
The third quarter brought a clear improvement in global alumina production. It did not, however, bring production back to the level recorded a year earlier. Global alumina output has reached 114.625 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2026, down 330,000 tonnes or 0.29% (114.955 million tonnes in 2025) year-on-year. China's estimated production increased, but declines across most other reporting regions erased that gain. The quarterly sequence reveals how the production gap has developed. In the July to September 2026 quarter, alumina output reached 39.396 million tonnes, an increase of 5.54% over the preceding quarter. Yet the same quarter in 2025 had delivered 39.675 million tonnes. The latest production total was therefore 279,000 tonnes lower Y-o-Y. The first quarter of 2026...
Century Aluminum Company reported stronger financial results for the third quarter of 2026, as the restart of Line 2 at its Grundartangi facility in Iceland helped increase aluminium shipments, net sales and profitability. The production recovery, combined with favourable realised metal prices, supported a rise in net income to USD 302.6 million, compared with USD 249.3 million in the second quarter. The company's net sales reached USD 961.2 million during the quarter ended September 30, 2026, marking a sequential increase of USD 209.1 million. Aluminium shipments also climbed to 173,483 tonnes from 130,632 tonnes in the preceding quarter, reflecting the contribution of Line 2 returning to near-full production during the reporting period. The improvement in earnings was primarily driven...
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According to the Shanghai Metals Market, primary aluminium inventories continued to decrease over the weekend ended July 18 by 15,000 tonnes across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants. As per the data, inventories came in at 682,000 tonnes as of July 18, compared to 697,000 tonnes on July 14. In comparison with the same period last year, primary aluminium inventories as of July 18 stood 148,000 tonnes lower, showed SMM. The further downfall could be attributed to the purchase willingness among downstream buyers on aluminium price fall to around RMB 17,000 per tonne. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: In Wuxi, primary aluminium inventories decreased by 7,000 tonnes over the weekend to come...

Skeleton Technologies ensures an investment of 220 million euros (US$239.39 million) to build a new factory designed by Siemens to manufacture supercapacitors at Leipzig, Germany, as was declared by the energy storage technology firm based in Tallinn, Estonia. This new facility is estimated to begin production by 2024. Skeleton Technologies applies aluminium and carbon-based materials made by the company in Estonia to produce its supercapacitors. Supercapacitors are very similar to batteries as they are utilized to store and disperse energy in tinier quantities but with more agility. These supercapacitors can capture mechanically produced energy such as a brake clutching or an elevator plunging downwards and quickly transform it into power. They are technically faster than lithium-ion...

The United States’ aluminium plates, sheets and bars imports from Thailand displayed a slight rise of 400 tonnes in March 2022 to stand at 10,500 tonnes, found the US Census Bureau data. In February, the imports stood at 10,100 tonnes, registering a hike of 2,500 tonnes from 7,600 tonnes in January. On a year-on-year calculation, the United States’ aluminium plates, sheets and bars imports in March 2022 recorded an increase of 1,190 tonnes from 9,310 per tonne, showed USGS data. In the first quarter of 2021, the United States imported 28,300 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and bars in total, which was an increase of 13,900 tonnes from 14,400 tonnes during the same period last year. According to USGS, the United States’ total imports of aluminium plates, sheets and bars in March 2022...

The German grocery brand, Aldi has introduced its current ‘reverse vending machine’ trial for the second time in a North Cork store in Ireland, as a segment of its latest recycling initiative. Consumers can easily return their bottles and aluminium cans followed by Aldi giving the collected earnings to a selected charity. The German supermarket chain has vouched to donate £1,000 each month to the Irish children’s charity, namely Barnardos. After the first successful mounting of a recycling unit in Mitchelstown’s Aldi store, Cork is going to witness a surge in new machine instalments across various stores around the region in the upcoming months. A second installation has been completed in the Mallow shop strengthening the company’s green initiative. From July 18, consumers are being...

On July 19, the Australian Aluminium Council announced the joining of ABx Group (ABx) as its new council member. The businesses of bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, and downstream processing are all represented in Australia by the Australian Aluminium Council. The Sunrise Bauxite Project (a 50:50 joint venture with Alumin Pty Ltd) is now the focus of investigation and approval efforts by ABx. Sunrise, consisting of a bauxite mine on the Binjour plateau and port operations in Bundaberg, Queensland, is expected to produce 500,000 tonnes of gibbsite-rich trihydrate bauxite annually before ramping up to its 2 million-ton maximum operational capacity. Depending on the required licences, the mine might start operating in 2023. Additionally, ABx is conducting exploratory...

Emirates Global Aluminium has received a prestigious recognition ‘Green Industries’ label by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) for the environmental performance at the Al Taweelah site. The Green Industries labelling programme is a new initiative by EAD to appreciate outstanding environmental performance across Abu Dhabi industries. EGA accepted the recognition from Dr Shaikha Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), in a ceremony at the agency’s headquarter in Abu Dhabi, in presence of Mariam bin Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment. On receiving the recognition, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: "Aluminium plays an essential role in the development of a more sustainable society and, at EGA,...

LME aluminium opened at US$2,336.5 per tonne Monday and closed at US$2,427 per tonne, an increase of US$87 per tonne or 3.72 per cent. LME aluminium cash bid price halted at US$2,377 per tonne, with a 2.48 per cent or US$57.50 per tonne escalation on Monday, July 18. LME aluminium official settlement price rested at US$2,377.50 per tonne, experiencing an upward strike of 2.46 per cent or US$57 per tonne. 3-month bid price grew by 2.35 per cent or US$55 per tonne to stand at US$2,390 per tonne, while the 3-month offer price witnessed a US$56 per tonne or 2.4 per cent hike to begin the week at US$2,392 per tonne. December 23 bid price and December 23 offer price climbed up the graph by US$57 per tonne or 2.4 per cent to rest at US$2,425 per tonne and US$2,430 per tonne, respectively. LME...

This financial year, Vedanta is on an expedition to activate two coal blocks in Odisha and is also plotting to quicken the operational instinct of another coal mine located in the eastern region. In recent times and primarily last year, thermal power plants and the non-regulated sectors have experienced power supply shortages, thrusting Vedanta to emphasise more on the long-term availability of coal. “We intend to operationalise Jamkhani and Radhikapur (West) (coal blocks…..,” as it was recorded by Vedanta in its integrated report and annual accounts pertaining to the years 2021-22. The company had won in auction, the authority over the Jamkhani coal block in 2019 and the Radhikapur West block, the next year. The company’s Jharsuguda aluminium smelter is situated very close to this...

China customs data showed a year-on-year downfall of 36.3 per cent in the country’s unwrought aluminium and aluminium products imports in June 2022, attributing to improved domestic output and weaker demand that continued to weigh on import appetite. But on a month-on-month calculation, the imports recorded a dip of only 0.06 per cent. As per the data, China imported 187,362 tonnes of aluminium (including primary, unwrought and alloyed aluminium) in June, bringing the total imports in six months to 1.08 million tonnes, down 25.9 per cent from the same period last year. Relaxed power restrictions have eased aluminium supply tension this year, which had been a primary reason behind the increased cargo inflows in the previous year. China’s primary aluminium output grew year-on-year by 3.2...

On Monday, July 18, Vedanta Aluminium said that it is eager to collaborate with the entire value chain of the automobile sector to minimise the industry’s dependence on imported aluminium. The news came after Vedanta said in a statement, "The company is keen to partner with the automotive sector....from large players to OEMs and MSMEs, for reducing the industry's import dependence." Vedanta has rightly pointed that due to the rising consciousness towards sustainability and zero carbon emissions, there’s a significant growth of aluminium usage in vehicles, be it battery electric vehicles, hybrids or internal combustion engine vehicles. The company has said that it is a long-time partner to the automobile industry. It develops product solutions for the industry, suitable to their unique...

National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) continued to axe its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices, with effect from Friday, July 15. The company reduced its aluminium ingot price by INR 5,400 per tonne or 2.4 per cent to INR 216,350-219,850 per tonne. A week ago, July 8, NALCO’s aluminium ingot price was at INR 221,750-225,250 per tonne, down by INR 1,700 per tonne from INR 223,450-226,950 per tonne on June 21. NALCO’s aluminium wire rod price came in at INR 218,850-223,200 per tonne, with effect from July 15, also down by INR 5,400 per tonne from INR 224,250-228,600 per tonne on July 8. Aluminium billets price also experienced a cut of INR 5,400 per tonne from INR 225,200-227,850 per tonne on July 8 to INR 219,800-222,450 per tonne on July 15. NALCO links its aluminium ingot...

The beverage industry has been affected by the aluminium can shortage brought on by supply chain issues. Local breweries have been straining to fill the gap since the outbreak. The S27 Ales craft brewery in San Jose claimed that securing aluminium cans are becoming difficult for them. "Cans have been the biggest problem for us," said Lucas Szymanowski, co-founder of S27 Ales. Due to the ongoing can shortage, some local craft breweries are adjusting their business practices accordingly. Aluminium cans scarcity is affecting breweries throughout the country, due to pandemic-related industrial slowdowns and increasing demand straining the aluminium supply chain. "The demand for cans, I think, skyrocketed to a point where it outstripped the supply. When it comes to aluminum cans, everybody...

Pulp and paper industry head from Finland, Stora Enso has partnered with Tetra Pak in scrutinizing a joint beverage packages recycling scheme that would house a specialized venture in Langerbrugge for extracting fiber and making recycled containerboard, with a dedicated partner chipping in for recycling the polymer and aluminium barrier materials. Every year almost 75,000 tonnes of beverage cartons are recovered out of the Benelux market or technically Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg but there is no prevailing carton recycling infrastructure in the vicinity. This has influenced the joint venture between Stora Enso and Tetra Pak who are now focused on serving the country with its augmented paper-based packaging demand. Stora Enso would methodically extract fiber from the collected...

Aluminium tubing is used in a wide range of industrial applications from consumer items to recreational merchandise to machine parts to automotive and manufacturing. Since aluminium weighs only one per cent of steel, it is appreciated by consumers for its strength. As a result of this versatile blend of strength and flexibility, aluminium tubing is used effectively in a variety of structures. Due to its lightweight, aluminium tubing can provide a greater volume of tubing per weight than steel tubing. Several products benefit from the use of lighter tubing material, particularly those needing a mobility degree such as wheelchairs and outdoor furnishings. Austria is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and its economy is forecasted to inflate by 3.6% in 2022 and 1.4% in 2023 though...

Now, the use of aluminium as energy source in electric vehicles will be possible in India, thanks to the partnership of Hindalco, Phinergy and IOC Phinergy. According to a report on July 18, Aditya Birla’s flagship company Hindalco has signed an MoU with Phinergy, an Israel-based company engaged in metal-air battery technology, and IOC Phinergy, a JV between Phinergy and Indian Oil Corporation, to conduct R&D and start pilot production of aluminium plates for Aluminium-Air batteries. The companies will also recycle the aluminium after the use in batteries. This partnership is expected to popularise the use of electric vehicles, as the aluminium-air batteries are known to increase the driving range of EVs owing to lightweight and high energy density. In the Aluminium-Air batteries...

LME aluminium opened at US$2,335 per tonne last Friday and closed at US$2,340 per tonne, an increase of US$13 per tonne or 0.56 per cent. On Friday, July 15, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price slipped by US$8.5 per tonne or 0.36 per cent to halt at US$2,319.50 per tonne and US$2,320.50 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price also slumped by US$4.5 per tonne or 0.19 per cent and US$4 per tonne or 0.17 per cent to settle at US$2,335 per tonne and US$2,336 per tonne. December 23 bid price and December 23 offer price settled at US$2,368 per tonne and US$2,373 per tonne. Both of them inched up US$1 per tonne or 0.04 per cent. LME aluminium opening stock pegged at 333000 tonnes. Live warrants and Cancelled warrants 156300 tonnes and 176700...

Rio Tinto Group, an Anglo-Australian multinational metals and mining company, has announced the second quarter results of 2022, revealing a 4 per cent quarter-on-quarter increase and a 3 per cent year-on-year rise in bauxite production to 14.1 million tonnes. According to the mining group, total production of bauxite during the first half of the year ended June 30 came in at 27.8 million tonnes – 2 per cent more than the previous year. Rio Tinto has attributed the growth in bauxite production to the strong operational performance at Weipa as a result of improved plant reliability at Amrun. Rio Tinto’s aluminium output in Q2 2022 was 731,000 tonnes after being inched down by 1 per cent from 1Q2022 and shrunk by 10 per cent from 2Q2021. Total output in the first six months of the year also...

Commercial vehicles that travel long routes perhaps have initiated electrifying modestly in a much slower manner than envisioned, due to certain challenges such as battery size, charging infrastructure and long charging times. In spite of the slow start, India is striving to lead the way in the adoption of electric vehicles, including two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and e-buses. It is interesting to note that India’s Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and Israel's Phinergy plan to commence their initial pilot of aluminium-air batteries soon. The Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India, Hardeep Singh Puri, announced that an IOCL-Phinergy JV had manufactured 100 aluminium plates that will power a 50-seater bus for about 500 km. He said, “Big revolutions come in small...