Bell Bay Aluminium (BBA), Australia's oldest aluminium smelter, is reviewing its workforce and offering redundancies for a small number of positions, just over a month after receiving an AUD 200 million (USD 137.52 million) government support package aimed at securing the facility's future until at least 2031. Up to 10 roles are understood to have been affected by the review, although the smelter is expected to retain its existing workforce of approximately 550 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. Some redeployment opportunities will also be available, while the positions identified are not understood to involve frontline services. The changes reportedly include some former participants in Bell Bay Aluminium's graduate programme. Rio Tinto, which operates the smelter near George Town in...
Atlas Metals Group plc has terminated its proposed acquisition of Universal Pozzolanic Silica Alumina Ltd (UPSA), ending a transaction first announced in June 2025, as the company shifts its acquisition focus towards lithium and graphite assets in Africa and South America. The natural resources and energy company said the decision followed recent due diligence difficulties and actions by UPSA representatives that it believes materially changed the merits and viability of the transaction. Atlas Metals is also seeking to recover material amounts owed to it by UPSA. The proposed acquisition was initially announced on June 17, 2025, with the signing of a conditional share purchase agreement (SPA) disclosed on September 10, 2025. However, the company has now decided to terminate the agreement,...
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The LME aluminium benchmark price resumed from the Easter Holiday on Tuesday, April 19, with a growth of 2 per cent. LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price grew by 2.25 per cent and 2.30 per cent on April 19 to settle at RMB 3,310 per tonne and RMB 3,312 per tonne, respectively, in comparison with the prices on Thursday, April 14. On Wednesday, April 20, the prices recorded a plunge of US$71 per tonne and US$72 per tonne to stand at US$3,239 per tonne and USS$3,240 per tonne, following which on Thursday, April 21, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price rose by US$22 per tonne to rest at US$3,261 per tonne and US$3,262 per tonne. On Friday, April 22, the prices slipped again to close the week at US$3,243.50 per tonne...
In March 2022, China imported 120,600 tonnes of unwrought aluminium alloy, up by 54.5 per cent Y-o-Y and 31.3 per cent M-o-M, according to China General Administration of Customs. The imports in the first quarter of 2022 totalled 329,000 tonnes, going up by 50.2 per cent, year on year. China exported 18,300 tonnes of unwrought aluminium alloy in March, up by 2.1 per cent Y-o-Y and 55.6 per cent M-o-M. In Q1 2022, exports stood at 38,000 per tonne, down by 21.4 per cent Y-o-Y. Malaysia, South Korea and India exported a lion share of unwrought aluminium alloy to China in March 2022. The import ratio from these countries declined slightly in comparison with the previous two months. From Malaysia, China imported 23,400 tonnes which accounted for 19 per cent of the total imports, while from...
On Thursday, April 21, China’s aluminium billet inventories plunged by 11.37 percent W-o-W to stop at 119,100 tonnes. East China's transportation efficiency is unlikely to increase considerably in the near future, keeping stocks relatively steady. The peak season in south China drove destocking. As downstream purchasers stock up for the impending Labour Day vacation, overall inventories are projected to continue to drop. The chart below indicates the current status of aluminium billet inventories across China in more detail: In Foshan the inventory plunged by 18,900 tonnes to come in at 44,500 tonnes. For the same day in Wuxi the inventory had fallen by 1,200 tonnes to stop at 38,300 tonnes. In Changzhou the inventory slumped by 1,900 tonnes to total at 12,600 tonnes. In Huzhou the...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium in China continued to record week-on-week fall since the last drop of 3,000 tonnes on the previous Thursday, April 14. But compared to the prior week, the inventories fell extensively this Thursday by 42,000 tonnes across eight major Chinese consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, to come in at 1.02 million tonnes. Gongyi saw the highest downfall in inventories as it experienced normal arrivals and increased sales. Downstream producers became willing to stock up after the pandemic situation improved slightly, allowing inventories of aluminium ingots to continue to fall. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: So, as the chart suggests,...
The Australian one-stop-shop for lightweight mechanical plant platform and roof access solutions, Con-form Group outstripped traditional roof-mounting mechanical equipment in 2014 and has not to retrospect ever. Nigel Cro, the Managing Director of Con-form Group said, “People will drive along on a highway overpass and there are a lot of things on roofs that you see; now if you don’t see those things, that’s because we’ve done a good job – that’s our goal.” As it is very much known that the Industrial HVAC systems are heavy and most often noisy. Now, the industry pioneer and leader Con-form Group delivers an engineered solution for the structure to cater for the weight on rooftop installations and additionally deliver acoustic solutions to restrain environmental noise. Con-form Group’s...
Log9, a nanotech and battery specialist from Bengaluru has announced the plan for a manufacturing plant that would produce cells to ultimately power low-cost EVs, such as two and three wheelers. This would be the first of its kind in India. The company conducts heavy research and produces prototypes of native Aluminium-ion battery cells in the country. Aluminium-ion cells are more dense (translating to more range), safe and less prone to fires than the largely used Lithium-ion cells that are ruling the market at this moment. Moreover the greatest advantage of using aluminium in the Indian sub-continent is that this material can be abundantly found here. With the rising demand for electric cars in India, its accessories must not be outsourced but till date, China has been the largest...
The West African nation Ghana, which gained independence as the first sub-Saharan nation has invited Indian organizations in the capacity of mineral refining including bauxite among other minerals like gold, lithium, diamond, crude oil and manganese. to explore investment paths. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, the High Commissioner of Ghana in India, while speaking at an interactive session organised by MVIRDC World Trade Center, Mumbai and All India Association of Industries said, “We are willing to offer mining leases and export licenses for refining gold and other raw materials to Indian companies.” The High Commissioner further added, “Indians have already set up business in timber, teak, cashew processing, steel manufacturing and IT sectors. The African nation has a fair and transparent...
In January 2022 a total of 112,000 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and bars was imported to the United States. On a month-on-month scale a growth of 3,000 tonnes or 2.75 percent was witnessed. As per the USGS data, for December 2021 the total amount of aluminium plates, sheets and bars imported to the US stopped at 109,000 tonnes, which was followed by a month-on-month plunge of 10,000 tonnes or 8.40 percent from 119,000 tonnes in November 2021. In January 2022 the total amount of aluminium plates, sheets and bars imported to the United States was recorded at 112,000 tonnes, which on a year-on-year calculation augmented by 27,900 tonnes or 33.17 percent from 84,100 tonnes in January 2021. For the complete year of 2021, the total amount of aluminium plates, sheets and bars imported to...
National Aluminium Company Limited has revised its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices since its last cut on April 12. With effect from Thursday, April 21, NALCO has increased its aluminium ingot price by INR 2,100 per tonne or 0.75 per cent to sell it at INR 282,650-286,150 per tonne. On April 12, the price was at INR 280,550- 284,050 per tonne after being sharply cut by INR 15,700 per tonne. NALCO’s aluminium wire rod price has also seen a raise of INR 2,100 per tonne to INR 285,150-289,500 per tonne as against INR 283,050- 287,400 per tonne on April 12. Aluminium billets price has come in at INR 286,100-288,750 per tonne, up by the same amount from INR 284,000- 286,650 per tonne. NALCO links its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices to the three-month future price of...
Alumina Limited which owns a 40% non-operating stake in Alcoa World Alumina Chemicals’, is aiming higher at this moment with the increasing demand for alumina and the rising aluminium prices despite the supply disruption. Russian metal industry giant, Rusal is being trampled under the European sanctions and Australian bans moreover, the closing of its only Ukrainian Refinery Nikolaev is hammering hard on the Company. Plus, Covid issues, production delays and Chinese environmental measures have together contributed to the rise of aluminium prices as explained by Alumina CEO Mike Ferraro. “The alumina market price reached over $530 per tonne in March 2022 and averaged $498 per tonne for that month. The API currently sits at $371 per tonne, still well above the average price of $329 per...
Total aluminium production worldwide for the month of March 2022 has been 5.693 million tonnes with a rise of 10.35 per cent than 5.118 million tonnes in the previous month. African production of aluminium has been on steep upward rise from 123,000 tonnes in February 2022 to 136,000 tonnes in March 2022. Africa has increased aluminium production by 13,000 tonnes in March, bringing the total production to 398,000 tonnes in Q1 2022. That was an increase of 3.38 per cent from 385,000 tonnes in Q1 2021. But comparing the worldwide production of 1Q2021 and 1Q2022, we find the primary aluminium output was on a decline since collection in Q1 2021 amounted up to 16.786 million tonnes, whereas in Q1 2022, it was 16.459 million tonnes. Surprisingly enough keeping the exact time span in mind, for...
Bauxite exports to China reached new highs in the first quarter of 2022, expanding at a rate of 12.8 per cent annual pace between 2017 and 2021, much surpassing all other commodities, which rose at a combined rate of only 4.3 per cent each year. Bauxite arrivals climbed 13.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, with exports from Guinea accounting for 57 per cent of total volumes. “In the first quarter of 2022, China’s bauxite imports hit record levels, increasing 15.4% y/y. This is in stark contrast to China’s total bulk imports which, excluding bauxite, dropped by 10.5% y/y,” said Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO. The demand for bauxite imports has remained strong so far in 2022, and the price of aluminium has risen to its highest...
The largest operator of commercial flights to and from the U.S. state of Hawaii, Hawaiian Airlines is offering recyclable aluminium water bottles to replace plastic containers. The Honolulu-based commercial airline is on a run to minimize plastic waste and make it happen by partnering with Jason Mamoa's founded water company Mananalu. Hawaiian Airlines will replace plastic water bottles with infinitely recyclable aluminium containers in its Premium Cabin from 20 th April onwards. The airline is providing Mananalu’s 16-ounce aluminium bottles to its premium guests on all flights to the US East Coast and also international destinations. Avi Mannis, the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Hawaiian Airlines, commented, “We have remained steadfast in our commitment to source more...
Trimet France's Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and Castelsarrasin sites in France have received ASI Performance Standard Certification for the development, manufacture, and sale of aluminium in the form of wire rods, slabs, and ingots, as well as the production of molten aluminium and the manufacture of anodes. Trimet France is one of the country's only two principal aluminium manufacturers. The facilities' combined yearly output capacity is roughly 150,000 tonnes. “ASI congratulates Trimet France on achieving Performance Standard Certification. These plants’ aluminium products make vehicles and planes lighter and more economical, wind turbines and electrical installations more efficient, and buildings and packaging more environmentally friendly. ASI Performance Standard Certification...
LME aluminium opened at US$3,269 per tonne on Thursday and closed at US$3,302.5 per tonne, an increase of US$39.5 per tonne or 1.21 per cent. On 21 st April, LME aluminium cash bid price stood at US$3,261 per tonne and LME aluminium official settlement price halted at US$3,262. The former recorded a hike of 0.68 per cent or US$22 per tonne and the latter too had the same amount or percentage rise. 3-month bid price stood at US$3,275 cruising upwards by 0.83 per cent or US$27 and 3-month offer price came in at US$3,276 per tonne rising by US$26 per tonne or 0.8 per cent. On the same day, December 23 bid price settled at US$3,125 per tonne and December 23 offer price at US$3,130 per tonne. The bid price went up by 0.97 per cent or US$30 per tonne, the official price too had the same amount...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, China imported 39,400 tonnes of primary aluminium in March 2022, which reflected a sharp rise of 115 per cent month-on-month but a downfall of 55.1 per cent year-on-year. In contrast, China’s exports of primary aluminium grew year-on-year by 5571 per cent in March 2022 to 42,300 tonnes and increased by 60 per cent over a month. In the entire first quarter of 2022 ended March 31, primary aluminium imports totalled 96,600 tonnes, down by 71 per cent year-on-year, while exports amounted to 73,000 tonnes, up by 3017 per cent. As per SMM’s calculation, 44.8 per cent of primary aluminium was imported under general trade, while another 38.7 per cent was from cargoes under special customs supervision areas. China primarily imported from Russia, India, and...
On Wednesday, April 20, custom statistics indicated that China’s alumina shipment to Russia heightened by more than 90 times in March compared to the same month a year ago, as sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine cut off some of its customary supply. According to the General Administration of Customs, China transported 9,949 tonnes of alumina to Russia in March, up from 104.5 tonnes in the same month in 2021. Last month its overall alumina exports increased by 180 percent year on year to 12,955 tonnes. When compared to China's monthly output of around six million tonnes, the amount is still insignificant. However, as part of Western-led sanctions against Russia, Australia placed an export embargo on alumina and aluminium ores to Russia. Analysts had predicted that Russia would...
AlCircle is pleased to announce the launch of the 4 th edition of its flagship e-Magazine, “Aluminium LeaderSpeak 2022.” It is an exclusive e-Magazine in which top industry professionals from the entire aluminium value chain have expressed their predictions for how the year will unfold for their companies and the industry. They've also shared their business plans and strategies for the entire year of 2022. While the year 2021 was all about coping with the loss suffered due to the pandemic, the year 2022 witnessed some unpleasant incidents. From the geopolitical crisis to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in China, the metal industry has been greatly affected by the same, resulting in a series of prolonged after-effects like the aluminium can shortage, increased price of aluminium and...
