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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On 28 th December, PT Alumina Borneo Indonesia (BAI) commenced the construction of the Smelter Grade Alumina Refinery (SGAR) in Bukit Batu Village, Sungai Kunyit District in Indonesia. The SGAR development plan has been prepared in recent years. This first pole planting for the project was led by the H Sutarmidji, Governor of West Kalimantan, via a virtual platform. The first piling ceremony of the SGAR development project was also witnessed by representatives of the Ministry of BUMN and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Regent of Mempawah, Hj Erlina SH MH, Deputy Regent, H Muhammad Pagi, Muspida Pemkab Mempawah, Directors of PT BAI, Directors of PT Alumina, and other guests. "The West Kalimantan Provincial Government fully supports the construction of SGAR in Bukit Batu...
North America’s alumina production registered a dip of 5% year-on-year. The output in November 2020 came in at 227,000 tonnes, from 239,000 tonnes in November 2019. On a month-on-month comparison, the production dropped slightly by 0.44 per cent from October’s production of 228,000 tonnes. In the first eleven months of 2020, alumina output totalled 2.442 million tonnes, from 2.665 million tonnes in the first eleven months of 2019, according to the latest data showed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). This marked a decrease of 8.37 per cent year-on-year. South America’s alumina production declined by 2 per cent year-on-year to 980,000 tonnes in November 2020. The output was 1,000 tonnes in November 2019. On a month-on-month basis, the alumina production inched up by 5.83 per...
World alumina production in November 2020 stood at 11.385 million tonnes, representing a month-on-month downfall of 1.10 per cent, according to the data revealed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). In October, world alumina output was 11.511 million tonnes, up by 6.04 per cent from 10.855 million tonnes in September 2020. Total production in those three months (September-November) came in at 33.751 million tonnes, 2.78 per cent higher than 32.838 million tonnes during the same period last year. On a year-on-year basis, world alumina production in November stood up by 5.67 per cent from 10.774 million tonnes. Total alumina production in the first eleven months of the year (January-November) amounted to 121.912 million tonnes, 1.05 per cent higher year-on-year than 120.640...
The average spot alumina price in China has registered a hike for the second day in a row, as updated by Shanghai Metals Market. The price has marked an increase of RMB 9 per tonne to stand at RMB 2338 per tonne on Tuesday, 29 December 2020. The prices of alumina in Shandong, Henan, Shanxi and Guizhou China markets have risen by RMB 10 per tonne each to stand at RMB 2340 per tonne, RMB 2350 per tonne, RMB 2350 per tonne and RMB 2285 per tonne on Tuesday, 29 December 2020. Alumina price in Guangxi has increased by RMB 15 per tonne to RMB 2285 per tonne. Alumina (Imported) price has increased to RMB 2375 per tonne after two days of restrained. This represents an increase of RMB 40 per tonne from RMB 2335 per tonne. The average price is expected to move within a range of RMB 2350-2400 per...
The Andhra Pradesh state government in India is considering acquiring the Ras-Al-Khaimah Investment Authority’s (Rakia’s) stake in Anrak Aluminium joint venture. This is an effort to settle the dispute after several years under international arbitration. However, the state government lately commissioned a committee of senior officials headed by its mining secretary Gopala Krishna Dwivedi to prospect multiple options to settle the arbitration proceedings by Rakia against India. The other options being scouted include refunding of Rakia’s investment through the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC), facilitating bauxite supplies to Anrak’s Alumina refinery project, or an ‘out of court’ settlement with the UAE entity. A senior official in the state’s mines and geology...
Alumina market witnessed a controlled price trend in 2020 as there had been a fair balance between production and consumption of the ore, even amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. In the first few months of the year, the prices trended down significantly due to lower buying interests among primary aluminium smelters, but later on, recovered with market resilience. Australian alumina FOB price closed the year on a bullish trend from US$ 278.50 per tonne to US$ 302 per tonne. Global alumina output during January-October 2020 stood at 110.466 million tonnes, slightly up by 0.55 per cent from 109.866 million tonnes during the same period last year. Metallurgical-grade alumina production came in at 104.068 million tonnes. Except in China, where alumina production dwindled during the above...
According to a report on Monday, December 21, Altech Chemicals, together with Speciality Materials Investments LLC (SMI) have mutually decided to terminate the share purchase subscription agreement. The agreement was executed on April 22, 2020, for SMI to invest up to $2 million in Altech shares (Initial Investment) and up to an additional $981,000, subject to shareholder approval. Altech managing director Iggy Tan commented, "SMI provided funding for the Company and our HPA project during what was both a volatile period in the global markets and a transitional period for the Company. SMI has been a flexible, supportive, responsive and responsible funding partner to Altech. SMI's funding has been instrumental in bridging the Company's capital requirements, which provided it time to...
The government of the Indian State Andhra Pradesh is wholly prepared to permit Anrak Aluminium Limited to commission its alumina refinery at Rachapalli, Makavarapalem in Visakhapatnam. V Vijaysai Reddy, MP, North Andhra Pradesh affairs, said: “The government has been planning to allow Anrak Aluminium Ltd to commission their refinery since it has invested around INR 6,000 crore and promised jobs to the local youth.” "But we will not allow mining of Bauxite in Visakhapatnam. The company has to import from outside or source it from Odisha.” He has assured the natives that mining of Bauxite has been stopped for good. K Bhagyalakshmi, MLA said: “The natives will not have any objection if the plant operates in the non-tribal area far from the agency tracts. As long as they do not mine in the...
Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) has been fined $500,000 by Gladstone Magistrates Court for the chemical spill incident in September 2018, resulting in serious environmental harm and violating Environmental Authority (EA) rule. This is one of the largest environmental fines in Queensland charged after QAL pleaded guilty. Over two years ago, an over-pressure safety system, opened during unplanned maintenance, released up to 3 tonnes of alkali bauxite slurry into the atmosphere causing damages to homes and cars in the coastal industrial suburb of South Trees in Gladstone. Alkali bauxite slurry is a chemical formed during the process of creating alumina. According to prosecutor Deborah Holiday QC, this incident was due to the error committed by untrained operators, as neither the...
The contended bauxite mining issue returns in the prominence with condemnation forthcoming to over the fresh bids to consider operationalizing the Anrak Alumina Refinery in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Anrak Aluminium Limited, a company floated by Ras-al-Khaimah and Penna Group in 2013 built the alumina refinery, with an investment of approximately INR 6000 crore. However, AAL could not initiate operations following the cancellation of bauxite supply agreement by Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC), as the present state government declared it was against bauxite mining in the marked areas respecting sentiments of inhabitants, who had opposed intensely saying it would devastate their livelihood and environment in the region. The Indian state-run Aluminium...
King River Resources selected the Kwinana Industrial Area as the preferred site for its planned production project of High Purity Alumina (HPA) following the discussion with the Western Australian Government. The exploration mining company in November’20 decided to modify its planned production of HPA facility from the Speewah speciality metals project south of Kununurra in the Kimberley to an industrial site using the company’s HPA project on aluminium chemical feedstock from other industrial processes. The company confirmed the Kwinana industrial site after considering other industrial sites in WA and Queensland King River detailed Kwinana as WA’s foremost industrial area as it is well catered by transport links and with deep-water bulk port facilities, freight routes and a heavy rail...
The United States imported 312,000 tonnes of alumina in the third quarter of 2020, bringing the total imports in the first nine months of the year to 1.03 million tonnes, according to the latest US Geological Survey data. On a quarter-on-quarter, the United States alumina imports in Q3 stood lower by 49,000 tonnes or 13.57 per cent from 361,000 tonnes, following a slight hike of 4,000 tonnes Q-o-Q in Q2 2020. Brazil continued as the highest exporter of alumina to the US in Q3 2020 supplying 229,000 tonnes. In Q2, Brazil exported 197,000 tonnes, meaning the US alumina imports from Brazil in Q3 increased by 32,000 tonnes or 16.24 per cent Q-o-Q. The total alumina exports from Brazil to the US totalled 660,000 tonnes during January-September 2020. The second-largest alumina exporter to the...
The average alumina spot price in China has continued to grow by RMB 4 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,318 per tonne as of December 11, marking the fourth consecutive increase, according to the Shanghai Metals Market data. In Henan and Shanxi, the alumina price has come in at RMB 2,330 per tonne growing by RMB 5 per tonne; while in Shandong, the price is hovering at RMB 2,295 per tonne, also up by RMB 5 per tonne. In Guizhou and Guangxi, however, the average alumina spot price has remained restrained at RMB 2,265 per tonne and RMB 2,260 per tonne, respectively. Imported alumina price has also remained muted at RMB 2,310 per tonne, but the Australian alumina FOB price has dipped by US$ 1 per tonne to US$ 294 per tonne. A00 aluminium ingot price has surged for the second day in a row by RMB 110...
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative has certified Alcoa’s three facilities in San Ciprián (Spain), Fjardaál (Iceland), and Lista (Norway) with its Performance Standard Certification. The facilities' activities include alumina refining, aluminium smelting, producing aluminium sows, ingots, and T-bars, manufacturing aluminium rod, and developing and producing aluminium extrusion ingots, foundry metal, and anode briquette. The facilities have grabbed the certificate for responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium. In July 2019, ASI Performance Standard Certification was given to Alcoa’s San Ciprián facility for its aluminium smelting operations and now it has been extended to its alumina refining activities. Alcoa’s Fjardaál aluminium smelter and casthouse, on the other hand,...
The average alumina spot price in China has extended growth for the third consecutive day by RMB 4 per tonne to RMB 2,314 per tonne, as of Thursday, December 10, according to the Shanghai Metals Market. In Henan and Shanxi, the alumina price has come in at RMB 2,325 per tonne growing by RMB 5 per tonne from the previous day, while in Guizhou and Guangxi, the price has dipped by RMB 5 per tonne to RMB 2,265 per tonne and RMB 2,260 per tonne, respectively. In Shandong, however, the price has remained muted at RMB 2,290 per tonne. Both imported alumina price and Australian alumina FOB price have recorded no change from RMB 2,310 per tonne and US$ 295 per tonne, respectively, on December 10. A00 aluminium ingot price has surged today by RMB 200 per tonne to stand at RMB 16,610 per tonne,...
The Marseille commercial court was due on 8 th December’20 to examine the two takeover bids submitted for the speciality alumina unit at Gardanne in Southern France. But one of the two bidders withdrew. The inter-union hopes to reduce the social impact of the remaining offer carried by United Mining Supply, an integrated logistics group specializing in industrial and mining activities. There were two offers for the takeover of the Alteo Alumina in Gardanne. One, initiated by Xavier Perrier and Alain de Krassny (Kem One), aimed to preserve the integrity of the speciality alumina production plant, with bauxite extraction using the Bayer process. The other, defended by the United Mining Supply (UMS) group, favoured the abandonment of this extraction to perpetuate downstream. However, the...
China’s average alumina spot price has recorded a hike of RMB 7 per tonne on Wednesday, December 9, to come in at RMB 2,310, found the Shanghai Metals Market. In Henan and Shanxi, the price has grown by RMB 10 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,320 per tonne. In Guizhou and Guangxi, alumina price has dipped by RMB 5 per tonne to peg at RMB 2,270 per tonne and RMB 2,265 per tonne, respectively. In Shandong, however, the price has remained restrained at RMB 2,290 per tonne, with average prices to range between RMB 2,270 per tonne and RMB 2,310 per tonne. Imported alumina price has also recorded no change from RMB 2,310 per tonne, while Australian alumina FOB price has increased by US$ 2.5 per tonne to US$ 295 per tonne. But despite the rise in alumina spot price, A00 aluminium ingot price has...
As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, production of metallurgical-grade alumina in China stood at 61.54 million tonnes in the first eleven months of 2020. That was down 2.4% on a year-on-year basis. In November, alumina output, including 5.8 million tonnes of metallurgical-grade alumina, came in at 6 million tonnes. The daily output increased 0.74% month-on- month to 193,000 tonnes. This marked a growth of 6.29% on a year-on-year basis. Phase I project of Chinalco Huasheng yielded production in November, which offset the output reduction in north China in a heating season. The project has an annual capacity of 2 million tonnes in in southwest China. The operating capacity of metallurgical-grade alumina was 68.4 million tonne per year as of early December. SMM expects metallurgical-grade...
