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,...
Grow with
AL Circle
On Tuesday, 19 th April, the benchmark aluminium price for SHFE has increased by US$40 per tonne or 0.23 per cent to stand at US$3,466 per tonne. Overnight, the most-traded SHFE 2205 aluminium contract opened at RMB 21,895 per tonne, with the highest and lowest at RMB 22,200 per tonne and RMB 21,885 per tonne before closing at RMB 22,140 per tonne, up RMB 300 per tonne or 1.37 per cent. The LME was closed yesterday due to the Easter holiday, but will open on Tuesday. The most-traded SHFE 2205 aluminium closed up 0.44 per cent or RMB 95 per tonne to RMB 21,840 per tonne, with open interest down 11,226 lots to 144,897 lots. LME Aluminium Price LME was closed on Friday (Good Friday) which was the beginning of Easter Holidays and shall remain closed till Monday. LME will resume on Tuesday and...
In the second quarter (Q2) of 2022, the global alumina market is envisaged to be in a state of uncertainty, as the after-effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and a slew of interconnected variables threaten to shift supply and demand fundamentals. The embargo on alumina and bauxite shipments to Russia imposed by Australia on March 20 resulted in an immediate worldwide oversupply. In Q2 market investors will be keeping an eye on Rusal’s worldwide holdings and how it will shape its business overseas by distancing itself from Russia. There will also be an emphasis on the growth in supplies from Australia. Following Australia's export prohibition, market players will be watching Rusal's subsequent alumina supply, with fresh talk of Chinese domestic alumina exports filling the supply gap....
Vedanta Limited slightly expanded its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices on Friday April 15, following a sharp cut of INR 13,000 per tonne on April 12. Since the latest increase, Vedanta is selling its aluminium wire rod price at INR 289750- 297250 per tonne, up by INR 1,250 per tonne or 0.43 per cent from INR 288,500-296,000 per tonne on April 12. Vedanta’s aluminium billet price is now standing at INR 290,250 per tonne since Friday, April 15, as against INR 289,000 per tonne on April 12. Vedanta’s aluminium ingot has also witnessed a price rise of INR 1,250 per tonne, with effect from April 15, from INR 281,000-328,500 per tonne to INR 282,250- 329,750 per tonne. Vedanta Limited links its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices to the three-month futures of aluminium on...
In March 2022, China’s aluminium imports slipped below 200,000 tonnes, decreasing by 4.6 per cent year-on-year, found the General Administration of Customs. As per the data shown, the country secured 197,134 tonnes of unwrought aluminium and products, including primary metal and unwrought & alloyed aluminium in March 2022 compared to 206,556 tonnes a year ago. In the first quarter of 2022, China imported 533,136 tonnes of aluminium in total, which was down by 19 per cent on an annual basis, showed the customs data further. But in term of monetary value, the imports in March improved by 16 per cent year-on-year and that in Q1 rose 2.4 per cent, according to the official data. The price surge of overseas aluminium exceeding China’s domestic prices is one of the primary reasons for the...
Investigations led by foreign media concluded, Guinea’s interim government is eager to know about the work plan and duration of each project carried out on their ground to extract alumina from bauxite. The government is reportedly asking international mining companies to submit production plans for refining bauxite into alumina along with an explanation pertaining to the construction timeline for alumina refineries. The documents must be submitted before the end of May this year which might accelerate the construction of alumina projects under the Chinese enterprises operating in Guinea. Guinea stands out to be a country with the biggest amount of bauxite reserves in the world with high content of alumina in each produce. The reserves yield 40 billion tonnes of bauxite which accounts...
Aeropods, a company run by businessmen Kevin Regan and Shane Thornton hailing from Leitrim has introduced a phenomenal idea of turning old aeroplanes into living pods for human occupation. The duo has a water services company but this particular business is bringing in the bucks for them as the demand for sustainable living is high. Aluminium alloys are broadly utilized in the manufacturing of aircraft fuselages and other engineering structures and compounds in which lightweight and corrosion resistance are highly desired, so they are usually taken apart from one end to the other and then the parts are individually sent for recycling. But by transforming an entire aeroplane, the never-ending process of recycling and forging into other essential items can be omitted. This is somewhere good...
According to the data shared by the government, India’s mineral production had heightened by 13.2% Y-o-Y from April to February 2021-22. In February 2022, around 2120 thousand tonnes of bauxite was produced, reflecting a year-on-year surge of 8.3%. On Thursday, April 14, the Ministry of Mines informed that the India's mineral production climbed by 4.5 percent in February 2022 compared to the same month a year ago. Coal output was 795,000 tonnes in February, lignite 47000 tonnes, natural gas (used) 2,515 million cubic metres, and petroleum (crude) 230,000 tonnes. Diamond, lignite, phosphorite, and bauxite were among the minerals whose output increased. While there was considerable rise in the production of certain minerals in February 2022, the output of some minerals decreased year over...
As per the latest data from the USGS, the total amount of US aluminium crude metals and alloys imported from the United States for January 2022 halted at 343,000 tonnes, which on a month-on-month scale reflected a jump of 27,000 tonnes or 8.54 percent. In December 2021, the amount of aluminium crude metals and alloys imported from the United States closed at 316,000 tonnes, showing a month-on-month decrement of 22,000 tonnes or 6.50 percent from 338,000 tonnes in November 2021. On a year-on-year calculation, a huge growth of 93,000 tonnes or 37.2 percent was witnessed from 250,000 tonnes in January 2021. In January 2022, the total amount stopped at 343,000 tonnes. For January 2022, the highest importer of aluminium crude metals and alloys was Canada. The United States imported a total of...
On Monday, 18 th April, the benchmark aluminium price for SHFE has expanded by US$8 per tonne or 0.23 per cent to stand at US$3,426 per tonne. The most-traded SHFE 2205 aluminium contract opened at RMB 21,820 per tonne during last Friday’s night session and rose to RMB 21,905 per tonne before closing at RMB 21,755 per tonne, down RMB 95 yuan per tonne or 0.43 per cent. The most-traded SHFE 2205 aluminium closed up 2.29 per cent or RMB 490 per tonne to RMB 21,850 per tonne, with open interest down 11,437 lots to 156,123 lots. LME aluminium price The LME was closed last Friday due to the Good Friday holiday, and will remain closed for today due to the Easter holiday, but will open on Tuesday. On Thursday, LME aluminium cash bid price stood at US$3,237 per tonne and LME aluminium official...
Jamaica Bauxite Mining Limited (JBM) donated an amount of US$600,000 for the renovation work of the retirement home, St Ann infirmary in The Caribbean which has adjoining localities embedded in history. At a ceremony held recently at the infirmary a cheque along with articles of clothing and care packages, were handed over to the authority. A major portion of the fund would be separated for the urgent repairing of some parts of the refinery. The institution derives its funding from the Ministry of Local Government through the local authority (St. Ann Municipal Corporation). Donations are usually made by non-governmental organisations, service clubs and churches. JBM’s client relations manager, Deborah Smith, remarked, “Two hundred thousand dollars is to buy some necessities that they need...
In March 2022, China’s aluminium production recorded a rise of 1.8 per cent year-on-year to stand the highest since last May 2021, buoyed by production recovery and strong profits. As per the data showed by the National Bureau of Statistics, the output in China came in at 3.3 million tonnes, reflecting a year-on-year rise of 0.73 per cent from 3.276 million tonnes. But China’s daily average aluminium production of March was slightly down at 106,452 tonnes from the daily average of 107,288 tonnes during January-February, according to Reuters calculations based on the NBS data. The fall in daily average output in March could be attributed to narrow demand due to the recent COVID-19 outbreaks and ensuing lockdowns in China, despite provinces like Yunnan resumed production after being hit by...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, the average alumina spot price in China has recorded an increase of RMB 3 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,997 per tonne on Monday, April 18, following three days of restraint at RMB 2,994 per tonne. On a week-on-week calculation, the alumina spot price is up by RMB 5 per tonne from RMB 2,992 per tonne. However, most of the provinces have continued to witness a restraint in the alumina price today, except Henan, where the price has grown by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 3,035 per tonne. The reason being the aluminium smelters in north-west China have begun to seek alumina from Henan, as provinces like Shanxi are experiencing shipment disruptions due to strong measures taken for cross-province transportation of raw materials as well as finished products to...
On 16 th April 2022, the Founder and Chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited, Anil Agarwal exclaimed for more deregulation in India’s defence sector and the corporatization of defence factories to develop the nation self-reliant in terms of arms and weapons production. India has 52 defence factories that produce weaponry and ammunition, while primarily they are functionalizing at the capacity of 10%, as reported by the Chairman. While speaking at the launch of a virtual postgraduate programme for executives in London, Anil Agarwal commented, “We (India) have the potential to become the world’s largest arms and ammunition producer. If defence manufacturers are corporatized, a new way of thinking will emerge.” He further stated that there is an immense expenditure in regards to the...
The shortage of aluminium cans due to supply constraint continues to worry local breweries. Local brewers have been straining to cope with the shortage since the epidemic. North 5th Brewery Co., a craft brewery in Las Vegas, is unable to increase its output. Apart from this, Belgorod State University (BSU) and Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) researchers have uncovered a sequence of patterns in the atomic structure of aluminium that might lead to new and more resistant aluminium alloys for aviation. Hem, a Stockholm-based independent design business known for manufacturing sustainable furniture, accessories, and lighting, will unveil an extruded aluminium shelf system based on Hydro EcoDesign's sustainability principles and extruded aluminium profiles. Hydro...
Canoo an American start-up for electric vehicles was chosen by NASA over Oxcart Assembly to build a vehicle for transporting astronauts to the Launchpad inspired by the US Airstream trailers first launched in 1936. This vehicle will be used to transport astronauts of the Artemis mission launched by NASA to land the first woman or person of colour on the south pole of the moon. With that being said, the other participants in the design submitting contest were not that bad either especially Oxcart Assembly’s effort is worth praise. Oxcart Assembly (Dallas, Texas) poses as a "decentralized, multi-disciplinary cooperative" that has majored in audio-visual projects so far which includes producing motion graphics for NASA and SpaceX’s Launch America missions. When the work order for this...
This week the world’s primary aluminium segment reflected sporadic yet crucial changes. LME aluminium benchmark price on Monday, April 11, had opened the week with a fall of 4.72 percent to register at US$3,234.50 per tonne. However, on Thursday, April 14, the price had inched up by 0.95 percent to score at 3,237.50 per tonne. Apart from this, SMM price had opened the week on Monday, April 11 with a plunge of RMB 570 per tonne, which however had gone up from RMB 20,850 on April 12, Tuesday, to RMB 21,730 per tonne on Friday, April 15. Alcoa Corporation had said on Thursday, April 14 that it had entered into a supply deal with Speira to offer low-carbon EcoLumTM aluminium. Also, Fortescue Future Industries, a worldwide green energy supplier, claimed that would no longer be a shortage of...
This week has been very eventful for the downstream aluminium products sector with Ministers of the United Arab Emirates visiting their manufacturing units to plan upgradations while Chinese billionaire Liu Zhongtian defrauding America by forging aluminium into ‘pallets’ to avoid paying US$ 1.8 billion to US customs. The export of aluminium plates, sheets, and bars faces a blow in America similarly, Chinese aluminium plate/sheet and strip producers decrease activity resulting in a Year-on-Year decline. In the Middle West, Qalex under Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company (QIMC) welcomes the second nitriding system from Nitrex, a global producer of turnkey systems, Canada and Gränges Powder Metallurgy gifts Sweden with its first aluminium alloy DISPAL ® S220 for additive manufacturing....
Aluar, the largest aluminium smelter in South America and Acindar, the only subsidiary of ArcelorMittal, has agreed to spend $140 million in the San Luis Norte wind farm in the southern province of Chubut alongside chemicals business Petroqumica Comodoro Rivadavia. Aluar will be investing US$130 million in its eponymous wind farm near Puerto Madryn to erect 18 4.5MW turbines. The fourth stage expansion, which is scheduled to start operating in December 2023, will boost the plant's capacity by 81 megawatts to 246 megawatts. The energy produced will be used to power Aluar's principal aluminium factory in Puerto Madryn, "anticipating and exceeding the requirement of the national regime to promote the use of renewable sources," said Aluar chairman Alberto Martinez Costa. Meanwhile, Genneia,...
