Alumina imports in the United States increased in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, although imports fell sharply in the second quarter. Total imports reached 712,000 tonnes in H1 2026, up 2.7 per cent from 693,000 tonnes in H1 2025. The H1 2024 total was 495,000 tonnes. Imports in Q1 2026 reached 446,000 tonnes, up 32 per cent from 337,000 tonnes in Q1 2025. However, imports dropped to 266,000 tonnes in Q2 (a 25 per cent decline) from 356,000 tonnes in the same quarter a year earlier. Brazil remains the largest supplier Brazil remained the largest exporter of alumina to the US during the period covered by the data. Its shipments reached 568,000 tonnes in H1 2026, around 5 per cent increase from 542,000 tonnes in H1 2025. In H1 2024, Brazil supplied 430,000...
Middle East crude exports ended September at roughly their pre-conflict levels and exceeded them on several days, according to Reuters. However, the recovery is far less complete for other Gulf commodities. Diesel and gasoline shipments were running at 58 per cent of pre-conflict volumes, while LNG, fertiliser, aluminium and helium were recovering more slowly. The uneven rebound highlights why crude flows alone do not provide a complete picture of trade through the Strait of Hormuz. For commodities with lower margins, limited routing options or specialised infrastructure requirements, the cost of moving cargoes and repairing damaged facilities continues to weigh on supply. Crude can absorb the cost of moving through Hormuz Supertanker rates for voyages from the Middle East to China...
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On Friday, December 9, China’s A00 aluminium ingot price has declined by RMB 90 per tonne to settle at RMB 19,260 per tonne, with the average prices ranging between RMB 19,240 per tonne to RMB 19,280 per tonne. The spot contract price is expected to be traded at a discount price of RMB 10 to a premium price of RMB 30 per tonne. The A00 aluminium ingot price witnessed a change in all the major provinces. As per the data, in Foshan and Gongyi, the prices recorded a drop of RMB 130 per tonne and RMB 110 per tonne to settle at RMB 19,200 per tonne and RMB 19,040 per tonne. In Wuxi and Chongqing, the A00 aluminium ingot price slumped by RMB 90 per tonne to stand at RMB 19,245 per tonne and RMB 19,300 per tonne. On the same day, the price in Hangzhou climbed down by RMB 85 per tonne to peg at...
With smelters in Gansu and Inner Mongolia starting to begin output, aluminium prices recorded a fall on Wednesday, December 7. The recent bulls have been priced in by investors, who have since begun to fret about the speed of US rate hikes and the prospects for Chinese demand. At the current high aluminium prices, market activity in the aluminium ingot and aluminium billet segments was comparatively poor. Poor sales and expensive aluminium may force some downstream manufacturers to halt output. In November, the nation exported 455,599 tonnes of unwrought aluminium and primary, alloy, and semi-finished aluminium products. China's trade surplus decreased to USD 69.84 billion in November of this year from USD 71.7 billion in the corresponding month of the previous year, significantly below...
On November 21, 2022, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) received two major awards – ‘Gold’ Green World Award and Green World Leader for 2022, from the Green Organisation as announced in the Green Apple Awards ceremony held at the Palace of Westminster, London, UK. Alba's Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali commented on the honour: "As one of the leading industrial companies in the Region, Alba has been a keen investor in sustainable initiatives that help preserve and protect the environment. Winning two prestigious Awards from the Green Organisation translates into our ongoing commitment to operating sustainably and producing responsibly." Mohamed Khalil, Alba's Director of Safety, Health, Environment, Fire, and Security, added: "At Alba, we have a lifelong commitment to sustainable...
Metal 3D printing, more formally known as Metal Additive Manufacturing, can produce seamless designs by applying a diverse set of raw materials. The most commonly used element among them is aluminium. Detailed components and intricate designs, which were not even imaginable in the era gone by, are now being generated in an instant by high-end Additive Manufacturing devices. Just a few years back, the process was only used for producing technological prototypes, but now it is being hailed as one of the most compact yet swift methods to acquire the specific configurations of an object. Industries, including automobile, aerospace and pharmaceutical, are all embracing this revolutionary technology as it is much more cost-effective and hassle-free. Additive Manufacturing (AM) follows a method...
Glide Products, one of the leading manufacturers of a wheelchair in Australia, is known widely for producing customised and lightweight wheelchairs. The company is known for incorporating high-grade Australian aluminium, making the chairs lightweight and recyclable to some extent. The Glide G2 Series 2 is a lightweight, foldable wheelchair with multiple axle positions and customised seating. The wheelchair features an aluminium frame with a single folding cross-member and also comes with fixed or quick-release axles with wheels and rims in aluminium or steel. "The greater majority of our chairs need to be lightweight, strong, and high performing. Aluminium gives us the right specification," said Steve Walsh, operations director and owner. Founded by the two Perth brothers, the company was...
Sustainability has become a top priority for the aluminium industry. From small to large scale, many companies are doing their bit to move towards a greener and cleaner environment. Anderson Valley Brewing Company (AVBC), a California-based brewery, announced they are shifting from glass bottles to aluminium cans, making the switch to the most environmentally friendly beer packaging conceivable. Recycling a can requires 90 per cent less energy than recycling glass bottles since aluminium is constantly recyclable. AVBC stated they would use aluminium cans with cardboard covers to pack the beer bottles. Additionally, by transitioning from glass to cans, AVBC lowered their trucking by approximately 60 per cent. This is because cans are lighter and transport more effectively. By enabling a...
Skoda has declared the launch of its first electric SUV (e-SUV), Enyaq iV, exclusively in New Zealand by 2023. The Enyaq is fully composed of green raw materials, like 13kg of recycled plastic, 40 per cent of recycled steel and 60 per cent of recycled aluminium. This will fall under the genre of three new EVs that Skoda is about to develop in the upcoming four years, boosting the company’s strategy of transforming 70 per cent of its European sales to electric vehicles. The general manager of Skoda NZ, Rodney Gillard, exclaimed with pride that Enyaq will commence a “decade of transformation.” “With the launch of Enyaq in 2023, we are aligning Skoda with our customers’ evolving needs and expectations – offering exceptional styling and an enhanced user experience. We know that Kiwi drivers,...
OZ Minerals, Boliden, and Rio Tinto will work together to develop new and innovative tailings management technologies, allowing the mining industry to reduce risk even further while extracting the materials needed for the energy transition from what was previously regarded as "waste." The three companies mentioned above will fund and support innovators striving to reinvent mining and processing to eliminate, minimize, reuse, or find value in mine tailings as part of the Think & Act Differently (TAD) incubator programme. The three organizations will also collaborate on more projects to boost production and achieve benefits like lower emissions and less waste. Michelle Ash, the Technology Executive at OZ Minerals, said, “We can accelerate technology much faster by working together. This...
The most-traded SHFE 2301 opened at RMB 19,140 per tonne overnight and then closed the night session at RMB 19,185 per tonne, down RMB 70 per tonne or 0.36 per cent. On Wednesday, December 7, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price slipped by US$10.5 per tonne or 0.42 per cent to settle at US$2,450 per tonne and US$2,450.50 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price shrunk by US$13.5 per tonne or 0.54 per cent to peg at US$2,476.50 per tonne and US$2,477 per tonne. December 23 bid price and December 23 offer price slumped by US$15 per tonne or 0.58 per cent to halt at US$2,538 per tonne and US$2,543 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock clocked at 483575 tonnes. Live warrants and Cancelled came in at 224000 tonnes and 259575 tonnes. LME...
The averaged alumina price in China has spiked by RMB 14 per tonne, arriving at RMB 2,864 per tonne. The alumina price in Henan has seen RMB 20 per tonne hike, stopping at RMB 2,940 per tonne, while the alumina price in Guizhou has elevated by RMB 15 per tonne, resting at RMB 2,795 per tonne. The alumina prices in Shandong, Shanxi and Guangxi have all raised by RMB 10 per tonne, closing at RMB 2,790 per tonne, RMB 2,905 per tonne, RMB 2,785 per tonne. A00 aluminium ingot price has slumped by RMB 80 per tonne, resting at RMB 19,350 per tonne, as the Shanghai Metals Market recorded on Thursday, December 8. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 19,330 per tonne and RMB 19,370 per tonne, with spot contracts trading at premium prices of RMB 40 per tonne. The provinces in China...
According to a report published on December 6, 2022, by the Swedish Defense Research Agency (FOI), Russian corporations pose a threat to the nation's security. There are 128 Russian-owned companies in Sweden, four of which are on the EU sanctions list, while one is on the US and UK blacklists. The Swedish Defence Research Agency, FOI, is one of Europe’s leading research institutes in defence and security. FOI is a government agency under the Ministry of Defence, and most of its activities are assignment-based. However, its client list includes the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, Government Offices and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. The research, which the Stockholm government ordered, emphasises the security concerns of relying on Russian goods...
The increasing demand and use of aluminium across the globe in various industries like construction, packaging, and transportation shows that the incorporation of this silvery-white is widespread and evolving daily. The downstream segment also witnessed significant investments and enthusiastic purchases worldwide this year. New investments or projects not only open the doors towards improved business opportunities but also creates a scope for employment and an enhanced working environment. The downstream aluminium sector throughout 2022 has witnessed a limited but significant number of investments. Some of the top investments under the aluminium downstream segment in 2022 are: Jindal Aluminium: One of the largest aluminium extrusion companies in India, acquired an acquisition of INR 100...
Spanish automotive components supplier, Gestamp has purchased one-third of Gescrap, a scrap recovery and recycling enterprise. It explained that the reduction of mineral extraction from iron and aluminium would bring a definitive impact by discarding carbon emissions from the entire supply chain. Gestamp claims that this initiative would capacitate the company to run a proper circular economy and optimise them to make full use of recycled materials for its manufactured products. Gestamp has mastered the art of developing metal body or chassis parts, recycling and using 98 per cent of the waste yielded from its overall activities. The Spanish tier-one company proudly presides over 100 production facilities spread all across the globe. Gestamp has declared that this agreement with Gescrap...
Sustainability, or the urge to shift towards a greener environment, has become the need of the hour. Top companies and individuals, including the aluminium sector, are leaving no page unturned to shift towards this greener industry. Aluminium, also known as green metal, is considered one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable metals. Eminent aluminium leaders and businesses are striving to create a sustainability roadmap for the sector in response to increased environmental awareness and an emphasis on carbon neutrality. Groups are taking steps to recognise their achievements. Global aluminium companies renowned for their innovations and who have set the trend in the manufacturing sector, like Norsk Hydro, Rio Tinto, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), Constellium, Assan...
Lenovo has launched an innovative product, YOGA Paper, in the Chinese territory, more expensive than the contemporary e-readers of its time. Though the global release date has not been specified, the aluminium-bodied sustainable device is one of the most significant discoveries by Lenovo to date. The device has a 5.5mm density CNC machined aluminium chassis, which is strong and can be recycled when the YOGA Paper reaches the end of its life. The rugged aluminium chassis also has an allotted slot for the complementary stylus. With the world moving toward sustainability, many big brands are shifting to aluminium as their skeletal material. Lenovo is one of the flagbearers of the change because aluminium is infinitely recyclable and can be mended to form any shape. Lenovo YOGA Paper has been...
The European Union's politically independent executive arm, the European Commission, is planning to bring a proposal for a ban on new investments in Russia's mining sector as part of a new package of sanctions for the Russia-Ukraine geopolitical crisis. In accordance with our source, the prohibition on mining investment, which will have exceptions for certain products, is part of a ninth EU sanctions package that officials will discuss with member states next week and aim to reach an agreement on. Before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, foreign investment accounted for one-quarter of Russia's vast mining sector, producing commodities such as gold, iron ore, uranium and phosphates. It would be Brussels' first direct attack on Russia's metals sector, which it has previously avoided due to...
The Crewe community group consisting of 200 environment enthusiasts, has bagged a national recycling award for collecting over 200,000 aluminium beverage cans in the last ten years. The Crewe Clean Team, a 'committed' volunteer club, has been anointed by a Green Can Award from the non-profit organisation, Every Can Counts to uphold their positive contributions. The team carries on community litter-picking initiatives along the suburbs of Crewe and the surrounding local areas. They usually collect, separate and recycle aluminium. Since their foundation in 2012, the team has successfully collected and recycled more than thousands of cans diverting them from being dumped in landfills. They primarily focus on aluminium since it is infinitely recyclable and can retain the original properties...
The quota for aluminium packaging recycling has augmented consecutively in the third quarter, as the Q3 data presented by the Environment Agency in November states. The recycling rates are being monitored severely, with reports notifying that they might surpass the annual target. The duration between July to September 2022 witnessed an accumulated 37,815 tonnes of aluminium packaging being separated for recycling purposes. Aluminium scrap extracted via kerbside and on-the-go systems added up to almost 28,003 tonnes, whereas another 9,491 tonnes were retrieved from incinerator bottom ash (IBA), and about 322 tonnes were collected from auxiliary recycling drives. The annual collection requirement has been calculated to be 147,632 tonnes; therefore, an excess of 8,212 tonnes can be broadly...
