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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Dhyana, an Indian fitness wearables start-up endorsed by badminton legend Pullela Gopichand and Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra has officially publicised the second edition of its ultra-light unibody aluminium ring, which acts as a health-tracker. This feather-like unibody aluminium ring has to be on your fingers while performing vital bodily functions. The Dhyana ring is the only miniature continuous heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring device in the world and the first of its kind. Dhyana’s MD, Bhairav Shankar quoted: “The first version of Dhyana was focused on measuring mindfulness during meditation. Our new updated version is a complete game-changer; it’s designed to be worn the whole day, helping users track their inner balance continuously.” Along with monitoring heart...
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the world’s largest aluminium smelter ex-China, bagged six significant National Safety Council (NSC) USA awards for 2021. Alba is recognized as one of the top industrial companies in the world with high standards in Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG). Awards reflect Alba's leadership in various safety areas: Safety Leadership Award, Milestone Award, Million Work Hours Award, Perfect Record Award, Occupational Excellence Achievement Award, and Significant Improvement Award. The six NSC Awards will be presented to Alba at the National Safety Council Congress and Expo, which will take place in San Diego, USA, in September 2022. “We are our last line of defense in Safety; it boils down to each one of us. Safety is everyone’s responsibility in Alba. I thank our...
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has impeded its dispute panel’s decree on the United States tariff with six nations including Russia, India and China against higher duties on some aluminium and steel products to the second half of 2022 adducing “complexity of the issue”. A Geneva-based official stated, “Due to the complexity of the dispute, the Panel now expects to issue its final report to the parties no earlier than the last quarter of 2022.” The three European nations Norway, Turkey and Switzerland had also tugged the United States to the WTO on the White House’s move to impose 10% and 25% import duties on certain aluminium and steel products in 2018. However, the US had voiced that the duties were steps for national security. Concerning this issue, India protested that the duties...
Aluminium beverage cans are one of the most widely recycled beverage packagings globally. The main reasons that have contributed to the popularity are its easy recyclability over an unlimited number of times and the maximum amount of recycled content. Vancouver-based beverage company, Teaspoons & Co. has decided to shift towards a sustainable way by using aluminium cans for all of their drinks, except for slushes and hot beverage offerings. Throughout their lifespans, aluminium cans can be recycled indefinitely. A bamboo fibre straw that fits through the hole in the beverage cans is sturdy and big enough to slurp up both the toppings and the tea. The recycling rate of Used Beverage Cans (UBC) is over double the rate of that of any other beverage container. It's interesting to note that it...
Australia-based AML3D has bagged a purchase order worth US$140,000 to develop and manufacture 3D printed aluminium components from the Boeing Company in St. Louis, Missouri. The former will provide Boeing with essential high-strength aluminium components and structural items usually installed as ‘fly’ components. AML3D are specialists in wire additive manufacturing to produce large-scale 3D-made items for the defence, aerospace, maritime, oil, mining, gas and other manufacturing circuits. Aluminium is one of the most lightweight metals on the planet, making it immensely popular in the aviation industry. AML3D is expected to produce the components using its signature wire additive manufacturing (WAM) method. In March, Boeing’s Director of Global Additive Manufacturing visited the AML3D...
The aluminium industry is a highly energy-intensive sector and the German aluminium industry is getting ready for the extreme situation in the aspect of the uncertainty in the gas supply. On 1 st July 2022, the President of Aluminium Deutschland e. V. (Aluminium Association of Germany), Hinrich Mählmann said, “Preparation for the worst-case scenario consists of companies drawing up emergency plans.” He further added, “It is about which gas consumers have to be switched off first and then subsequently. However, this is only possible to a certain extent, after which the companies would have to be closed. Then the contingency plan consists of managing liquidity in such a way that the companies survive at least for a certain period. But this period is also limited.” The aluminium industry in...
According to the latest USGS statistics, the United States imported 30,700 tonnes of aluminium crude metals and alloys in the first quarter of 2021 (1Q2021), which on a Y-o-Y calculation surged by 54,900 tonnes or 178.82 per cent to halt at 85,600 tonnes in 1Q2022. The amount of aluminium crude metals and alloys imported by the US from Bahrain in 4Q2021 closed at 71,100 tonnes, which hiked by 14,500 tonnes or 20.39 per cent Q-o-Q in the first quarter of 2022. In March 2022, Bahrain exported 17,600 tonnes of aluminium crude metals and alloys to the United States, which ascended by 7,860 tonnes or 80.69 per cent M-o-M from 9,740 tonnes in February. In February, a huge drop of 48,460 tonnes or 83.26 per cent was recorded from 58,200 tonnes in January. Y-o-Y growth of 7,830 tonnes or 80.14...
LME aluminium opened at US$2,475 per tonne on Monday and closed at US$2,463 per tonne, down 0.22 per cent. LME aluminium cash bid price stood at US$2,431 per tonne, with a 2.01 per cent or US$48 per tonne escalation on Monday, July 4. LME aluminium official settlement price halted at US$2,431.50 per tonne, experiencing an upward strike of 1.99 per cent or US$47.50 per tonne. 3-month bid price grew by 2.12 per cent or US$51 per tonne to stand at US$2,450 per tonne, while the 3-month offer price witnessed a US$52 per tonne or 2.17 per cent hike to begin the week at US$2,452 per tonne. December 23 bid price and December 23 offer price climbed up the graph by US$50 per tonne or 2.05 per cent to rest at US$2,488 per tonne and US$2,493 per tonne, respectively. LME aluminium opening stock...
On 4 th July 2022, the largest aluminium producer of India, Vedanta reported a 3 per cent upswing in its aluminium production to 565,000 tonnes in the April-June quarter of FY22-23. Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Ltd runs its aluminium operations in the states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh and had produced 549,000 tonnes of aluminium in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. Aluminium has applications across a wide range of critical industries, including aerospace, aviation, electrical, transportation, infrastructure, consumer goods, and more, as well as emerging sectors such as electric vehicles and renewable energy; making it an essential part of modern life and crucial for a low carbon future. As a result, aluminium is the world's second most important metal today and is set...
The Chief Development Officer of South32, Simon Collins stated at the virtual session of this year’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada, that the company encountered a significant change in the past year and has evolved considerably since its formation in 2015, reshaping the company's portfolio to focus on metals critical to a low-carbon future mandate the company to diversify its product portfolio. During the first half of the company's financial year 2022, he noted that record earnings and shareholder returns were supported by the company's favourable commodity mix and recent portfolio improvements. Collins expressed by commenting, “Study outcomes for our world-class development options in North America underline their potential to supply critical minerals into the future....
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati said on Monday that researchers there have created a low-cost, effective "passive" radiative cooling system that runs without energy and can serve as a substitute for traditional air conditioners. This radiative cooler coating material may be placed on rooftops and works both during the day and at night, making it an electricity-free cooling device. For the cooler to operate during the daytime, researchers considered employing silicon dioxide and aluminium nitride thin films. The wavelength range of solar and atmospheric radiations is matched by the low optical density of these materials. "For a radiative cooler to work during daytime, the material should reflect the solar and atmospheric radiations falling on it. Since the materials used...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium in China recorded a restraint this weekend, ending July 4, at 734,000 tonnes. After continued declines since June 21, primary aluminium inventories displayed no change over the weekend across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants. Last Thursday, June 30, primary aluminium inventories came in at 734,000 tonnes, seeing a downfall of 17,000 tonnes week-on-week. However, some Chinese provinces have witnessed a few changes in inventories this weekend, such Wuxi, Nanhai, Gongyi and others. The chart below indicates the current status of inventories across China in more details: Gongyi has seen a hike of 6,000 tonnes over the week in primary aluminium inventories to 103,000, while the inventories in...
Alumina production in Europe (incl. Russia) stood at 722,000 tonnes during May 2022, which registered an increase of 39,000 tonnes or 5.71 per cent month-on-month, found the International Aluminium Institute. However, in April, alumina production in Europe plunged by 86,000 tonnes or 11.18 per cent M-o-M from 769,000 tonnes to 683,000 tonnes. On a year-on-year calculation, alumina production in Europe (incl. Russia) during May 2022 recorded a sharp decline of 19.06 per cent from 892,000 tonnes. From January-May 2022, alumina output in Europe (incl. Russia) totalled 3.835 million tonnes, down by 10.96 per cent from 4.307 million tonnes during the same period last year. Of the total production of alumina in Europe during May 2022, metallurgical-grade output was 551,000 tonnes, up by 6.37...
The recently unveiled Nokia G11 Plus is bringing some minor upgrades to it, such as a 50 MP rear camera and an aluminium framework, making it sturdy and impact resistant. The motherboard and a smaller board for charging and other circuitry are protected by plastic coverings that are located beneath the lid. Apart from the camera, another feature which makes the G11 Plus standout is its 6.517-inch HD+ screen with a 90 Hz refresh rate. The smartphone also houses a headphone port, 64GB of internal storage, and a huge 5000 mAh battery to provide it with at least two days of use. This is not the first time that Nokia has incorporated aluminium in its framework. Previously, the Nokia C100 smartphone also included aluminium in its frame, making it durable and strong. However, the incorporation...
Century Aluminum’s three-year power contract with Santee Cooper signed in 2021 is believed to have been shielding the company’s Mount Holly smelter near Goose Creek from rising energy costs. It is helping Chicago-based Century Aluminum combat the second biggest expense after payroll - the escalating costs of electricity. On June 2022, Century announced to idle its Hawesville, Ky., smelter for up to a year, hoping the energy prices to become normal. This shutdown will affect more than 600 workers in the Bluegrass State. CEO Jesse Gary revealed that power costs at the Hawesville smelter, the company’s largest, tripled their historic average expenses in recent months. Meanwhile, another smelter of Century, located off US Highway 52, is amidst an expansion worth $100 million, including the...
As a structural metal, aluminium is used for its toughness, high strength, lightweight, and corrosion resistance. Due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, aluminium is almost as strong as steel at a fraction of the weight. Thus, aluminium alloys are commonly used in skyscrapers and high-rise structures. In 2020, Italy ranked as the 4 th largest exporter of aluminium structures in the world and during the same year, it was the 151 st most exported product of the country. Since Italy relies heavily on Russian gas imports, it is one of the most vulnerable non-eastern countries in the Eurozone to the war in Ukraine. Italy exported 249,055 tonnes of aluminium structures during 2019-21, attracting a revenue inflow of $2.64 billion from the export. In the hands of the architect, aluminium...
Keerti Kappagantula, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) materials scientist and his team are working to improve aluminium’s conductivity so that it can compete with copper inexpensively. Keerti stated that this study was initiated as a result of his team's realisation that the demand for copper is surpassing its existing supply, particularly as the EV revolution gains traction. The research, in the opinion of the experts, opens the door to trials that, if completely realised, might result in an ultra-conductive aluminium substitute for copper that would be beneficial in markets outside of transmission lines, transforming automobiles, electronics, and the power grid. “What if you could make aluminum more conductive—even 80% or 90% as conductive as copper? You could replace copper...
June 2022 witnessed the commissioning of 8.45 million tonnes of new alumina capacities in China, including Jingxi Tiangui’s Phase II project with 850,000 tonnes of capacity, Bosai Wanzhou with 4.8 million tonnes, Hebei Wenfeng with 2.4 million tonnes, and Aokaida Chemial with 400,000 tonnes. Another 4.45 million tonnes of alumina capacity is also expected to come into production, bringing a total amount of 12.9 million tonnes of new capacity this year. Given the commissioning of new alumina capacities, high-cost alumina refineries are likely to face huge pressure, especially those located far away from ports like the ones in Shanxi, Henan and Guizhou. On the other hand, refineries in inland areas like Shandong, Guangxi and Hebei will lack cost advantages over their competitors,...
