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...
Grow with
AL Circle
Mining company South32 reported alumina production of 5.269 million tonnes in FY20, compared to 5.050 million tonnes in FY19, up 4 per cent year-on-year. In Q4 FY20, alumina production stood at 1.358 million tonnes, an increase of 6 per cent quarter-on-quarter. Brazil Alumina saleable production increased by 10% to a record 1.383 million tonnes in FY20 as the refinery achieved improved performance in steam generation, enabling the benefits of the De-bottlenecking Phase One project to be realised. “The company’s use of third party bauxite is expected to reduce in FY21, which together with a reset in the cost of supply from Mineração Rio do Norte S.A (MRN), in accordance with its linkage to alumina and aluminium, is expected to result in lower Operating unit costs for the refinery.” Worsley...
The alumina price in China continued to remain flat over the week. The average spot price started the week higher at RMB 2495 per tonne on Monday, July 13, up RMB 50 per tonne from Friday. Alumina price remained unchanged in the last four days of the week. Other raw materials like Bauxite (6.5≤Al/Si＜7.5)Guangxi, Alumina (Imported), Australian Alumina FOB Price, Prebaked Anode Central, and Al Fluoride are hovering at RMB 265 per tonne, RMB 2450 per tonne, USD 284 per tonne, RMB 2810 per tonne and RMB 7600 per tonne as of Friday, July 17 2020. A00 aluminium ingot price started the week with a jump of RMB 620 per tonne at RMB 15320 on Monday, July 13. The price then continued to decline at RMB 14900 per tonne and RMB 14820 per tonne on Tuesday and Wednesday. The week ended lower at RMB14370...
Rio Tinto’s alumina production for the second quarter of 2020 was six per cent higher than the than the same period of 2019. This was due to higher production levels in the Pacific refineries with Yarwun delivering a half year production record. On a quarter-on-quarter comparison, output registered a decrease of 1 per cent to 1.99 million tonnes. Rio Tinto Chief Executive J-S Jacques said “Despite various COVID-19 related challenges, all our assets have continued to operate, with our first priority to protect the health and safety of all our employees and communities. “Our focus is to maintain a business as usual approach with many safeguards at a very unusual time. Our operational teams are continuing to run our assets safely so we can continue to contribute to local and national...
The research team of the University of Natural Sciences successfully implemented the project of manufacturing building materials from red mud arising in alumina production in the Central Highlands, creating economic efficiency and reducing pollution. Red mud is a waste generated from alumina production technology in the Central Highlands which is a hazardous waste that must be buried in lakes designed to be built and waterproofed. However, these red mud lakes are not completely frozen, which will cause pollution and environmental degradation in the Central Highlands. Facing this fact, the research team of the University of Natural Sciences (Hanoi National University), chaired by Associate Professor, Dr Luu Duc Hai, has implemented the project "Researching material manufacturing...
According to the global export-import data, India’s alumina imports in CY2020 are estimated to stand at 2.27 million tonnes, down by 4.22 per cent from 2.37 million tonnes (approx.) in 2019. In 2018, India had imported 2.69 million tonnes, meaning the country’s alumina imports in 2019 stood down by 11.90 per cent from the previous year. The above data indicate that India’s alumina imports this year are estimated to drop from the preceding year but at a lower rate. In tandem with the decline in India’s total alumina imports, the country’s imports from Australia are also expected to stand lower at 682,436 tonnes compared to 1.10 million tonnes in 2019. This means India’s alumina imports from Australia in 2020 are likely to decline sharply by 99 per cent year-on-year. In 2018, India’s...
Altech Chemicals Limited executed an option to purchase agreement for a ~10 hectare industrial site within the Schwarze Pumpe Industrial Park, municipality of Spreetal, Saxony, Germany. The company had received an official invitation from the State Government of Saxony in September 2019 to consider building its next high purity alumina (HPA) plant in Saxony. The company will have access to the site for planning and assessment purposes during the option period. Altech is investigating the site as a preferred location for a second HPA plant, specifically to service forecast demand for HPA from Europe’s burgeoning electric vehicle and renewable energy battery sectors, Altech said. Managing director, Iggy Tan said: “whilst we have been focussed on completion of finance and the continuation of...
Alcoa has affirmed to take its fight with the Australian Taxation Office to the Supreme Court. The behemoth organization stated clearly that it does not feel bound by BHP's decision to settle a transfer pricing dispute in 2018. The ATO strengthened its investigation into Alcoa's sales of Australian alumina earlier this month, asserting the company owed $921 million once interest on unpaid taxes was included. On 9 th July’20, Alcoa’s CEO Roy Harvey was inquired by the investors whether BHP's $529 million settlement over its Singapore hub had created an exemplar that reduced Alcoa's chances of victory in the ATO contention. Roy was logical to say: ''Each case its own set of specific circumstances.” “BHP's settlement has been related to iron ore sales to a Singapore subsidiary, while Alcoa's...
The average spot alumina price has continued their upward track and stood at RMB 2495 per tonne on Monday, 13 July 2020, registering an increase of RMB50 per tonne from RMB 2445 per tonne. The alumina prices increased across all major markets in China, except south. The average prices of Alumina-East, Alumina-Central, and Alumina-North have increased by RMB 50 per tonne each to stand at RMB 2475 per tonne, RMB 2500 per tonne, and RMB 2500 per tonne. Their average prices are expected to range at RMB 2450-2500 per tonne, RMB 2500-2500 per tonne, and RMB 2500-2500 per tonne. The price in South remains unchanged at RMB 2520 per tonne. Alumina (Imported) price rose to RMB 2450 per tonne, representing a rise of RMB 50 per tonne. The average price is expected to move within a range of RMB...
According to Shanghai Metals Market data, China’s alumina production stood at 5.71 million tonnes in June, including 5.5 million tonnes of metallurgical-grade alumina. The daily output came in at 183,000 tonnes, 1.82 per cent higher from a month ago but down by 4.57 per cent on the year. Accumulated production of metallurgical-grade alumina during the first half of the year (January-June) totalled 32.64 million tonnes, 7.6 per cent lower from the same period last year. The moderate rise in alumina prices led refineries in north China to lift their capacity in operation month-on-month in June, countervailing the production cut at some of the refineries. As of early July, the operating capacity of metallurgical-grade alumina stood at 66.9 million tonnes per year. SMM expects the output of...
Hydro announced that Alunorte and the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) signed an agreement in June for research on the feasibility of producing low-carbon cement from bauxite residue. The project is part of an agreement between Hydro and UFPA signed in 2019 to develop cement from a mixture of bauxite residue and other raw materials abundant in the Pará region in Brazil. “The company seeks to use part of this residue to generate new products by 2030, using approximately 500,000 tonnes of bauxite residue per year.Through this project, Hydro aims to develop sustainable technological solutions for local cement producers in order to reduce not only their production costs, but also their environmental impact, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preserving natural resources,” Hydro said....
McConnell Dowell has signed a design and construction contract with Queensland Alumina (QAL). The construction company’s relationship with major shareholder Rio Tinto has remained vital. The construction company will be accountable for the delivery of a waste line replacement at QAL’s Parsons Point alumina refinery in Gladstone. Rio Tinto holds 80% stake in QAL, Australia’s first alumina refinery and producer of around 3.7 million tonnes of alumina per year. The project comprises the design of the new waste line; removal of the existing pipeline; enhancement of the support structures that include around 1400 piles within tidal and marine zones; and installation of the new waste line, 8.8 kilometres of DN 350 SCH 60 above ground steel pipeline. McConnell Dowell has initiated its work on...
Altech Chemicals Limited has announced the completion of the remaining Stage-2 construction work at its high purity alumina (HPA) plant site in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Construction activities at the site started anew in early June 2020, following the ease of restrictions imposed by the Malaysian Government on March 18 to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. The Stage-2 construction work involved completion of the site’s electrical substation consisted of internal fit-out, drainage, sewage, and landscaping. These works are now finished, marking the completion of all works included in the Stage 2 construction scope by the appointed EPC contractor Metix (a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMS group, Germany). Altech received a formal handover inspection of the substation towards the end of...
The average alumina spot price in China has continued to grow for the sixth straight day, albeit slower, by RMB 11 per tonne to come in at RMB 2,419 per tonne on July 9, found Shanghai Metals Market. In the central and north, the price has grown by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 2,425 per tonne, while that in the east and south has remained restrained at RMB 2,400 per tonne and RMB 2,520 per tonne, respectively. Among other input costs, the price of aluminium fluoride has recorded a decline of RMB 200 per tonne to RMB 7,350 per tonne, following a restraint for over a month. The A00 aluminium ingot price has jumped by RMB 150 per tonne on July 9, after two consecutive declines from RMB 14,440 per tonne to RMB 14,320 per tonne. The aluminium ingot price is now standing at RMB 14,470 per tonne,...
According to a recent report from Brazil’s economy ministry released on Monday, July 6, alumina exports from Brazil increased in June, albeit at a slower pace than the earlier month. Brazil’s alumina exports in June totalled 679,914 tonnes, up 4.6 per cent year-on-year from 650,229 tonnes. On a month-on-month basis, the exports in June fell by 12.8 per cent from 779,694 tonnes. As per the report, the lower export volumes were attributed to a fall in supply from Alunorte refinery in June. Movement restrictions imposed due to containing the spread of the novel coronavirus could be a reason for the fall in supply from the Alunorte refinery. Also, due to the temporary production half at Hydro’s Paragominas bauxite mine, in the state of Pará in northern Brazil, owing to power outage, about...
Emirates Global Aluminium, on July 8, has announced the achievement of nameplate capacity at its new Al Taweelah alumina refinery for June, a major milestone achieved just 14 months after the production began at the refinery in April 2019. This marks a world-class performance because usually the four-step alumina processing at new refineries takes several years or more to achieve a month of sustained production at design capacity at each step of the process. EGA has reported no injuries during the production at refinery. Zaher Alhabtari, Executive Vice President Upstream and Capital Projects at EGA, said today: “We began preparing for operations back in October 2013, when Al Taweelah alumina refinery was still on the drawing board. Our careful planning has enabled us to deliver a...
In Ascension Parish, USA, workers more than 300 will be facing job loses next month at Burnside Alumina refinery, a speciality alumina producer that has exhausted millions from a program of Federal Government that meant to protect American jobs during the COVID-19 epidemic. As per industry sources, some potential buyers have approached the company, but there’s no deal to sell the business at this time. Gabriel Henn, Plant Manager said: “The speciality alumina market demand was declined during the pandemic and the LAlumina LLC plant has tried hard to hold on, but the losses have mounted for months.” He explained with an example: “As smelter-grade alumina prices dropped by about a third in March, then prices for its premium product plummeted, as did demand.” The alumina refinery was...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the average alumina spot price in China has recorded a higher hike today, on July 8, by RMB 38 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,408 per tonne. In the east, the alumina price has grown by RMB 50 per tonne to RMB 2,400 per tonne, while that in the central and north has increased by RMB 35 per tonne to come in at RMB 2,415 per tonne. In the south, the price has continued to remain restrained at RMB 2,520 per tonne. The imported alumina price has grown by RMB 50 per tonne to RMB 2,350 per tonne, but the price of Australian alumina FOB has remained muted at US$ 264 per tonne. The A00 aluminium ingot price, on the other hand, has continued to decline, rather at a higher pace, from RMB 14,420 per tonne to RMB 14,320 per tonne, found SMM. The average prices are...
Alumina Ltd in Australia stated that its joint venture with aluminium giant Alcoa has been evaluated $212 million in previous taxes over alumina sales to the aluminium smelter in Bahrain, known as ALBA. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has also highlighted that the compound interest on the tax owed by Alcoa of Australia (AoA) amounts to $707 million. However, it has invited the company to make submissions on why that charge should not be fully payable. The ATO is also expected to compute administrative penalties by August’20, though Alcoa of Australia is unable to guess the figures. Mike Ferraro, CEO, Alumina Ltd. said: “The ATO had carried out an investigation focused on AoA's sales over a 20-year period.” The ATO proclaimed that AoA under-priced its alumina sales over a 20-year...
