launched the Liquid Death Enema of the State Collectible Enema Kit in collaboration with famous drummer Travis Baker. The kit consists of a single 19.2 oz can of Liquid Death water and a "custom-branded enema bulb," as stated on the Liquid Death website. The artist's expertise has shaped a pleasing 8-pack Liquid Death range available via Amazon. The collective item, autographed by Barker, was sold out even before the second shipment of cans could make its way to the store. It is tough to figure out whether the wholesome sale was influenced by Blink-182's "Enema of the State" album snippet on the exterior part of the aluminium can or if it was due to the Liquid Death canned water drinkers' enthusiasm. This brand has taken the hydration game by storm...
Taparia Tools has launched aluminium oxide Cut-off Wheels for fast-cutting applications. These wheels sound impressive, as they're made by bonding together Aluminium Oxide. It's great that they can be used in various metal & stainless-steel cutting applications. It makes us wonder if they'll be a game-changer for people working with these materials. Taparia Tools hailing from India, is an accredited company with ISO-9001. This company started manufacturing hand tools in 1969 and did it in technical collaboration with a well-respected company called Bahco of Sweden. It's pretty enigmatic that they've been around for so long and still managed to maintain such a high level of quality. It's clear that they care about their customers and want to ensure they are always protected. The aluminium...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, social inventories of primary aluminium ingot across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, stood at 853,000 tonnes on Thursday, April 27, experiencing a plunge of 53,000 tonnes week-on-week from 906,000 tonnes. Compared to Monday, April 24, the inventories decreased by 32,000 tonnes from 885,000 tonnes. Hence, at the end of April 2023, the inventory declined by 235,000 tonnes through the month. The destocking was mainly due to fewer cargo arrivals. Also, the increasing share of molten aluminium being cast into intermediate products or sold to downstream plants nearby caused less shipment to major markets, resulting in the downfall of inventories. However, it has been noticed that the weekly decline of inventories has slowed...
The "Play Clean" recycling programme at Ball Arena has been running for 15 years, and this year marks the third year of collaboration between Ball Corporation and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE). Together, they have made the venue's beverage packaging infinitely recyclable, increased on-site aluminium recycling , and used in-venue messaging and other marketing tools to educate fans and the Denver community about the importance of their packaging choices and aluminium recycling. The partnership aims to produce 100 per cent aluminium packaging for all fan-facing beverage containers and ample on-site aluminium recycling, including placing more than 240 recycling bins around the arena and mobile recycling backpacks carried on the backs of on-site ambassadors to bring recycling directly...
The global mining and metal giant Rio Tinto has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the Platina Scandium Project, a high-grade scandium resource in New South Wales, from Platina Resources Limited for $14 million. The project, located in central New South Wales close to Condobolin, includes a long-life, high-grade scalable resource that has the potential to produce up to 40 tonnes of scandium oxide annually for a projected 30 years. Scandium is one of the best elements for strengthening aluminium while improving flexibility and heat and corrosion resistance. As a result, it is employed to make high-performance aluminium alloys for various uses that call for lightweight, robust, and heat-resistant materials, such as 3D printing, aerospace, automotive, heat exchangers, sporting...
In February 2023, the United States exported 159,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap, almost consistent compared to 160,000 tonnes in January, found the US Census Bureau data. On a year-on-year calculation, the export volume jumped 358 per cent from 34,700 tonnes. In the first two months of 2023, the United States’ scrap exports totalled 319,000 tonnes, up by 375 per cent from 67,100 tonnes during the corresponding period of the previous year. India, one of the leading destinations of the United States scrap exports, hauled 31,000 tonnes in February 2023 compared to 29,300 tonnes in January. As per the USGS data, the United States exports to India grew both month-on-month and year-on-year. On a monthly basis, the export to India rose 5.8 per cent, and on an annual calculation, it leaped 167 per...
In the upcoming week, Tata Steel will uphold a sustainable packaging discovery it has produced in collaboration with Grupo Calvo at the METPACK 2023 exhibition in Essen, Germany. The new item called Protact will be launched alongside another innovation, the Vuelca Fácil® or 'Easy Flip' aluminium film lid. Tata Steel's partnership with Grupo Calvo has given birth to this new can format that curtails food waste, induces a circular economy and elevates the standards of lightweight packaging in the beverage sector. Tata Steel's Protact uses a revolutionary layering of polypropylene (PP) which is compatible with the newly enhanced direct seal module. This technology has been claimed to make a can 24 per cent lighter than the conventional weight. With the elaborative use of the coating, Grupo...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) for non-ferrous metal prices kept falling, as recorded on April 25, 2023. The three-month contract for aluminium futures fell 1.9 per cent to $2,335/t. To $2,600/t, zinc prices decreased by 2.6 per cent. Lead prices dropped 1.7 per cent to $2,106/t. The price of nickel decreased by 5 per cent to $23,341/t. The price of copper futures dipped 2.3 per cent to close at $8,528/t. In March 2023, the year-on-year (y-o-y) increase in Australia's monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 6.3 per cent, a decrease from the 6.8 per cent rise witnessed in February 2023. This figure was also lower than the market anticipation of 6.5 per cent. The drop represented the third consecutive month of declining annual inflation and marked the "slowest growth rate" since May 2022....
