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...
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Russian aluminium major UC Rusal announced the first time production of scandium oxide in its smelter in the Ural Mountains known as UAZ at a concentration rate that exceeds 99%. Initially, Rusal commissioned a pilot unit that for processing scandium concentrate into scandium oxide. The scientists at the Engineering and Technology Centre of Rusal developed the carbonization process, which isolates scandium from red mud. Rusal says that production of scandium oxide will have no negative effect upon alumina production. The scandium oxide produced in the plant will be used to make aluminium-scandium alloys at its smelters. Rusal said that they would continue improving the pilot plant in an effort to reduce production costs as producing the material in-house will reduce cost in the scandium...
Orbite Technologies Inc. today provided an update on construction, commissioning and start-up of its high purity alumina (HPA) plant. Activities are progressing according to schedule as communicated previously. HPA Plant Construction • Fjordtech Industries Inc., who were awarded the contract for the remaining piping mechanical work, are proceeding well. Installation of the piping for the plant's cooling water system is complete and the system start-up was successful. Fjordtech has commenced on the crystallization sector piping installation, and the installation of the piping for the digestion sector. • The remaining electrical and instrumentation work, awarded to Electro Kingsey, is also proceeding as per plan, and is being completed concurrently with the completion of the piping...
Altech Chemicals Limited announced that the company’s targeted debt financing for its proposed Malaysian high purity alumina (HPA) project has increased to US$70 million (previously US$60 million). The export credit cover (ECA) component to be covered by the German export credit agency (ECA), Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft (Euler Hermes) has increased from US$40 million to US$60 million. Accordingly, Altech has reduced the targeted amount for the remaining uncovered debt portion from US$20 million to US$10 million, which has resulted in a revised total project debt target of US$70 million. In accordance with the positive cursory pre-assessment undertaken by Euler Hermes (please refer to ASX Announcement of 3 August 2016 for details), the company’s ongoing due diligence process has the...
The world's largest aluminium producer China Hongqiao Group posted 21 per cent increase in profits in the first half of the current financial year. Referring to the Construction sector as the biggest growth driver for domestic aluminium demand, CEO Zhang Bo said, aluminium capacity at the company will be expanded to 6.5 million tonnes per annum this year from the current 5.9 million tonnes capacity. In a bid to streamline raw material procurement, the Group intends to improve its upstream vertical operations. Accordingly, it has worked out plans to enhance the group's alumina self-sufficiency rate. Earlier this year, China Hongqiao acquired Binzhou Beihai Xinhe New Materials Co., a move intended to add to its alumina self-sufficiency. Zhang expects the Group will become 100 per cent...
According to a market report published by IndexBox Marketing, total EU alumina exports, after a long recovery period, finally overcame their pre-crisis level and peaked at 1,538 million EUR in 2015. The major EU Member States Ireland, Germany, France, and Spain topped the list of alumina suppliers with a combined share of 78 per cent of total exports in 2015. Spain and Ireland were the fastest growing suppliers from 2007 to 2015. Alumina shipments from Spain grew at 4.9 per cent per year rate while alumina exports from Ireland grew at 1.9 per cent per year. In value-terms the biggest transactions of alumina took place between the EU countries, but the extra-EU exports, too, contributed a major 37 per cent share of the total EU exports. In 2015, the value of extra-EU exports of alumina...
Henan Xiangjiang Wanji Aluminum Co. owned alumina refinery in China's Wanji has been shut down on account of a potential red mud landslide. According to CRU, no probable timeline has been announced yet for reopening the facility. However, CRU consultant Jackie Wang opines that the 1.4 million-metric-ton-per-annum refinery will require between three and six months to resume operations. According to the industry sources, the red-mud dam body in the southwest corner of the alumina refinery is not in proper condition. The Xinan town government, which oversees the town where the refinery is located, received a report of same and dispatched a working group to survey the entire complex. The government required the refinery to immediately stop discharging harmful red mud for safety reasons. Till...
According to the latest Research and Markets publication, the global high-purity alumina market is slated to grow at a CAGR of 27.11 per cent during the period 2016-2020. The growing adoption of LED lighting systems and displays has been identified as a key growth driver for the segment. In 2015, single-crystal sapphire which finds wide-scale use in LED manufacturing alone accounted for 55.09 per cent of high-purity alumina production. LED lighting technology ensures energy efficiency, hence- sustainability, durability and safety- properties which has been fueling its use in both housing and commercial applications. LEDs have gained in popularity over the last few years by virtue of advantages that far outcast incandescent lighting benefits. Resultantly, market share of incandescent...
The possible closure of Sherwin Alumina near Corpus Christi in Texas, is likely to impact caustic soda market in the U.S. in a major way. Industry experts are of the opinion that the closure of the mid-size alumina refinery that recently applied for bankruptcy will remove about 150,000 tonnes/year of caustic soda demand from the U.S. market. Sherwin Alumina informed its workers last week that the 1.65 million tonne/year capacity alumina refinery in Gregory, will soon “commence an orderly wind-down of its operations” after a months-long lock-out of 400 union workers. The closure is the consequence of the bankruptcy of Noranda Aluminum, the company’s bauxite supplier, and rejection of its supply contract with Sherwin. This literally sealed the refinery's fate for good putting the jobs of...
London listed metals and minerals giant Vedanata Resources has resumed work at its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Odisha. The company had idled the second stream at the refinery on sourcing constraints of bauxite, the principal raw material for alumina production. But, now as aluminium output enhancement has been held up as a strategic objective for the medium to long term, it has tightened its belt and gone for a commensurate ramp up in alumina production. Vedanta's alumina production increased two per cent to reach 0.27 million tonne in the quarter ended June 30, 2016. The company now has approvals to operate the alumina refinery at 1.4 mt. Hence, depending on the visibility of adequate bauxite, it will ramp up its production volume to that level. Presently, Vedanta is depending...
Nasdaq listed TOR Minerals International, Inc. has reported a year-on-year (YoY) increase in net income to $87 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2016, up from a loss of $107 million the previous year. Increased investments and major capacity expansions in its speciality alumina division have paid off for the Texas, US-based mineral manufacturer. The company owes its comeback to the decision to shift focus from its loss-making TiO2 division. It had sought to strategically divest its synthetic rutile assets, which helped it to offset other cost effects. Highlights for Q2 2016 as compared to Q2 2015 include: • Revenue decreased one per cent to $9.9 million • Net income of $87,000, versus 2Q15 net loss of ($107,000) • Diluted net income per share of $0.03, versus 2Q15 net loss per...
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India's Navarana PSE National Aluminium Company (Nalco) expects to commence construction at its alumina refinery complex at Damanjodi, in the Koraput district of Odisha, in February 2017, according to industry reports. The vertically integrated aluminium producer had announced a major expansion plan at the site earlier this year. According to the announcement made in February, Nalco will invest a total sum of INR 20,550 crore for expansion of its alumina refinery at Damanjodi and setting up an aluminium park at Angul in the state. The expansion would result in the addition of a fifth stream to the facility, which would enhance the total production volume to 2.275 million metric tonnes per annum. “We expect to get environment clearance for the refinery expansion by December this year....
Shandong province took crown as China’s top producing region of alumina , aluminium and aluminium semis in the first half of the year, reported industry sources, citing Henan Nonferrous Metals Industry Bulletin. Alumina output at top five provinces totaled 27.27 million tonnes, 96.63 per cent of national total. The table below shows the details: Unit: tonne Alumina Output by Region
The Platts Australian alumina daily assessment at $234/mt FOB on Monday was unchanged from Friday, despite a steep rise in LME aluminium in the last two days. There have been rumblings of renewed interest in China for October shipments, with buyers guidance at $235-$240/mt CIF Lianyungang/China main port. Chinese smelters sometimes stock up on alumina during the fourth quarter ahead of the peak winter conditions, when blizzards and blustery winds have been known to slow down the rail network. However the seasonal restocking does not occur faithfully every year, depending instead on market fundamentals. On Monday, a Chinese smelter said it was not unreasonable for Australian material to fetch Yuan 200/mt or $30/mt more than China domestic supply, in import parity terms. At the lower end of...
According to the sources close to Sherwin Alumina, the company is contemplating closure of operations at its Gregory plant. The company had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this year and had undergone an auction that landed alumina refinery business in the hands of Glencore owned Corpus Christi Alumina (CCA). Sherwin Alumina plans to sell the assets of CCA to address $95 million in debt. The transition to closure, hence, is an "orderly wind-down of operations," a strategy adopted by the company to pay off debts in the market. The company has also been negotiating with labour unions for more than a year and a half now. Union spokespersons have stuck to their demand of a return to work. Sherwin Alumina in its latest release issued on Monday pointed out that a recent...
United Company RUSAL has sold its Jamaican alumina facility ALPART refinery to China's Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company (JISCo). The takeover is expected to be completed by November this year. Transport and mining minister, Mike Henry, said an interest purchase agreement negotiated between JISCo and Russian alumina firm, UC Rusal, which operated the refinery, was signed by representatives of both entities on July 19 in China. Henry led a Jamaican delegation that attended the signing ceremony along with science, energy and technology minister, Dr Andrew Wheatley. Henry, in a press briefing, said that during the ensuing months, a JISCo technical team will visit ALPART alumina refinery to conduct a study and develop basic designs as part of the preparatory work. The project, slated to run from...
Orbite Technologies Inc. yesterday filed its financial statements for the second quarter ended June 30th, 2016. The company reported a loss before net finance expense and taxes of $1.8 million for the quarter, a decrease from a loss of $3.5 million for the comparable quarter in the prior year, attributable mainly to lower general and administrative expenses, as well as an increase in other income of $1.0 million. As at June 30th, 2016, the company had aggregate cash and short-term investments balance of $5.6 million, and positive working capital (current assets less current liabilities) of $6.4 million. Subsequent to June 30th, 2016, the Company drew the remaining $2.1 million on the $4.9 million 2016 Investissement Quebec ("IQ") bridge loan. As a result, the company has, on a pro-forma...
The world's leading integrated aluminium producer, UC RUSAL Plc, reported a 1.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter decline in alumina production. The company's total alumina output for the quarter ended June 30 was 1,851 thousand tons. Alumina production at non-Russian operations decreased marginally by 1.2 per cent QoQ to 1,181 thousand tons due to scheduled repairs performed at the Company’s production facilities (in particular at the Windalco and Aughinish refineries). Output at RUSAL’s Russian operations remained largely flat QoQ, totalling 670 thousand tons. RUSAL's H1 2016 alumina output totalled 3,724 thousand tons, up 2.7 per cent year-on-year.
China's Yunnan Aluminum Co. is all set to further strengthen its upstream business verticals. According to the industry sources, the company has set an ambitious target for itself- to become 100 per cent self-sufficient in alumina by 2020. At present, Yunnan Aluminum’s alumina capacity is 1 million tonnes per year, at 40 per cent self-sufficiency rate. With commissioning of its Phase II 600,000-tpy alumina project in Yunnan’s Wenshan and 1 million-tpy alumina project in Laos, its alumina self-sufficiency rate will reach 65 per cent by 2017, and by 2020 it will further rise to 100 per cent. Then its alumina capacity will hit 2.6 million tonnes per annum. Yunnan Aluminum with an annual aluminium capacity of 1.2 million tonnes operates in other segments of alumina value chain. Its main...
