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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Rio Tinto has received a binding offer from private equity group HIG for three French alumina plants that are part of an estimated $8 billion of aluminum assets put up for sale last year by the global miner to try to boost margins. Rio Tinto said on Wednesday it had agreed a period of exclusivity with HIG and would respond to the offer after consulting unions. Both Rio Tinto and Olivier Boyadjian, managing director of the private equity firm's French unit, declined to provide financial details. Rio Tinto is selling the three plants - located in Gardanne, La Bathie and Beyrede in southern France - as part of a worldwide plan to scale back its activities in aluminum. Rio Tinto, the world's third-largest diversified miner, signalled the retreat last October when it unveiled plans to sell 13...
Current trading conditions in the aluminum industry are challenging, driven by soft aluminum prices, the strong Australian dollar, and increasing input costs. If these conditions persist, we expect Alumina Ltd.'s credit metrics to weaken to levels below our expectation for the 'BBB' rating. We therefore have placed our 'BBB' corporate credit and issue ratings on Alumina on CreditWatch with negative implications. We expect to resolve the CreditWatch following our review of Alumina's financial performance in light of the current challenging industry conditions. Rating Action On March 28, 2012,Standard & Poor's Ratings Services placed its 'BBB' long-term corporate credit and debt ratings on Australian mining company Alumina Ltd. on CreditWatch with negative implications. Rationale The...
State-run National Aluminium Co (Nalco) plans to expand operations both in the country and overseas. Acting chairman and managing director BL Bagra tells ET that the country's third-largest aluminium maker will also invest in thermal, nuclear and wind power plants as part of its move into the energy sector. Excerpts: What is your expansion plan within the country? We are talking to the Gujarat government for setting up an alumina refinery. The state government has already identified land for the project, in which we will be investing about Rs 4,500 crore. Gujarat Mineral Development Corp will supply bauxite at pre-determined rates linked to the benchmark London Metal Exchange. We hope to sign a draft agreement with the state government by April. What will be the refinery's capacity? The...
The Jamaica government says it is still interested in divesting its shares in Clarendon Alumina Partners (CAP). Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Minister Phillip Paulwell said all options will be considered for the sale of the government’s 45 per cent stake in Jamalco, which it owns through CAP. He said that prospects for a recovery of the aluminium market would be among considerations guiding the divestment process. The Bruce Golding administration had approved the sale of the government’s interest in CAP, to pave the way to finalise ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the targets contained in the US$1. 27 billion Stand By Agreement (SBA). The government said then that the process of divestment had gone some way and that one buyer had expressed an...
Aluminum stocks have been beaten down in recent weeks as signs of slower growth in China and Europe raised questions about the global economy and demand for their products. Over the last month, the Global X Aluminum ETF has fallen roughly 7.36%. Five Star Equities examines the outlook for companies in the Aluminum industry and provides equity research on Alcoa Inc and Alumina Limited. China reported recently that its biggest trade deficit in at least 22 years as government data also showed the world's second largest economy had the weakest January to February factory production gain since 2009. Mr Bikash Bhalotia a metals and mining analyst at PINC Research in Mumbai said that China is the biggest consumer of most commodities and any change in growth forecast of the country will have a...
Vietnam's state coal and mineral group Vinacomin may start selling alumina product next month during its test-run of the country's first alumina plant, a senior executive said on Thursday. "We will strive to keep the test-run period as short as possible and bring the plant to full capacity," Chairman Tran Xuan Hoa of the National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) said on the sidelines of an energy conference. Hoa said Hanoi-based Vinacomin would operate at 70-80 percent of the Tan Rai plant's capacity during the test-run. The $460-million facility has a designed capacity of 600,000 tonnes a year, he said. Up to 99 percent of the Tan Rai plant has been completed, state media has reported, but construction has been delayed for because of rain and incomplete administrative...
Alumina may average $339 a metric ton this year, 12 percent less than in 2011, as world aluminum production slows, according to Australia’s Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics. Output in Australia may climb 12 percent 22.9 million tons in the year to June 30, 2013, as Rio Tinto Group’s expansion of the Yarwun refinery is completed, the Canberra- based bureau said in a report today. The expansion will increase capacity of the refinery near Gladstone, Queensland by as much as 3 million tons a year, it said.
Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. (CHALCO) released 2011 earnings report on March 17. According to the report, China’s alumina output was about 38.81 million mt in 2011, up 24.4% YoY, while aluminum demand was about 39.04 million mt, up 10.5% YoY. China’s alumina imports were 1.88 million mt in 2011, down 56.4% YoY. CHALCO said global alumina output was about 90.67 million mt in 2011, up 10.6% YoY, while global alumina consumption was about 89.40 million mt, up 7.9% YoY. Operating rates at global alumina producers were about 89.3% as of the end of December 2011, with operating rates in China at 81.9%. Global alumina spot prices rose first but fell later during 2011. Primary aluminum and alumina prices climbed gradually at the beginning of 2011 due to steady economic recovery. Alumina prices...
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry announced over the weekend that seven more companies have expressed interest in building mineral smelting plants in Indonesia. These additions bring the total number of smelters queuing up to be built to 26, up from the ministry’s previously reported number of 19 companies that have submitted plans to build mineral and coal processing facilities across the country. “There are seven more companies which have proposed plans to build smelters in Indonesia, including investors from China and Korea. Thus, now, we have 26 companies in total which have committed to building smelters,” said the ministry’s director general for minerals and coal, Thamrin Sihite, in Jakarta. However, he declined to disclose the names of the companies. Thamrin continued that...
Vietnam will test-run the country's first alumina plant early in the second quarter starting in April, before moving to full production, a state-run newspaper said on Friday, indicating a slight delay in the project. Up to 99 percent of work has now been completed at the Tan Rai plant owned by the National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin), the ruling Vietnam Communist Party-run Nhan Dan (People) daily said, quoting Vinacomin. Industry and Trade Minister Vu Huy Hoang, who visited the site in the central highland province of Lam Dong in early March, had asked the alumina plant operator to test-run the facility in April, Vinacomin said on its website. Alumina is a white powder made from bauxite ore that is used to produce aluminium. In early December, Vinacomin said alumina...
Orbite Aluminae Inc. CA:ORT -3.46% (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has reached three important milestones in its development. It has recently opened a new laboratory facility in Laval, Quebec, which will serve as the Company's principal laboratory. It is also proud to have secured the support of the Micmac Nation of Gespeg in regards to the Company's alumina plant project in the Gaspesie region. And finally, Orbite has been issued a new Canadian patent for its technologies and has filed for two new patents in the U.S. New laboratory opens The Company has inaugurated its principal laboratory, which will support its upcoming production of high-purity alumina and future production of metallurgical-grade alumina. Housed in the Laval Biotechnology Development Centre, this modern...
Century Aluminum Limited, former owner of St Ann Bauxite Company which sold out its local operations during the bauxite downturn, says it is mulling re-entering the local alumina sector under partnership to set up a 1.5-million tonne alumina plant. The investment would signal a further rebound of the sector damaged since the global recession. "This is still in the analysis phase, and it is too early to determine when major construction might begin," said Lindsey Berryhill, manager, corporate communications at Century Aluminum Company. "We are unable to disclose the estimated investment numbers at this time, but I will keep you informed of our progress," Berryhill said via email. Century Aluminum was formed in 1995 by Glencore International of Switzerland as a holding company for its...
Companhia de Alumina do Para's (CAP) Board of Directors has decided to postpone the construction of a new alumina refinery in Barcarena, Brazil. The main reasons for the postponement of the CAP project are the uncertainty related to short- and medium-term aluminium supply/demand balance and the development in the world economy. The new alumina refinery, supplying raw material for aluminium production was scheduled to start production in 2015 based on bauxite supply from an expansion of Hydro's mining operations in Paragominas, Brazil. Companhia de Alumina do Para is owned by Hydro (81 percent) and Dubal (19 percent). "The decision to postpone the CAP project does not reflect any changes in our long-term faith in the market for alumina and aluminium or the CAP project. Economic...
Owing to decelerated global economic growth expected that ocean freight was unlikely to rise, while most of alumina importers in China had signed long-term cooperative agreements with mines, so prices were kept stable. But when faced with tight bauxite resource, FOB price of imported bauxite may rise slightly next year. According to survey, built alumina capacity will reaches to 54,490 thousand tons in 2012, newly added capacity 7700 thousand tons, bauxite import volume will still maintained at a high level.
"Today and for the next few years there is a risk of oversupply of both aluminium and alumina. We are suffering from market prices that are not sustainable. Therefore the fundamentals must become more important for the pricing of our products in the future," Undeli said. Undeli was a keynote speaker in the conference. In the opening remarks editor Raju Daswani of Metal Bulletin stated that “production reductions in alumina refining appear to be imminent.” He asked when the first alumina refineries will have to cut back production. Possible CAP postponement Undeli said in the keynote speech that Hydro presently is reviewing a postponement of the huge CAP refinery project in Barcarena, Brazil. The project is seen as one of the most attractive in the industry and until now has been scheduled...
Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. plans to raise up to CNY8 billion ($1.25 billion) in a private placement of shares to fund alumina projects and supplement working capital, it said last Thursday. The company plans to place up to 1.25 billion yuan-denominated shares with up to 10 institutional investors at an offering price subject to regulatory approval. The placement will have a 12-month lock-up period, it added. Proceeds will fund the Xing Xian alumina project and the Zhongzhou Ore-dressing Bayer Process expansion construction, as well as working capital.
Saudi Maaden's Aluminium Strategic Business Unit's Vice President, Abdullah Busfar, said that the firm awarded a USD1.5 billion construction deal for an alumina refinery to Hyundai Engineering & Construction, reported Arabian Business. Busfar added that the project is part of the second phase of the USD10.8 billion project to develop a fully-integrated aluminum complex in Saudi's Ras Al Khair. He also said that Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina Company owns a 51 percent stake in the complex, which includes a bauxite mine at Ba'aitha and an alumina refinery, aluminum smelter and rolling mill at Ras Al Khair. On the other hand, he said that the project would be the largest, lowest cost, fully integrated aluminum industrial complex in the world. It is worth noting that building the refinery would...
Outotec to conduct feasibility study for the first alumina refinery to be built in Indonesia Outotec has agreed with PT ANTAM (Persero) Tbk (ASX: ATM; IDX: ANTM; Antam), Indonesia's leading diversified mining and metals company, to carry out a feasibility study for the very first smelter-grade alumina refinery to be built in Indonesia. Indonesia is the sixth-largest bauxite producing country in the world. Nevertheless, thus far the domestic bauxite is not refined to alumina - key raw material in aluminum production - in Indonesia. Instead, alumina is imported from Australia to the aluminum smelter located in North Sumatra. Antam is therefore intending to build the first smelter grade alumina refinery in Indonesia, in order to utilize its vast bauxite deposits and develop an integrated...
