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EU proposes 15% tax on aluminium scrap exports to secure recycled metal supply
The European Union is preparing to introduce a 15 per cent levy on aluminium scrap exports in a move aimed at keeping more recyclable metal within the bloc as competition for critical raw materials intensifies. According to industry sources, the proposal is expected to be presented on September 9 and would mark the first time Brussels has imposed charges on goods leaving the EU. The proposal comes as European aluminium producers warn that increasing overseas demand is drawing valuable scrap away from the region. They argue that smelters in markets such as Asia and the United States, benefiting from stronger margins, are able to outbid European buyers, remelt the scrap into primary products and ship the aluminium back into the EU. The issue has become more pronounced in recent months after...
Bauxite grades decoded: How Guinea, Australia, Brazil, China, India & Indonesia measure up against global refinery standards
The world's largest bauxite producers are not always the ones supplying the highest-quality ore. While countries such as Guinea, Australia, China, Brazil, India and Indonesia dominate global bauxite mining, the quality of the ore they produce varies significantly, making production volume only part of the story. During the first quarter of 2026, Guinea remained the world's largest bauxite producer with 34.342 million tonnes, followed by Australia at 23.117 million tonnes and China at 18.806 million tonnes. Brazil produced 7.920 million tonnes, India 7.398 million tonnes and Indonesia 5.449 million tonnes. However, for alumina refiners, the more critical factor is not how much bauxite is mined, but how much recoverable alumina the ore contains and how efficiently it can be processed. The...
LB Aluminium’s 4Q profit falls nearly 74% on weaker aluminium segment
LB Aluminium Bhd reported a sharp decline in its fourth-quarter earnings, with net profit falling 73.78 per cent year-on-year to MYR 1.88 million (USD 459,736) for the quarter ended April 30, 2026 (4QFY2026), from MYR 7.18 million (USD 1.7 million）in the corresponding period last year. The decline was mainly attributed to weaker contributions from its aluminium segment. Quarterly revenue also decreased by 9.76 per cent to MYR 226.13 million (USD 55 million), compared with MYR 250.59 million (USD 61 million) a year earlier, as lower sales volume from the aluminium business offset higher contributions from the property segment. Despite the weaker quarterly performance, the group proposed a first and final dividend of 2.5 sen per share, according to its exchange filing on Wednesday. For the...
From scrap treatment to casting, Sistem Teknik advances aluminium production with integrated technologies
As aluminium producers work to increase recycled metal use while reducing emissions and energy consumption, technology is becoming central to improving production efficiency. Across the aluminium value chain, innovations in scrap treatment, melting, molten metal refining, casting and heat treatment are helping manufacturers improve metal recovery, optimise energy use and support the shift towards closed-loop recycling and lower-carbon aluminium production. Recent developments have focused on technologies that improve different stages of the production process. Delacquering drum furnaces prepare coated aluminium scrap before melting, while preheating ovens recover waste heat to improve energy efficiency. Camera integration systems are used for efficiency prediction, ultra-low NOx burners...
UK commits $66m to critical minerals sector, reinforcing aluminium's strategic role
The UK government has announced a GBP 50 million (USD 66 million) investment to strengthen domestic production of critical minerals, as it seeks to reduce reliance on concentrated global supply chains and improve economic resilience. The funding is also expected to support sectors such as aluminium, which was added to the UK's Critical Minerals Strategy in 2024. The funding will support projects covering mineral extraction, processing and recycling to secure supplies of materials used in products ranging from smartphones and household appliances to electric vehicle batteries. The latest allocation builds on more than GBP 200 million already committed to the sector. Industry Minister Chris McDonald is expected to launch the programme during a visit to an industrial research hub in...
Vedanta, Nalco and Hindalco shares fall as aluminium prices weaken on rising Chinese supply
Falling aluminium prices and concerns over rising Chinese supply pressured metal stocks on Tuesday, with shares of Vedanta, Hindalco Industries, National Aluminium Company (NALCO), Hindustan Zinc and major steelmakers trading lower. According to a commodity note by Kotak, aluminium prices have come under pressure due to increasing Chinese exports and domestic aluminium production in China remaining close to record levels. Despite the recent decline, the brokerage noted that global aluminium output outside China remained subdued in May, keeping market fundamentals relatively tight and supporting the metal's medium-term outlook. Among aluminium-related stocks, NALCO fell 4.4 per cent to INR 361.50, while Hindalco declined 2.7 per cent to INR 986.85. Hindustan Zinc also slipped 2.8 per cent...
Why Chalco's Guangxi Huayin refinery remains central to its aluminium business
Every aluminium smelter depends on a steady supply of alumina, and securing that supply begins at refineries such as Guangxi Huayin in southern China. Operated by Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco), the facility converts imported and domestic bauxite into smelter-grade alumina, supplying both the company's own smelting network and external customers along the southern Chinese coast. For most buyers, the end product is simply a white powder arriving in bulk shipments. Behind that powder, however, sits a refining operation that has become an important part of Chalco's supply chain in a region where high-quality bauxite remains in limited supply. Bauxite entering Guangxi Huayin passes through the Bayer process before emerging as alumina suitable for aluminium production. Digestion tanks,...
LME aluminium cash price drops 4.16% to a three-month low of $3,263.5/t as Gulf supply concerns ease
Aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) fell sharply on June 23, reaching their lowest level in nearly three months after the United States granted Iran a 60-day sanctions waiver following preliminary peace talks. The development improved expectations for the resumption of trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns over supply disruptions that had previously supported aluminium prices. The LME aluminium cash bid price declined to USD 3,263 per tonne on June 23 from USD 3,403 per tonne on June 22, marking a 4.11 per cent drop. The cash offer price fell to USD 3,263.5 per tonne from USD 3,405 per tonne, a decline of 4.16 per cent. The benchmark three-month aluminium contract also contracted. The three-month bid price dropped to USD 3,269 per tonne from USD 3,405...
How ceramic welding is reducing furnace downtime in aluminium production: Fosbel’s approach
Keeping aluminium furnaces running efficiently often comes down to a component that rarely attracts attention: the refractory lining. These linings protect furnace structures from extreme temperatures and harsh operating conditions, but they gradually wear over time, particularly in areas such as metal lines, roofs and side walls. Repairing this damage has traditionally required furnace shutdowns, resulting in production losses and maintenance costs. Technologies that allow repairs to be carried out while furnaces remain operational have therefore gained importance across the aluminium industry. One such solution is Ceramic Welding, developed by Fosbel, a Cleveland, Ohio-headquartered furnace maintenance and refractory repair company with operations in the United States, Germany, Japan,...
Strait of Hormuz: Open waterway or controlled passage? Oil and aluminium markets await clarity
Has the Strait of Hormuz really reopened? The answer depends on whom you ask. Following the preliminary agreement between Washington and Tehran on June 17, markets initially welcomed the prospect of the Strait of Hormuz returning to normal operations and global energy supplies flowing without disruption. The easing of immediate geopolitical tensions prompted traders to unwind much of the risk premium that had accumulated during the conflict, triggering a sharp correction across oil and aluminium markets. Global benchmark Brent crude fell to around USD 77.76 per barrel on June 17, 2026, its lowest level in more than three-and-a-half months. Aluminium markets followed a similar trajectory, with prices retreating by approximately 10-12 per cent from the four-year highs above USD 3,850 per...
Hindalco removes East Coast Bauxite Mining Company from subsidiary list
Hindalco Industries Limited said its wholly owned subsidiary, East Coast Bauxite Mining Company Private Limited, has been struck off by the Registrar of Companies (RoC), Cuttack, after the subsidiary applied for voluntary removal from the register of companies. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued a notice on June 22, 2026, confirming the strike-off under Section 248 of the Companies Act, 2013. With effect from the same date, East Coast Bauxite Mining Company is no longer a subsidiary of Hindalco. According to the company, the move will have no material impact on its business activities or financial position. East Coast did not record any contribution to Hindalco's turnover, revenue or net worth during the last financial year. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking...
China's aluminium wire exports soar 222.67% in May as exporters capitalise on tax incentives
China's aluminium wire exports surged in May as rising aluminium prices and favourable trade incentives drove a sharp increase in overseas shipments. Official customs data showed that exports of aluminium wire reached 50,224 tonnes in May, up 222.67 per cent from April and surpassed the combined 42,955 tonnes shipped during the first four months of the year. The sharp increase highlights how exporters are increasingly using the product to capture stronger international prices while benefiting from supportive trade policies. The May surge lifted cumulative exports for the January-May period to 93,179 tonnes, putting shipments on track to surpass last year's pace. The five-month total has already nearly matched the 94,369 tonnes exported during the first eleven months of 2025. Price rally...
LME aluminium cash offer eases 0.06% amid prolonged West Asia disruptions threatening supply through 2027
The West Asia crisis is expected to leave a lasting mark on global aluminium supply, with production losses now forecast to persist into 2027. While LME aluminium prices posted modest declines on June 19, analysts say the market remains vulnerable to prolonged disruptions as damaged smelting capacity across the region takes longer than expected to recover. On June 19, the LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 3,399 per tonne, down 0.07 per cent from USD 3,401.5 per tonne on June 18. The cash offer price eased 0.06 per cent to USD 3,400 per tonne from USD 3,402 per tonne. The LME aluminium 3-month bid price declined 0.07 per cent to USD 3,397.5 per tonne, while the 3-month offer price slipped 0.09 per cent to USD 3,398 per tonne. Further along the forward curve, December 2027 bid and...
From bauxite diplomacy to aluminium's supply squeeze: How the global aluminium value chain is being reshaped
The aluminium industry's supply chain story increasingly begins long before metal reaches a smelter. Across several regions, governments and companies are moving to secure access to bauxite, the industry's most important raw material. India's engagement with Venezuela reflects a broader effort to secure long-term access to raw materials essential for industrial growth. During recent discussions between the two countries, Venezuela's vast bauxite reserves emerged as a key area of interest, particularly the Los Pijiguaos region, which is estimated to hold billions of tonnes of the ore. The development highlights how resource security is becoming increasingly important as countries seek reliable supplies of materials that support aluminium production and manufacturing growth. At the producer...
With Hormuz reopening and possibility of 700,000t of aluminium flowing into the market, here's the price outlook for H2 2026
Primary aluminium prices climbed to four-year highs in H1 2026 as the market grappled with tightening inventories and mounting concerns over supply disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East. The year began with the LME Aluminium Cash Price below USD 3000 per tonne and, over the next five months, rose by approximately 29.1 per cent to reach USD 3,855 per tonne on June 2. As tensions escalated, the Strait of Hormuz-one of the world's most important shipping routes faced significant restrictions, slowing the movement of cargoes across global supply chains. Delays in shipments and uncertainty over future deliveries heightened concerns among consumers and traders, who increasingly turned their attention to available inventories. This was reflected in inventory levels. LME Aluminium...
Iran signs five rail logistics MOUs, including Iralco aluminium transport deal
Iran has signed five new memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with private sector organisations to strengthen its rail transport and logistics network, with one of the agreements aimed at improving the movement of raw materials and finished aluminium products. The agreements were signed at a ceremony attended by Minister of Transport and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh, Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Managing Director Jabbar Ali Zakeri, Mostazafan Foundation Head Hossein Dehghan, Parliament's Civil Committee Chairman Mohammad Reza Rezaei Koochi and senior representatives from the private sector. Among the agreements was a cooperation MOU between the Railways Company and Iran Aluminum Company (Iralco). The partnership focuses on expanding rail transport for the company's raw materials...
Bead blasting: The finishing process behind high-quality aluminium products
As aluminium producers and fabricators increasingly focus on high-value applications, surface finishing is playing a bigger role in the manufacturing process. One technique used extensively across the industry is bead blasting, which is commonly carried out before anodising, painting, powder coating and other finishing operations. By the time bead blasting takes place, the aluminium has already been cast, extruded, rolled or machined into its required shape. The process uses compressed air to direct fine spherical media - usually glass or ceramic beads - onto the surface of the component. The impact removes oxidation, traces of light corrosion, machining marks, residual oils and other surface contamination, while removing only a very small amount of the base material. For aluminium...
Slovakia nears decision on restarting Žiar nad Hronom aluminium smelter
Slovakia is in the final stages of preparations to restart aluminium production at the Žiar nad Hronom smelter, with an official announcement expected in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Robert Fico has said. In a video message shared on social media, Fico said work related to the revival of the facility in the Banská Bystrica region is approaching completion. "The final decisions are being completed. I believe that after only a few more weeks of work, we will be able to announce important news for Slovakia and for Europe," he said. The restart of operations at the plant would represent a notable development for Slovakia's industrial sector and could contribute to Europe's aluminium production capacity. During the address, Fico also commented on a number of international issues. He said...
