AlCircle News Edited By "Aranya Mondal"
Aranya Mondal is a content writer with two years of professional experience in business writing, technical writing, web content, editing, and research. She handles content creation and editing for online and offline channels to support brand growth and global engagement.
EGA accelerates six-fold expansion of Leichtmetall in Germany to boost aluminium recycling
Image source: EGA Emirates Global Aluminium is strengthening its role in Europe’s aluminium value chain, announcing a major expansion of its German subsidiary, EGA Leichtmetall, that will transform the site into one of the world’s most advanced recycling hubs. The company is positioning the project as part of a broader strategy to meet growing European demand for high-quality aluminium made from post-consumer scrap - particularly from automotive and aviation customers. The new facility, to be built near Hannover, represents an investment of about USD 170 million, with first hot metal expected in 2028. It will increase EGA Leichtmetall’s recycling capacity more than six-fold, adding 110 thousand tonnes per year of scrap sorting capacity and 153 thousand tonnes per year of melting and...
LME aluminium cash climbs to $2,985.5/t as opening stocks ease 0.49% to 509,250t
LME aluminium prices firmed between December 31, 2025 and January 2, 2026, while exchange inventories slipped slightly. On January 2, 2026, the LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 2,985.5 per tonne and the cash offer at USD 2,986 per tonne, rising about 0.61 per cent from USD 2,967.5 per tonne and USD 2,968 per tonne on December 31, 2025. The LME aluminium 3-month contract also strengthened. The 3-month bid price was USD 3,010 per tonne and the 3-month offer was USD 3,010.5 per tonne on January 2, 2026, up roughly 0.74 per cent and 0.69 per cent respectively from USD 2,988 per tonne and USD 2,990 per tonne on December 31, 2025. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2026 outlook, pre-book the report “ Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2026 ” at a special price....
China’s alumina and aluminium output move in tandem at 88MTand 44MT - is the country limiting alumina to track 45MT aluminium cap?
China’s alumina story in 2025 was not just about how much was produced, but about how carefully the system was managed. China ended the year with 88.2 million tonnes of alumina and 44 million tonnes of primary aluminium, based on the industry’s two-to-one rule of production ratio. It sits close to the national cap of 45 million tonnes aluminium production, without pushing beyond it. What mattered was the balance. Refineries kept running, smelters stayed within limits, and extra material was directed to where it was needed - either into domestic supply or into export markets. Alumina output rose 8.2 per cent from 2024, aluminium increased by around 2 per cent, and yet oversupply never really built up. Instead of chasing volume for its own sake, China used alumina production to keep the...
India’s aluminium wire rod demand to grow at 5.93% CAGR by 2030, with new expansion plans ahead
Across modern power systems, one of the important product is aluminium wire rods. Their growth mirrors the expansion of electricity networks around the world. Global aluminium wire rod usage has increased from 7.6 million tonnes in 2020 to about 8 million tonnes in 2023, to 8.16 million tonnes in 2024 and 8.32 million tonnes in 2025. The global wire and cable market, valued at USD 191.6 billion in 2022, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.30 per cent from 2023 to 2032. Much of this momentum is tied to transmission and distribution. Over seven decades, aluminium cables and conductors have taken the place of copper as the main carrier of electricity. Today, bare conductors account for 70 - 75 per cent of the aluminium used in cable and conductor applications, with insulated cables forming...
Europe’s primary aluminium output rose only 0.9% in 2025 - are CBAM and policy pressures steering the shift toward 51% recycling?
Just like the US, Europe appears to be reshaping its aluminium strategy - and scrap is steadily gaining the upper hand. With recycling crossing the 50 per cent mark in 2025, the balance of the industry is shifting away from primary aluminium and moving toward secondary metal. That trend is also visible in the production numbers. Primary aluminium production across Europe, including Russia reached 6.4 million tonnes between January and November 2025. That’s only slightly higher than the 6.38 million tonnes recorded in 2024 and 6.1 million tonnes in 2023, in the same period, working out to growth of about 0.9 per cent in 2025 after a stronger 3.8 per cent growth the year before. During 2025, output moved up in stages - 1.72 million tonnes in the first quarter, 1.74 million tonnes in the...
LME aluminium cash offer at $2,913.5/t as opening stocks slip to 479,675t
LME aluminium prices softened between December 24 and December 29, while exchange inventories fell but showed a shift toward more live warrants. On December 29, the LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 2,913 per tonne, compared with USD 2,931.5 per tonne on December 24 - a decline of about 0.63 per cent. The cash offer slipped to USD 2,913.5 per tonne from USD 2,932 per tonne over the same period, down roughly 0.63 per cent. LME aluminium 3-month prices were largely steady. The 3-month bid remained unchanged at USD 2,957 per tonne on both December 24 and December 29, marking no change. The 3-month offer eased to USD 2,958 per tonne on December 29 from USD 2,959 per tonne on December 24, down around 0.03 per cent. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2026 outlook,...
Beijing tightens reins on copper and alumina projects to stop “disorderly expansion”
China is moving to slow the rapid build-out of its metals industry, signalling that the next five-year plan will put tighter controls on new copper and alumina capacity. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said local governments must strengthen feasibility studies for major projects and ensure approvals match national industrial policy, warning against “irrational investment and disorderly expansion” between 2026 and 2030. The commission framed copper and alumina as sectors tied not only to economic growth but also to military development, while stressing that future projects must reflect “differences in regional industrial bases, resource endowments and environmental capacity.” Beijing also wants consolidation, saying it will encourage mergers and restructuring among...
GIADEC denies plan to hand Nyinahin bauxite concessions to Ibrahim Mahama
The Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) has rejected reports suggesting that government plans to hand over the Nyinahin bauxite concessions to businessman Ibrahim Mahama, calling the claims “false and misleading.” In its statement, GIADEC said it had taken note of a publication alleging that the Government of Ghana intends to grant concessions to Mr. Mahama, stressing that, “no such plan exists.” The corporation added: “GIADEC unequivocally refutes this allegation and states for the avoidance of doubt that no such plan exists.” GIADEC explained that the decision to centralise control of Ghana’s bauxite resources dates back to the period when executive approval was granted under President John Dramani Mahama. The intention, it said, was to enable the corporation to...
Snowy Hydro steps in as NSW races to replace coal with wind ahead of 2026 decarbonisation goals
Snowy Hydro could become the “fairy godmother” in the race for power contracts, investment and credibility as New South Wales prepares to close more coal plants. The pressure point is 2026. By then, NSW needs to find about USD 27 billion to finance several wind projects so coal plants can shut while still meeting decarbonisation goals. Three linked problems now decide whether progress happens: signing enough PPAs (long-term power contracts) getting equity even though the off-balance-sheet model doesn’t really suit electricity dealing with the practical limits of delivering turbines across the state Wind projects in the South West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) may be technically stronger than those in Central West Orana, because the land is flatter and the wind is better. But even so, only a...
Beijing keeps rare earths tight despite Trump deal, reviving US supply concerns
Even after President Donald Trump announced a rare earth “truce” with Chinese President Xi Jinping in late October, US companies say the promised relief has yet to materialise on the ground. Market participants report that China is still limiting access to key rare earth inputs needed to build permanent magnets and other strategic products in the United States. More than a dozen consumers, producers, government officials and trade experts said China has increased shipments of finished magnets, but American manufacturers still cannot secure the raw materials required to make them domestically - a central goal of the administration. The people requested anonymity because the discussions aren’t public. The situation underscores lingering tensions in US - China trade relations since the Oct...
Brazil’s renewable hub expands: CPFL brings $144.8M solar investment to Rio Grande do Norte
Rio Grande do Norte is set to receive another major boost in renewable energy. The Chinese group CPFL Energia confirmed an investment of about BRL 800 million (USD 144.8 million) to install new photovoltaic generation projects in the state, strengthening its position as one of Brazil’s leading hubs for clean energy. The delegation, led by Sun Peng, chairman of the company’s board of directors, was joined by executives from CPFL Renewables and state authorities. The initiative marks a new step for the conglomerate in Brazil, expanding its portfolio beyond wind power and moving decisively into large-scale solar generation. CPFL’s parent company, State Grid, has 843.3 MW of installed capacity in Rio Grande do Norte - the equivalent of roughly 61 per cent of its wind generation in Brazil. The...
Israel imposes five-year anti-dumping duties on Chinese aluminium profiles and tubes
Israel has taken a major step to protect its aluminium industry by imposing anti-dumping duties on imports of aluminium profiles and tubes from China for the next five years. The decision, announced by Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat, follows an investigation that concluded Chinese exporters were selling products in Israel at unfairly low prices and harming domestic producers. The move was based on findings compiled by Trade Duties Commissioner Danny Tal and reviewed by the advisory committee at the ministry. Their conclusion was clear: dumping practices were distorting the market and creating real damage for Israeli manufacturers. Anti-dumping duties are hardly unusual in global trade. Anchored in World Trade Organization rules, they have become one of the most widely used...
India turns to self-reliance as China curbs rare earth exports - can expansion plans bridge the gap?
India’s rare earth footprint spans coastlines, riverbeds and hard rock terrains, giving the country one of the more widely distributed resource bases globally. According to the government data, India hosts around 7-7.2 million tonnes of rare earth elements oxide (REO) contained within 13.15 million tonnes of monazite, occurring across coastal beach sands, teri and red sand belts, and inland alluvium in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Maharashtra. In addition, 1.29 MT of rare earths is located in hard rock formations in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Despite this geological spread, India currently meets very little of its rare earth demand through local production, relying instead on imports - an imbalance that has come into focus as global...
LME aluminium cash offer rises to $2,916/t as opening stocks hold steady at 519,600t
Aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange moved higher on December 23, with both cash and forward contracts recording day-on-day gains compared with December 22. The LME aluminium cash bid price rose to USD 2,915.50 per tonne on December 23 from USD 2,898 per tonne a day earlier, marking an increase of USD 17.50 per tonne, or 0.60 per cent. The cash offer price followed a similar trajectory, climbing to USD 2,916 per tonne from USD 2,898.50 per tonne, also up 0.60 per cent day on day. In the forward market, the LME aluminium 3-month bid price advanced to USD 2,955 per tonne on December 23 from USD 2,940 per tonne on December 22, a rise of USD 15 per tonne, equivalent to a 0.51 per cent increase. The 3-month offer price edged up to USD 2,955.50 per tonne from USD 2,942 per tonne,...
From Turkey to China: Which companies are leading global aluminium foil production?
The market for aluminium foil has expanded to a total of USD 38.55 billion in 2024 and will continue to grow at a CAGR of 5.05 per cent till 2030. This is largely due to capital investments made by major manufacturers in their production capacity and the expanding applications of aluminium foil in various sectors such as packaging, construction, energy, electrical products, and electric cars. Image for representational purpose To know more about foil industry, download: Aluminium Foil and its End Uses Current Trends and Forecast till 2030 The major aluminium foil producing companies are: Assan Aluminum, Turkey Assan Alüminyum, a subsidiary of Kibar Holding, has been a leading producer of flat-rolled aluminium products since 1988. Its outputs cater to the packaging, distribution,...
World Bank sees steady metals prices, with aluminium among the expected gainers in 2026 -27
After a year marked by sharp monthly swings, global metals prices are showing signs of settling into a steadier range. The World Bank’s metals and minerals price index edged up by 0.5 per cent in November, following a much stronger 6 per cent rise in October and a 4 per cent gain over the third quarter of 2025. Taken together, the moves suggest momentum has cooled, but not reversed. The index, compiled by the Washington-based World Bank Group, tracks six nonferrous metals - aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin and zinc - along with iron ore. According to the bank, recent gains have been underpinned by resilient demand and growing concerns over supply, particularly in copper. Looking ahead, the World Bank sees little reason for sharp corrections in the near term. “Prices for most base...
US alumina imports rose 49.3% in H1 2025 amid refinery shutdowns
The recent uptrend in US alumina imports has had less to do with an increase in demand and more to do with refinery closures - the trend that has quietly escalated over the last few years. USGS data on alumina imports from 2023 to 2025 shows the market adjusting, with imports rebounding sharply in H1 2025. Over the first six months of 2025, US alumina imports grew to 906 thousand tonnes, registering an increase of 49.3 per cent from the same six months in the previous year. This follows fairly strong import levels in the latter half of 2024, with imports being around 730 thousand tonnes. It is evident that there has been a marked shift away from the first six months of 2024. Over this period, imports were lower by 7.3 per cent from the previous year, declining to 607 thousand tonnes from...
LME aluminium cash offer rises to $2,896/t as opening stocks hold at 519,600t
Aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) moved sharply higher on November 19, driven mainly by gains in nearby contracts, while the forward curve showed mixed signals. The LME aluminium cash bid price climbed to USD 2,895.50 per tonne on November 19, up USD 43.50, or 1.53 per cent, from USD 2,852 per tonne on November 18. The cash offer price also rose to USD 2,896 per tonne, marking an increase of USD 43.50, or 1.52 per cent, from the previous day’s USD 2,852.50 per tonne. In contrast, prices for the three-month aluminium contract weakened. On November 19, the three-month bid and offer stood at USD 2,852 per tonne and USD 2,852.50 per tonne, respectively. This represented a decline of 1.52 per cent and 1.57 per cent drop, respectively from November 18 levels, when the...
