KAP Minerals and Cymat Technologies are exploring a partnership to produce scandium-aluminium master alloy in Ontario, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding. The partnership would use scandium oxide from KAP’s Kapuskasing critical minerals project and Cymat’s aluminium-processing technology to produce alloys for aerospace, defence and manufacturing applications. To know the global production, demand and consumption forecasts of aluminium extrusions, explore our report " The World of Aluminium Extrusions to 2035 " Scandium-aluminium alloys can improve strength, performance and weldability while reducing weight. The companies aim to use the proposed venture to establish a domestic supply chain, converting Canadian critical minerals into value-added industrial materials....
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...
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According to a report on February 16, South32 is in talks with Eskom, a South African electricity public utility, to source nuclear power for its Hillside Aluminium. Graham Kerr, CEO of South32, said the company had been seeking nuclear power for its smelter to make the production sustainable because, in his view, Europe would only consume green aluminium in the future. He also said bringing Eskom to an agreement was critical. As per the report, South32 is mulling sourcing half of the total power produced by the 1800MW koeberg nuclear facilities in the Western Cape. Kerr stated South32 was willing to pay a premium price for nuclear energy supply because it noticed European customers were paying $10 per tonne premium for green aluminium and were likely to spend as much as $40 per tonne in...
Three-month LME aluminium opened at US$2,389 per tonne on Thursday, February 16, and closed at US$2,418 per tonne, an increase of US$33.50 per tonne or 1.4 per cent. On Thursday, February 16, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price extended fall for the second day by US$25.50 per tonne or 1.07 per cent from the previous day to total US$2,341 per tonne and US$2,341.50 per tonne, respectively. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price shrank by US$11 per tonne or 0.46 per cent to peg at US$2,381 per tonne and US$2,382 per tonne. December 24 bid price and December 24 offer price dropped by US$5 per tonne to close at US$2,555 per tonne and US$2,560 per tonne, respectively. LME aluminium opening stock decreased 4,325 tonnes to settle at 597,825 tonnes....
India’s iconic aluminium producer and a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium Business, Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), appointed Rajesh Kumar as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Whole Time Director (WTD). When it comes to operations, maintenance, project implementation, and efficient development in Tata Steel's Indian and Thai facilities, Rajesh Kumar has extensive industry experience spanning 36 years. He graduated from Banaras Hindu University with a B Tech in Mechanical Engineering (IIT BHU) and obtained his master's degree in business administration from XLRI, Jamshedpur, where he won a gold medal in finance (MBA). Rajesh Kumar, the new CEO of BALCO, has a wealth of experience in large-scale project execution, organizational excellence, and plant commissioning. He has...
On Thursday, February 16, China’s aluminium billet inventory slumped by 12,100 tonnes from 214,400 tonnes recorded the previous week. The inventory as of today settled at 202,300 tonnes. After earlier halting the increasing trend, there were two weeks of fall. Each of the five major markets saw a decline in inventory due to a significant outflow of goods from warehouses. Production of aluminium billets has essentially been restored to normal levels, and vast quantities of billets have flooded the market in east China, causing havoc with prices. The figure below provides further information on the current state of aluminium billet inventories in China: As per the SMM data, the inventories in Foshan and Huzhou have plunged by 9,700 tonnes and 1,000 tonnes to peg at 99,500 tonnes and 48,000...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market data, China’s social inventories of primary aluminium have extended W-o-W growth but at a slower rate than the previous week. SMM data shows the inventories have amounted to 1.22 million tonnes across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, registering an increase of 26,000 tonnes than a week ago and 177,000 tonnes a year earlier. It is to be noted here that comparing the inventory with Monday, February 13, it has dipped by 2,000 tonnes. Going ahead, China’s primary aluminium inventories are expected to see mild growth considering Yunnan aluminium smelters are still at risk of production cuts due to power shortages. To know the current status of the primary aluminium inventories across China in more detail, refer to the chart below:...
There is much to the mere word 'Aluminium'. From pins to smartphones, aluminium or the Metal of the Future can be found in countless products which are highly beneficial to mankind and in everyday use. Because of its low weight and anti-corrosive qualities, it is increasingly replacing iron and steel in today's advanced vehicles, contemporary structures, satellites, etc. Several phone manufacturers are making an effort to create compact and robust phones for the constantly expanding market of steroid-enhanced hardware capabilities. The weight and sturdiness of the frames become even more crucial as phone makers pack more RAM and precise cameras into today's smartphones. And to keep the smartphone lightweight along with the upgraded specifications, aluminium is considered one of the most...
On Wednesday, Vedanta Ltd. announced that it was selected as the preferred bidder for an Odisha bauxite block. Vedanta has been named the preferred bidder for the Sijimali Bauxite Block, located in the Rayagada and Kalahandi districts of Odisha, under the mineral block auction held by the Government of Odisha, the mining firm stated in an exchange filing. Given its size, location, and bauxite grade, the project is a strategic match for Vedanta , according to the business, which also noted that the block has an estimated 311 million tonnes of bauxite deposits. The districts of Rayagada and Kalahandi in the state of Odisha contain the Sijimali bauxite bock. Following the company's announcement that it has been selected as the preferred bidder for the Sijimali bauxite block, Vedanta saw a...
Fast Forward Zero, a climate and sustainability company, has launched its services to help businesses transform into net zero, circular and inclusive operating models. Empowering business transformations with real climate impact, Fast Forward Zero will also help investors and other business leaders build collaborative coalitions to shape better systems and solve complex problems. Jerome Lucaes, the company's CEO, leveraging over 25 years of experience, is working with a network of well-established experts and institutions to develop relevant and applicable solutions that inspire sustainable transformations to leverage unique competitive advantages. Jerome is one of the few business leaders with real experience and premium sustainability achievements that have been transformative for the...
The United States aluminium scrap imports from Mexico dropped by 2,400 tonnes or 15.58 per cent month-on-month, standing at 13,000 tonnes during November 2022, found the US Geological Survey. In October 2022, the country’s import from Mexico was 15,400 tonnes; however, up by 8.45 per cent or 1,200 tonnes from 14,200 tonnes. On a year-on-year calculation, the United States aluminium scrap imports from Mexico slowed down by 15.58 per cent or 2,400 tonnes from 15,400 tonnes. But despite the year-on-year fall in monthly imports, the United States total imports of aluminium scrap from Mexico during January-November grew by 2,000 tonnes to 192,000 tonnes, compared with 190,000 tonnes a year ago. USGS data indicates the United States aluminium scrap imports from Mexico will most likely record a...
On February 10, 2023, the only Greek producer of flat-rolled aluminium products , ElvalHalcor, received 2nd place in the "Best Company" category award during the Award Ceremony of the "Business Awards HRIMA 2022". As a result, it has reaffirmed its distinct position among companies that support the Greek economy and contribute to the growth of the Stock Exchange market. This distinction underlines ElvalHalcor's explosive growth, especially in light of the opportunities presented by the megatrends of urbanisation, the circular economy, and energy transition concerning the rising demand for cutting-edge, environmentally friendly products and services made of copper and aluminium. Spyros Kokkolis, ElvalHalcor's Chief Financial Officer, stated, while accepting the award on behalf of the...
Shanghai Metals Market survey found the average operating rate in the aluminium wire and cable sector dropped 5.9 percentage points month-on-month and 0.6 percentage point year-on-year to 34.4 per cent in January 2023. The average operating rate of large producers lost 9.2 percentage points M-o-M to 38.5 per cent, and that of mid-sized producers fell 4.3 percentage points to 29.3 per cent, while small producers remained stable. The operating rates decline of wire and cable producers in January could be attributed to the production halt for the Chines New Year Holiday. But some producers reported having continued operation in advance for deliveries in February, resulting in in-plant inventory growth with falling orders from the power grid sector. In January, the operating rates of wire and...
The largest aluminium producer in India, Vedanta Aluminium, hosted the first edition of the International Aluminium Conference 2023 (IAC 2023) held on February 9-10, 2023 at its operations in Jharsuguda, Odisha in partnership with the Aluminium Association of India, concluded with a high hope by bringing India closer to become the "Aluminium Capital of the World". As India's leading business-to-business platform dedicated to the aluminium manufacturing value chain, the International Aluminium Conference facilitates collaboration among stakeholders in the aluminium manufacturing industry. Rahul Sharma, the CEO of Vedanta Aluminium Business, said, "We are delighted to have hosted some of the world's most innovative minds, experts in the metal & manufacturing field, and key players in the...
To ensure a sustainable and consistent supply of Rio Tinto's Responsible Aluminium products to Japanese downstream manufacturers, global miner Rio Tinto and Japanese trader and business conglomerate Marubeni Corporation have agreed to the first sale under the new strategic Collaboration Agreement. A significant Japanese motorcycle manufacturer committed to decreasing carbon emissions throughout its supply chains and production process purchased the first batch of Rio Tinto's RenewAl™ high-purity aluminium from the sustainably powered New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS). "We are excited to be a part of the first producer-trading house marketing partnership focused on delivering sustainability throughout the aluminium supply chain. Consumers want to know more about the products they buy...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, the average alumina spot price in China has dipped for the second day in a row by RMB 3 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,946 per tonne on Thursday, February 16. On a week-on-week calculation, the price is down by RMB 4 per tonne from RMB 2,950 per tonne on February 9, but stands 0.44 per cent or RMB 13 per tonne higher than RMB 2,933 per tonne on January 16. In Guangxi and Shandong, alumina spot price has decreased by RMB 10 per tonne and RMB 5 per tonne, respectively, to settle at RMB 2,870 per tonne and RMB 2,920 per tonne as of Thursday, February 16. But in other major provinces like Henan, Shanxi, and Guizhou, the price has remained restrained at RMB 2,995 per tonne, RMB 2,975 per tonne, and RMB 2,880 per tonne. On the other hand, the Australian...
LME aluminium opened at US$2,414 per tonne on Wednesday and closed at US$2,388 per tonne, a decrease of US$19.5 per tonne or 0.81 per cent. On Wednesday, February 15, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME official settlement price dropped by US$22.5 per tonne or 0.94 per cent and US$24 per tonne or 1 per cent to halt at US$2,366.50 per tonne and US$2,367 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price slipped by US$27 per tonne or 1.11 per cent to peg at US$2,392 per tonne and US$2,393 per tonne. December 24 bid price and December 24 offer price decreased by US$28 per tonne or 1.08 per cent and 1.07 per cent to settle at US$2,560 per tonne and US$2,565 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock came in at 602150 tonnes. Live warrants and Cancelled warrants scored at 453700 tonnes and...
The Indian multi-national company involved in the forging and automotive components manufacturing, Bharat Forge's overseas business posted an EBITDA loss of INR 62 crore in the December quarter (Q3FY23) on new product issues related to the capacity increase of aluminium forging capacity in Germany and the United States. The EBITDA loss of overseas subsidiaries in the September quarter (Q2FY23) was INR 34.1 crore. The management does anticipate that this new capacity will stabilise in FY24 and enjoy good margins at 75-80 per cent utilisation. Bharat Forge said, "Overseas businesses continue their journey to profitability with a focus on improving capacity utilisation, cost optimisation, price increases and cost reimbursement for customers." Due to rising expenses, the company's...
A contract signed between Hydro Alunorte and Wave Aluminium to construct a plant in Brazil that will process bauxite residue (red mud) to recover commercially valuable materials is expected to be operational by 2024. The facility will be constructed in Hydro Alunorte alumina refinery in Pará, Brazil. The proposed red mud processing facility will initially be able to treat 50,000 tonnes of bauxite residue annually using a novel mix of disruptive technologies. The new method will transform bauxite refuse into a resource and has demonstrated success in laboratory tests. "The preliminary results are highly promising and indicate a revolutionary scenario for the global aluminium industry when converting residue into products," stated Gustavo Emina, CEO of Wave Aluminium. After the bauxite...
Global aluminium aerosol cans shipments by AEROBAL members have recorded an increase of 6.8 per cent for 2022 to nearly 6 million units. AEROBAL is an international organisation representing manufacturers of aluminium aerosol cans. According to AEROBAL, the growth in shipments was mainly due to the increase in demand from the pharmaceutical, hairspray, shaving foam and other personal care sectors by 13 per cent, 17 per cent, 14 per cent and 42 per cent, respectively, compared to the prior year. Demand from the volume-dominant deodorant and perfume market also grew, although at a slower rate, by 4 per cent. Overall, the personal care market accounted for about 82 per cent of the total deliveries in 2022. Going by the geography, shipments to South and North America grew 6 per cent,...
