The US aluminum trihydrate market strengthened in September 2026 as downstream procurement, rising overseas production costs, and shipping bottlenecks supported prices. In contrast, Bosnia’s market faced a quarterly correction as European buyers drew on accumulated inventories and lower caustic soda costs eased manufacturing pressures, highlighting diverging regional price trends. US aluminum trihydrate market gains on demand and supply constraints US aluminum trihydrate prices increased 2.38% month over month in September, supported by purchases from wire and cable manufacturers, electrical infrastructure compounders, and electric vehicle (EV) component producers. Demand remained particularly resilient for applications involving low-smoke cable compounds and flame-retardant materials....
China-based China Aluminum International Engineering Co., Ltd. (CHALIECO) has won a bid for an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract valued at approximately USD 833 million for a proposed alumina project in Vietnam, adding to investment activity in the country’s mineral processing sector. The project, being developed by Binh Phuoc Ore Mining and Beneficiation Joint Stock Company, is designed to process 2.4 million tonnes of alumina annually. The proposed contract is valued at around CNY 5.595 billion (USD 839.04 million), with completion expected within 27 months of the contract’s effective date. CHALIECO to oversee turnkey refinery development Under the proposed turnkey arrangement, CHALIECO’s responsibilities will cover the full project delivery process, from...
Grow with
AL Circle
China’s alumina imports fell sharply both on a yearly and monthly basis in August. Customs data showed imports totalled 129,000 tonnes in August, down 41 per cent month-on-month and 68.3 per cent year-on-year. Australia remained the top supplier, exporting 96,000 tonnes to China, while imports from Indonesia were 28,000 tonnes. Alumina imported from Indonesia was shipped exclusively to Shandong Weiqiao Group, and alumina imports from the country are likely to exceed 100,000 tonnes in September, SMM observed.
According to an Aluminium Insider report, Rusal's Aughinish Alumina in Ireland is back in profits as the alumina producer has succeeded in pulling off a significant reversal in its bottom line. The firm reported a US$14.4 million pretax profit after posting a US$12.1 million loss the previous year. As per the financial report, "The alumina refinery operation was steady and reliable throughout 2015." The turnover took a hit to reach US$688 million from last year's US$719 million. In 2014, Aughinish Alumina plant owner Limerick Alumina Refining Limited entered into an agreement with Glencore which previously owned the plant to produce aluminium and was paid US$400 million as tender amount in advance. An interest of US$14.4 million was charged on the advance last year to take the total due...
Global high purity alumina market is slated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.11 per cent by 2020, revealed data released by Hexa Reports in their recently published market report. According to the insightful document, growing adoption of LED lighting systems and displays will drive the HPA market growth over the five years period (2016-2020, inclusive of both the years) under review. Alumina, commonly known as Al2O3, is primarily used as a feedstock for the fabrication of metallic aluminium. It is also known as smelter grade alumina (SGA). Approximately 90 per cent of alumina is used in aluminium smelting and the remaining 10 per cent is dedicated to the non-metallurgical market for industrial use. High-purity alumina, which characterizes alumina with a minimum purity...
World leading sensor and measurement technology company Morgan Advanced Materials has developed a new type of alumina sensor designed specifically for high-pressure and high-temperature water and sub-metering. The sensor has been specifically designed to withstand extreme temperatures, making it ideal for use in both heat metering and high temperature fluid metering. Morgan has developed it using its own specially-formulated proprietary alumina. The sensor solves many of the problems associated with high temperature environments, with a focus on reducing thermal drift and zero flow offset over a large temperature range. Morgan’s new sensor significantly minimises the flow offset because the material has been manufactured to control the thermal properties of both the internal and external...
According to an Aluminium Insider report, Australian government has asked Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison to reject the effort of the Chinese firm intending to acquire Gulf Alumina. Expressing his doubt about the company’s integrity, Parliament Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said, “I have serious concerns about their motives… I will be expressing a very strong objection.” Ensch is heading a movement to stop Moly Mines from acquiring Gulf Alumina. Owned by Chinese investor Hanlong, Moly Mines is said to have reported many cases of corporate misdemeanour in the recent past and too many red flags were raised which indicate at its dubious functioning. In fact the company has been suspended from trading on the ASX since 2014. Ensch said he would talk to Morrison and request him not to...
A subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Mining Co (Ma'aden) announced Sunday that commercial production at its new bauxite mine and alumina refinery has begun and export of some of this output could take off any time in the coming quarters. Bauxite mining followed by alumina production at the refinery will reach maximum capacity of 1.8 million tonnes annually by 2017 beginning, stated an official release by Ma'aden. The output will adequately meet Ma'aden's domestic requirement of 1.4 million tonnes of alumina for its aluminium smelter. The surplus, according to the company, can be sold to a third party within the region or abroad. Ma'aden owns 74.9 per cent stakes of the subsidiary while the rest 25.1 per cent is owned by the U.S. firm Alcoa. The aluminium producer from the Gulf region said...
Orbite Technologies Inc. today announced that, further to its press release of September 21, 2016, production activities have commenced at its high purity alumina ("HPA") plant. • Commissioning and start-up of the digestion circuit was completed, a planned. The first batch of feedstock digestion commenced this afternoon and will be followed by another batch early tomorrow. • Commissioning and start-up of the crystallisation circuit is well advanced and the first batches of liquor, produced in the digestion circuit, will be transferred to the crystallisation circuit over the weekend for first production of aluminum chloride hexahydrate ("ACH") crystals. ACH crystals are the precursor to high purity alumina ("HPA"). • Production will continue in batch mode in these two circuits as extensive...
Glencore subsidiary Sherwin Alumina is poised to down the shutters of its alumina refinery in Gregory, Texas, said a union official on Friday. A federal bankruptcy judge has allowed more time to the 1.65 million mt/year operations to wind down its operations. The alumina refiner has accordingly notified the United Steelworkers union that it will close the facility, its most valuable asset, on Friday. According to the source, the bankruptcy judge said the exclusivity period for Sherwin Alumina to submit a plan now extends to December 31. Earlier the company had until September 30 to file a plan. Sherwin now have until March 1 to seek approvals of the plan unlike the earlier deadline of November 29. Sherwin filed for bankruptcy in January 11, this year. The judge, in his order, found the...
Altech Chemicals Ltd presented their Annual Report & Full Year Statutory Accounts on Tuesday, September 29 for the 2015/16 financial year. Iggy Tan, Managing Director of the company presented the yearly report and review of operations in front of the company shareholders. During 2016 Altech made considerable progress towards commercializing its kaolin deposit at Meckering. One big step towards it was the construction of a high purity alumina (HPA) plant at Johor, Malaysia that will produce 99.99% (4N) HPA (Al O). Also important was the development of a kaolin quarry and container loading facility at Meckering. Altech published its positive bankable feasibility study report in June. The Company has secured debt financing for its HPA project to a considerable extent. Altech is targeting...
.jpg)
Alumina prices in China major markets are logging healthy growth trends. Shanghai Metal Market analysts say a number of positive factors will further support the rise. Increasing costs and speculations triggered by the recently introduced transport regulations will continue adding momentum to the uptick in alumina prices, analysts explained. According to the latest SMM data, alumina costs surged 100 yuan per tonne in the past two months driven by the rising bauxite prices, caustic soda lye, lime and coal. China has lowered the ceiling of vehicle loading capacity from the earlier 55 tonnes to 49 tonnes for 6-axle trucks, effective September 21. This would result in over 30 per cent increase in overal vehicle transport costs.
China’s total alumina imports declined 68.31 per cent over the same period previous year to stand at 128,729 million tonnes (mt) in August. The volume shrunk during the first eight months of the current fiscal as well. It dropped 26.66 per cent YoY to stand at 2,027,202mt for January-August 2016. Alumina imports from Australia slid 61 per cent YoY to 96,317mt in August whereas during January-August period, it declined 21 per cent YoY to 1,297,790mt. Shipments from Indonesia, however, soared considerably during the periods under review. China imported 28,105mt of alumina in August and 30,146mt during January-August of the current financial year. Alumina imports from countries like Japan, Italy, and Austria also grew significantly but they do not contribute much to the total imports of the...
The Australian daily alumina price was assessed up $2/mt from Friday at $235/mt FOB Monday on Strong Chinese interest. It was up $4.50/mt on week. Chinese domestic alumina prices continued to climb, eradicating the premium for Australian material against Chinese domestic alumina in import parity terms. A smelter reported the purchase last week of a prompt 35,600-mt parcel at $255/mt CIF Lianyungang, China, for shipment in early October. On Monday, the smelter said he would be prepared to pay $247/mt CIF Lianyungang for a 30,000-mt cargo with shipment between the second-half of October and first-half of November. A second smelter placed a firm bid at $246/mt CIF Lianyungang for a 30,000-mt cargo for shipment between H2 October and H1 November. From the sidelines, a third Chinese...
Meller Optics Inc, the leading provider of high quality optics to defense, medical, laser and industrial markets in the US for more than half a century now, has introduced a new line of high-purity calcined alumina polishing powders for high quality fnish. The alumina powders named as Meller Microlux Alumina Powders are to be mixed into slurries with de-ionized water and applied to spot blocks for assuring an enhanced polishing effect. The new line of calcined alumina polishing powders is available in two grades and seven particle sizes from 0.05 to 3.0 microns- all in ready-to-mix forms. They are capable of producing surface finishes to 10-5 scratch-dig on a wide range of optical products made of hard and soft materials including ZnSe, germanium, and silicon. Meller is offering Microlux...
Since import market for alumina is tight and alumina supply in China is now in a deficit, this situation will allow prices of alumina to hold firm in September, an SMM forecast says. Aluminium production is in check and there are fewer orders from most large aluminium smelters in China. Despite this, Alumina market has now turned into a seller’s market and the alumina supply tightness is not expected to ease in the near term. Currently there is a narrow gap between domestic and imported alumina prices, as the domestic alumina price is gaining faster. So, Chinese buyers prefer to import alumina for the smelters. But, as the alumina supply in the overseas market is tight, this will tighten import volumes to China. According to China customs data, China imported 219,900 tonnes of alumina in...
Orbite Technologies today provided an update on the start-up of its high purity alumina ("HPA") plant. Activities continue to progress towards start of production in Q3. As previously reported, the initial heat up of the decomposer and calciner ovens commenced over the Labour Day long weekend. Ovens have since been running with all the required service and support systems. The ovens are now being cooled for final preproduction inspection and preparation. Upon reheating of the ovens, the Company will inject and circulate Smelter Grade Alumina for a calibration run and then follow with Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate (ACH) crystal decomposition and calcination to produce HPA. Commissioning of the digestion and crystallisation circuits is underway with both circuits to be started up in the...
While Chinese buyers have begun showing interest in imported alumina , imports will remain low in the future, SMM predicts. The price spread between domestic and imported alumina is narrowing, so Chinese buyers have become more interested in alumina imports. But, tight alumina supply overseas will curtail import volumes, SMM explained. China imported 219,900 tonnes of alumina in July, up 36.8% from June, but down 59.66% from a year ago, Customs data showed. Australia remained the top supplier, claiming 65.6% of total imports.
Altech Chemicals Limited has provided an update on the detailed design and engineering work that is currently being undertaken by German firm M+W Group in Stuttgart, Germany, for its proposed Malaysian high purity alumina (HPA) plant. M+W Group is a leading global high-tech engineering firm with around 6,000 employees worldwide. M+W Group was appointed as Altech’s Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor in March 2016 and it commenced detailed design and engineering of the Company’s proposed HPA plant in June 2016. Detailed design and engineering is the final planning phase for the HPA plant prior to the actual commencement of construction. It involves the complete definition of every aspect of the plant including detailed diagrams and drawings for construction, civil...
According to an SMM forecast, as production restarts after accident recovery and newly opened capacity, the average daily alumina output in China will improve by the end of September. SMM forecasts China’s alumina output at 4.9 million tonnes in September, which is an increase of 3.86% from a year ago. Luoyang Xiangjiang Wanji Alumina Plant, which closed shutters after red mud dam landslide in early August, resumed operations in late August. Shanxi Huaxing Alumina whose production was affected by flood earlier also resumed production. Alumina output in China had a YOY increase of 2.89% to 4.98 million tonnes in August from August 2015, but it dropped 1.41% from July total due to closures at two major producers following red mud accident or flooding. Due to drop in production alumina...
