The global aluminium industry is entering a new phase of competition, with access to raw materials, affordable energy and production capacity increasingly shaping the position of major producers. China is preparing a large overseas smelting expansion, Ghana is attracting investment in its bauxite reserves, and India and Vietnam are advancing new aluminium projects. However, the expansion drive comes against a complicated market backdrop. Alumina prices have fallen sharply, energy and logistics costs remain significant, and trade policies are reshaping the economics of production and exports. Together, these developments point to a market in which securing resources is only part of the challenge; converting them into competitive aluminium will matter just as much. Africa’s bauxite...
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...
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LME aluminium opened at US$3,436 per tonne on Thursday and closed at US$3,400 per tonne, down US$31.5 per tonne or 0.92 per cent. On 7 th April, LME aluminium cash bid price stood at US$3,344 per tonne and LME aluminium official settlement price halted at US$3,346. The former recorded a fall of 2.87 per cent or US$99 per tonne and the latter decreased by US$97.50 per tonne or 2.83 per cent. 3-month bid price stood at US$3,372 facing a downswing of 2.71 per cent or US$94 and 3-month offer price came in at US$3,374 per tonne falling by US$93 per tonne or 2.68 per cent. On the same day, December 23 bid price settled at US$3,265 per tonne and December 23 offer price at US$3,270, both witnessing a decline of 2.68 per cent or US$90 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock continued to decrease...
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the UAE’s biggest industrial company outside oil and gas, and Ma’aden, a Saudi state-owned mining company, have reportedly agreed to extend their collaboration on greener aluminium smelting technology, in a bid to achieve more sustainable production. The news came on Thursday, April 7, when both the companies said in a joint statement that they would continue to work together to develop new aluminium smelting technologies with lower greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement extends an original contract signed in 2018. As per the report now, EGA and Ma’aden also plan to work together on managing by-products from processes in the aluminium value chain and aluminium recycling. On the extension of the partnership to work on technology and other developments for...
The MAKU trailer is the latest innovation in the field of movable housing systems. Japanese architect Taichi Kuma inaugurates aluminium-frame MAKU trailers which are lightweight and can easily house a remote work office or radio station. The skeleton of a MAKU is aluminium while the walls are constructed with layers of PTFE membrane, making the trailer house weigh only 530 kg. The trailer is so light that it can be carried away very easily by any normal car without a special license. The walls are mounted with lightweight aluminium frames and two layers of PTFE membrane. Amidst the structure hides a layer of transparent glass fibre inserted in between the two membrane layers. With this, the unit becomes insulated and can also protect itself from the diverse weather conditions on any...
After four successive cuts, Hindalco Industries Limited has increased its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices, with effect from Thursday, April 7. The company has added on INR 3,250 per tonne to its aluminium ingot price to sell it at INR 297,000 per tonne. On April 6, the price stood at INR 293,750 per tonne, seeing a downfall of INR 3,000 per tonne or 1.01 per cent from the previous day. With effect from April 7, Hindalco Industries’ aluminium wire rod price has also been grown by INR 3,250 per tonne to INR 308,100 per tonne. On the previous day, it saw a cut of INR 3,000 per tonne to stand at INR 304,850 per tonne. With the latest rise on April 7, Hindalco’s aluminium billets price came in at INR 311,100 per tonne as against INR 307,850 per tonne on April 6. Hindalco has...
Scientists have derived an innovative method of coating steel surfaces with different metals such as aluminium (Al) to enhance corrosion resistance. But its tendency to react with chloride ions in seawater makes use of pure aluminium impossible. Therefore, the addition of other elements, such as magnesium (Mg) and silicon (Si) to form an aluminium alloy is a promising way around this problem. But Mg isn’t friendly enough to coat itself on any metal just after the latter is dipped into a hot bath of metal salts. In reference to the study published in Corrosion Science, a new concord for Al-Mg-Si coating of steel has been developed. Professor Myeong-Hoon Lee who guided the study said, "When I served in the navy, I was constantly looking at rusting machinery. Since then, I have become fully...
ASI has furnished JW Aluminum with their Production and Transformation membership, which grants the company a worldwide validation and gives a green signal to carry on trade under criteria set by the certification board. ASI works together with producers, users and stakeholders in the aluminium value chain to collaboratively foster responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium. With this, the ASI has successfully enlisted 221 companies in their chain of membership. The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) is a certification board responsible for the safe handling of aluminium along the supply and production chain. It is the only voluntary globally accepted standard margin gifted to the industries dealing with aluminium to ensure safe stewardship of the metal. It was...
China’s aluminium billet inventory has been on the decline side since Thursday, March 10. As per the latest data by SMM, on Thursday, April 7, aluminium billet inventory has augmented by 8,100 tonnes or 5.12 percent W-o-W to score at 165,600 tonnes. Because of the pandemic's impact on mainstream consumption, it's projected that aluminium billet inventories will continue to grow next week. The pandemic's impact on truck shipments has been worse this week, especially in east China, where both inflows and outflows of freight have been hampered. The chart below indicates the current status of aluminium billet inventories across China in more detail: In addition, due to sluggish end demand, merchants and downstream producers held off on purchase, resulting to larger inventories in Foshan,...
In the ever-expanding beverage sector, the popularity of aluminium cans is increasing every day. With increased competition and decreased supply, due to shortage sparked by the COVID-19 epidemic, local breweries are the mostly affected. Since 2012, Great Rhythm Brewing Company has been delivering craft beer to New Hampshire residents in kegs and aluminium cans. When large can suppliers dropped tiny craft beer producers, it increased manufacturing costs. The impact on large beverage companies is substantially smaller. With the increase in dog and cat adoptions, competition is increasing across the board, not just in the beverage aisle. For the time being, brewers are attempting to get around the scarcity. The scarcity has been dubbed the "can-demic" by some. “It is a great package, for...
The per capita GDP of Jamaica is $4747, although, the Caribbean island nation ranks as one of the poorest countries in the North American continent regardless of being considered an upper-middle-income nation by the World Bank. The industrial economy of Jamaica depends on tourism, bauxite/alumina production and export, food processing, light manufacturing, rum (alcohol), cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications, etc. but still, the economy remains unstable, slow and shrivels by high debt rates. The aluminium scrap export of Jamaica during 2019-21 denoted 4588 tonnes in volume, which attracted $1.75 million from the export. The island nation exported 3621 tonnes of aluminium scrap, incurring a revenue inflow of around $827,297, whereas, in 2020, the export depicted a...
Vedanta Limited further cut its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices for the third time in a row over about a week, with effect from Wednesday, April 6. Vedanta’s aluminium wire rod price saw a trim of INR 3,000 per tonne or 1 per cent to INR 301,500- 309,000 per tonne versus INR 304,500-312,000 per tonne on April 5. Vedanta’s aluminium billet price has also been cut by INR 3,000 per tonne to INR 302,000 per tonne as of April 6. On April 5, aluminium billet price stood at INR 305,000 per tonne, seeing a downfall of INR 4,250 per tonne from the previous day. As far as Vedanta’s aluminium ingot price is concerned, it is also trimmed by INR 3,000 per tonne from INR 297,000-344,500 per tonne on April 5 to INR 294,000-341,500 per tonne on April 6. Vedanta Limited links its aluminium...
Russian aluminium giant Rusal has transported its first bauxite shipment from its Guinean mines in over a month, according to an analysis revealed by Refinitiv shipping data on 6th April. A vessel had left Guinea's Kamsar port on 5th April after being loaded by a trans-shipping vessel that claimed of working for Rusal. The consignment marked Dian-Dian's bauxite export from 12th March. Rusal’s supply network had been impacted in a big way owing to the Ukraine-Russia crisis and its ensuing reaction. Oleg Deripaska, the founder of Rusal had also been named on the sanction list, following the crisis. Rusal's Dian-Dian operations, which primarily feed the company's Aughinish refinery in Ireland, export bauxite via Kamsar. However, Rusal's other Guinean bauxite mines, the Kindia operations,...
Alcoa Corporation has reportedly bagged the ASI Performance Standard Certification under Provisional Status for its smelting and casting operation at Massena, New York, USA. Known as the longest interrupted operating aluminium facility in the world, Alcoa Massena plant dates back to 1902, benefiting from the region’s abundant hydro power. The plant produces 360,000 tonnes of primary aluminium in a year. The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative has granted the provisional certification under an interim policy in regards to Audits, Audit-Related Travel and Coronavirus, which clarifies reasonable accommodations that can be made to audit plans considering the current COVID-19 situation. The Performance Standard certification represents environmental, social and governance principles and criteria,...
LME aluminium opened at US$3,436 per tonne on Wednesday and closed at US$3,443.5 per tonne, an increase of US$12 per tonne or 0.35 per cent. LME aluminium cash bid price stood at US$3,443 per tonne and LME aluminium official settlement price halted at US$3,443.50, with a rise of 0.85 per cent and 0.83 per cent respectively, if compared with records of the previous day. The 3-month bid price of aluminium increased by US$26 per tonne or 0.75 per cent to rest at US$3,466 per tonne. On the other hand 3-month offer price faced the same percentage rise resting at US$3,467 per tonne. From the LME official price chart of Wednesday, December 23 bid price stood at US$3,355 per tonne and December23 offer price at US$3,360, both witnessing an upward swing of 2.47 per cent or US$15. LME aluminium...
The shares of Gujrat Alkalies and Chemicals (GACL) witnessed a steep rise of INR 959, counting a surge of 7% at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on 2 nd April 2022 intra-day trade. Following the company announced their restricted outset of caustic evaporation unit (CEU) in collaboration with GACL-NALCO Alkalies and Chemicals (GNAL), their stocks began to soar and have been on the upward swing during the end days of the previous week’s trading days. On 1 st April 2022, the stock had pulsated above its previously recorded number which was INR 932 in January 2018. GNAL is a Joint Venture between GACL and National aluminium Company (NALCO) mainly bonded to set up an 800 TPD caustic soda plant along with a 130 MW captive power plant at Dahej in the Bharuch district of Gujrat. GNAL can also be...
Gangavaram Port, the country’s deepest and most advanced port achieves yet another record-breaking milestone. The port staff loaded the most aluminium ingots in a single day, 6,559 tonnes of Aluminium ingots for the vessel SEACON MANILA at Berth No 1. This is a new national record for any Indian port. The Port has a futuristic infrastructure to handle a wide range of import and export cargos, including deep depth multi-purpose cargo berths. M/s Vedanta Ltd (Shipper of Al. Ingot Cargo) expressed their thanks for the National Record and thanked the port administration, personnel, workers, and contractor M/s Synergy Shipping for their assistance in achieving this fantastic feat. With its deep draught berths and efficient operations, Gangavaram Port has established itself as the gateway port...
A00 aluminium ingot price in China has nosedived for the second day in a row by RMB 450 per tonne to stand at the edge of RMB 22,000 per tonne. According to the Shanghai Metals Market, the price has come in at RMB 22,030 per tonne, with average prices estimated to range between RMB 22,010 per tonne and RMB 22,050 per tonne. The spot contract is likely to be traded at a premium price of RMB 90-50 per tonne. In Tianjin, the primary aluminium ingot price has slumped by RMB 550 per tonne to also come in at RMB 22,030 per tonne, while the price in Wuxi, Chongqing and Shenyang has plunged by RMB 460 per tonne to score at RMB 22,020 per tonne, RMB 21,990 per tonne and RMB 21,970 per tonne, respectively. In Foshan and Hangzhou, A00 aluminium ingot price has dwindled by RMB 450 per tonne to settle...
Press Metal Aluminium, the Malaysian aluminium giant, ruled by Koon Poh Keong and his brothers is raising US$231 million to further facilitate the group’s output amidst deteriorating supply cycles due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. On 5 th April 2022, the company proclaimed that it is selling 163.4 million new shares at US$1.41 each. The company is planning to upgrade its aluminium extrusion and smelting operations, after paying off some existing debts with the proceeds from the share sale. They are relying on the shares to fund working capital for the company during this phase of economic imbalance due to the war. These developments will amplify Press Metal’s potential. The company accomplished the construction of the third phase of its smelting facility in the Samalaju Industrial Park...
Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) of the US Department of Energy have created an aluminium-nickel (Al-Ni) molten salt battery named “freeze-thaw battery” under thermal cycling. It can disable the self-charge mechanism when the battery is turned off. With a potential energy density of 260 W/hour per kilogramme, the battery will be able to preserve 92 per cent of its initial capacity over 12 weeks. It had an aluminium anode and a nickel cathode, both of which were submerged in a molten salt electrolyte. To boost the battery's storage capacity, they added sulphur to the electrolyte. To prevent damage during the freeze-thaw cycle, a ceramic separator was implanted between the anode and the cathode. “It’s a lot like growing food in your garden in the spring,...
