
Chevron Australia has entered a new natural gas supply agreement with South32’s Worsley Alumina business, reinforcing the importance of reliable energy supplies to Australia’s alumina refining industry. The deal will support operations at the Western Australian facility, where energy availability remains central to mineral processing and industrial activity. Under the contract, Chevron will supply natural gas to South32 Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd from 1 January 2028. The arrangement continues a longstanding commercial relationship between the companies, with the fuel allocated to the alumina producer’s processing requirements. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade...
Rio Tinto and Rondo Energy have commenced front-end engineering and design for a 30 MW/360 MWh thermal energy storage project at the Yarwun alumina refinery near Gladstone, Queensland, marking a potential milestone in the use of heat batteries to reduce emissions from alumina refining. The Rondo Heat Battery will store energy as high-temperature heat in refractory bricks and supply continuous process heat to support Rio Tinto’s alumina refining operations. If progressed, the project would be one of the first large-scale demonstrations of thermal energy storage for industrial process heat globally and a world-first for the alumina industry. Heat batteries target round-the-clock industrial demand Australia regularly experiences four to six hours of surplus solar-generated renewable...
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Global alumina production stood at 11.840 million tonnes in December 2020, an increase of 5.06% from 11.270 million tonnes in December 2019, according to the latest data showed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) on Tuesday, 26 January 2021. On a month-on-month comparison, the output rose 4% from 11.376 million tonnes. Source: the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) For the full year of 2020, total alumina production stood at 133.775 million tonnes, an increase of 1.41% from 131.910 million tonnes for the full year of 2019. In Africa and Asia ex-China, alumina production increased by 20.15% year-on-year and climbed by 4.78% month-on-month to 1.097 million tonne tonnes in December 2020. In January-December, output came in at 12.395 million tonnes, up from 10.329 million...

Extending hike for the fourth day in a row by RMB 5 per tonne, the average alumina spot price in China is standing at RMB 2,403 per tonne on Wednesday, January 27, according to Shanghai Metals Market data. All the major Chinese markets have also witnessed the growth of RMB 5 per tonne. In Shandong, Henan, and Shanxi, the alumina price is hovering around RMB 2,410 per tonne, while the price in Guizhou and Guangxi has come in at RMB 2,365 per tonne. Imported alumina price and Australian alumina FOB price have continued to remain restrained at RMB 2,500 per tonne and US$ 306 per tonne, respectively. Despite the continued hike in alumina price, the A00 aluminium ingot price in China has recorded a fall even today, on January 27, by RMB 50 per tonne to stand at RMB 14,910 per tonne, found SMM....

The average alumina spot price in China has recorded growth for the third consecutive day to stand at RMB 2,398 per tonne on Tuesday, January 26, according to Shanghai Metals Market. In Guizhou and Guangxi, alumina price is hovering around RMB 2,360 per tonne, registering a hike of RMB 10 per tonne from the previous day. In Shandong and Henan, the price has come in at RMB 2,405 per tonne, increasing by RMB 10 per tonne and RMB 5 per tonne, respectively. Imported alumina price and Australian alumina FOB price have, however, decided to remain muted at RMB 2,500 per tonne and US$ 306 per tonne, respectively. A00 aluminium ingot price, on the other hand, has decreased by RMB 70 per tonne to stand below RMB 15,000 per tonne. SMM data shows the price has come in at RMB 14,960 per tonne, with...

Average alumina spot price in China has opened the week on Monday, January 25, with a further hike of RMB 9 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,394 per tonne, according to Shanghai Metals Market data. In Shandong, Guizhou, and Guangxi, alumina spot price has increased the highest by RMB 15 per tonne, found SMM. While in Shandong, the price is hovering around RMB 2,395 per tonne; in Guizhou and Guangxi, the alumina price has come in at RMB 2,350 per tonne. In Henan and Shanxi, alumina spot price is stand at RMB 2,400 per tonne and RMB 2,405 per tonne, growing by RMB 10 per tonne and RMB 5 per tonne, respectively. Imported alumina price has extended growth by RMB 20 per tonne to RMB 2,500 per tonne on Monday, January 25, while the Australian alumina FOB price has remained restrained at US$ 306 per...

After a restraint last day at RMB 2,376 per tonne, the average alumina spot price has recorded a growth of RMB 9 per tonne to close the week on Friday, January 22, at RMB 2,385 per tonne, according to Shanghai Metals Market. However, the hike today has not touched upon all the major Chinese cities, except for Guizhou and Guangxi, where the alumina price has jumped by RMB 30 per tonne to come in at RMB 2,335 per tonne. The average prices there are expected to range between RMB 2,320 per tonne and RMB 2,350 per tonne. Imported alumina price has grown by RMB 35 per tonne to peg at RMB 2,480 per tonne, with average prices likely to hover around RMB 2,460 per tonne and RMB 2,500 per tonne, found SMM. Australian alumina FOB price has inched up by US$ 1 per tonne to stand at US$ 306 per tonne....

On 20 th January 2021, the Global Mineral Recovery Company (GMR) publicised this morning the commissioning of its commercial demonstration unit for the recovery of bauxite residues on the site of Rio Tinto’s Vaudreuil Alumina plant. The $ 9 million project was initiated in 2017. The US-based technology-focused company, GMR, has established a division in Montreal since 2018 and it has designed a pyrometallurgical technology to treat and recover the bauxite residues from the production of alumina. This process transforms and extracts specific compounds from the residue, making it useful in certain building material applications. GMR will also transform and market the substantial portion of the “red” iron oxide mined from the bauxite residue. Ultimately, GMR intends to succeed in extracting...

Average alumina spot price in China has recorded a growth of RMB 9 per tonne on Wednesday, January 20, after remaining restrained at RMB 2,367 per tonne in the past two consecutive days. The price today has clocked at RMB 2,376 per tonne, according to Shanghai Metals Market data. In Shandong and Shanxi, alumina spot price has increased by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 2,380 per tonne and RMB 2,395 per tonne, respectively, while that in Henan has inched up by RMB 5 per tonne to RMB 2,390 per tonne. Australian alumina FOB price has grown by US$ 2 per tonne to stand at US$ 305 per tonne on January 20, found SMM. Imported alumina price has remained restrained at RMB 2,445 per tonne. Despite the rise in alumina spot price, A00 aluminium ingot price has extended downfall by RMB 80 per tonne to stand...

The bauxite tycoon, Fadi Wazni, after acquiring the world's number one speciality alumina refinery in France, Alteo, the Franco-Guinean Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Boké mining company, plans to develop an alumina refinery in Guinea. The buyout plan by the Guinean UMS (United Mining Supply) of the French alumina plant Alteo, world number one in speciality alumina, was in receivership since December 2019 and was validated on 7 th January 2021 by the Marseille commercial court. Already present in the exploitation of bauxite through the Boké Mining Company (SMB) in which its UMS group is associated up to 30% with Singaporean Winning Shipping and Chinese Shandong Weiqiao, Franco-Guinean Fadi Wazni, born in Lebanon, therefore ensures control of a large part of the sector, by...

As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, average spot alumina price in China has increased by RMB 27 per tonne today after five days of restrained at RMB 2340 per tonne. The price now stands at RMB 2367 per tonne as of Friday, 15 January 2021. Alumina prices in Shandong and Henan have risen by RMB 20 per tonne and RMB 35 per tonne to stand at RMB 2370 per tonne and RMB 2385 per tonne. The prices of alumina in Shanxi, Guizhou, Guangxi China markets have climbed by RMB 30 per tonne, RMB 15 per tonne and RMB 15 per tonne to stand at RMB 2385 per tonne, RMB 2300 per tonne and RMB 2300 per tonne on Friday, 15 January 2021. Alumina (Imported) price has reduced to RMB 2445 per tonne, representing a drop of RMB 15 per tonne after remaining unchanged at RMB 2460 per tonne since January 7. The average...

Alumina powder production in Iran edged 1.8 per cent higher during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-November 20, 2020), in comparison with the same period last year, found the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO). Alumina powder output reached 175,300 tonnes during the nine months, while it was 172,100 tonnes in the corresponding period of the past year. Iran’s aluminium ingot production rose 5.12 per cent year-on-year during the nine months of the current calendar year. Output came in at 308,000 tonnes during the nine-month period as compared to 203,800 tons in the corresponding period of the previous year. By the year end (March 20, 2021), production of aluminium ingot in Iran is likely to grow by 63...

Noranda Alumina, a subsidiary of New Day Aluminum Holdings, has reported the strongest production figure in over three years for the last six months. Despite numerous challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, depressed market conditions, and historically active hurricane season, the refinery successfully produced 590,000 tonnes (approx.) of alumina in the second half of 2020, equating to an annual output of 1.18 million tonnes. In addition, Noranda Alumina achieved no recordable injury during the production in more than last six months, marking the year 2020 as the second safest one in 35 years on a Total Recordable Incident Rate (“TRIR”) basis. “The improved results in such a challenging environment are a testament to the strategy executed and investment made by the New Day ownership team,...

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has been awarded INR 450 Crore order from National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO). The contract covers design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of 1x300 TPH Coal Fired Boiler, 18.5 MW Steam Turbine Generator and associated auxiliaries, including FGD and SCR. The new order has been given to BHEL for NALCO’s 5th Stream Alumina Refinery Expansion Project at Damanjodi, Odisha. BHEL supplies all of NALCO’s power plants, for both their Smelter plant (10x120 MW) at Angul and Alumina Refinery plant (5x18.5 MW) at Damanjodi.The company also contributes to the Govt. of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. India’s BHEL provides customised solutions for industry specific steam and power requirements to all major...

According to the latest data shared by Shanghai Metals Market, China’s metallurgical-grade alumina production in the entire year of 2020 came in at 67.29 million tonnes, down by 2.02 per cent on a year-on-year basis. In December, alumina output, including 5.75 million tonnes of metallurgical-grade alumina, stood at 5.96 million tonnes. That was 0.66 per cent lower than 6 million tonnes of production in November 2020, but up by 1.53 per cent from 5.87 million tonnes in December 2019. Roasting capacity at some alumina refineries in Shandong, Henan, and Shanxi was restricted, leading to the month-on-month decline in alumina output in December. The daily alumina output in December 2020 stood down by 4.04 per cent month-on-month but up 2.26 per cent year-on-year to 185,500 tonnes. As of early...

iB2, the innovative technology developer, for the production of Alumina from low-grade bauxite will soon initiate feasibility studies for the construction of an alumina plant in China's Shanxi province, with Anne Lauvergeon as Chairman of the board. Yves Occello, CEO of the French company, has two founders of the company Alliance Minière Responsable (AMR), which is active in Guinea, on its board. The alumina experts are willing to commence the engineering work on its first alumina production unit in Shanxi province in northern China, as the company seeks to execute feasibility studies for about a year before construction. As per the iB2, if everything drives as planned, the alumina refinery could begin production in late 2022 or 2023. However, the unit will engage with Chinese industrials...

On Thursday, January 7, a commercial court in France gave a green signal to Guinean logistics specialist United Mining Supply (UMS) to take over Alteo, a global leader in specialty alumina. The former was the last remaining bidder to take charge of Alteo’s production site near the southern city of Marseille. Alteo entered bankruptcy due to falling orders against the backdrop of global crisis in the aluminium industry. According to the court, United Mining Supply’s financial aid to Alteo as its new shareholder would help the plant free up enough cashflow to continue operations. UMS, owned by French-Lebanese-Guinean businessman Fadi Wazni, will help Alteo clear a part of debt and phase out the import of bauxite within 12 to 18 months. Alteo primarily imports bauxite from Guinea. Alteo was...

As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, average spot alumina price in China has increased by RMB 2 per tonne on Thursday, 07 January 2021 to come in at RMB 2340 per tonne, after remaining flat at 2338 per tonne since December 29. Alumina price in Shanxi has risen by RMB 5 per tonne to stand at RMB 2355 per tonne. The prices of alumina in Shandong, Henan, Guizhou and Guangxi China markets have remained unchanged at RMB 2340 per tonne, RMB 2350 per tonne, RMB 2285 per tonne and RMB 2285 per tonne on Thursday, 07 January 2021. Alumina (Imported) price has climbed to RMB 2460 per tonne, representing an increase of RMB 5 per tonne. The average price is expected to move within a range of RMB 2450-2470 per tonne. SMM aluminium ingot price stands lower at RMB 15540 per tonne on Thursday, 07 January...

On 5 th January 2021, Emirates Global Aluminium announced that its Al Taweelah alumina refinery, the first in the UAE, has delivered sustained monthly production at or above nameplate capacity for the past three months. The milestone marks the completion of a world-class ramp-up of Al Taweelah alumina refinery and was achieved within 21 months of the commencement of production despite the challenges of a global pandemic. Other refineries commissioned elsewhere in the past decade have taken three years or more to reach this level. Al Taweelah alumina refinery ramp-up has been delivered with excellent safety performance, with zero injuries leading to time off work. The alumina refinery can produce some 2 million tonnes of alumina per year, enough to meet 40% of EGA’s demand. Al Taweelah...

According to the latest data released by the International Aluminium Institute for November 2020, alumina production in West Europe stood at 456,000 tonnes, representing a growth of 8,000 tonnes or 1.8 per cent month-on-month. In October also, alumina production in West Europe stood higher month-on-month by 15,000 tonnes or 3.46 per cent from 433,000 tonnes. In those three months (September-November), alumina production in West Europe totalled 1.337 million tonnes, down by 4.98 per cent from 1.407 million tonnes during the same period last year. On a year-on-year calculation, West Europe’s alumina output in November 2020 grew by 16,000 tonnes or 3.64 per cent from 440,000 tonnes. In the first eleven months of 2020, alumina production in West Europe amounted to 5.142 million tonnes, 2.67...