AlCircle News Edited By "Debanjali Sengupta"
Debanjali Sengupta is a passionate content writer with 10 years of experience in Business writing, Web Content writing, Blogging, Editing and Research. She is responsible for generating and editing content for AlCircle Newsletter and other online and offline content for enhancing the brand value and its visibility among global users.
IBAAS announces to postpone the 9th IBAAS International Conference & Exhibition to October 27-29, 2021
In view of the current global COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, the organizing committee of International Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Society (IBAAS) has decided to postpone the 9th IBAAS International Conference & Exhibition (IBAAS-JNARDDC 2021) to October 27-29, 2021 from November 4 - 6, 2020. Except the changes in date and year, there will be no change in the venue, exhibition plan or post conference visits. The event, co-organized with Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development & Design Centre (JNARDDC), India, will be held in Hotel Marriot, Raipur. The theme also remains the same - “Sustainability Challenges of Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Industry”. The organizing committee of the conference is formulating a world class program focusing on key topics and issues in the...
US aluminium semis exports to Canada continue to trend down in May 2020 with a decline of 12% M-o-M
The latest data of the US Geological Survey showed the United States exports of aluminium plates, sheets and bars to Canada continued to trend down in May 2020. Barring a rise in February, the United States aluminium semis exports to Canada saw incessant falls during March-May 2020. The United States exports to Canada in May 2020 stood at 15,100 tonnes, 11.70 per cent lesser than 17,100 tonnes in April 2020. In March, the US aluminium semis exports to Canada totalled 28,300 tonnes, registering a plunge of 10.16 per cent from 31,500 tonnes in February. April saw a decline of 39.58 per cent in the US exports to Canada. In January, the export stood at 30,900 tonnes, meaning February saw a monthly rise of 2 per cent. On a year-on-year basis, the US aluminium plates, sheets and bars exports to...
China’s automobile market further recovers from COVID-19 pandemic with sales rising by 16.4% in July 2020
The automobile market in China saw a further recovery in July, marking the fourth consecutive month of growth for the overall vehicle market since the plunge of 42 per cent in the first quarter of 2020. New vehicle sales in July rose by 16.4 per cent from 1.81 million units during the same period last year to 2.11 million units, according to the data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). In July 2020, the recovery in China’s automobile market was primarily driven by commercial vehicles, with sales rising 59 per cent to 447,000 units. Passenger vehicles sales rose 8.5 per cent to 1.67 million units during the same month. The new energy vehicles saw the first positive month in July since the government slashed subsidies a year ago. New energy vehicle sales...
Alumina spot price in China declines by RMB25/t after a week-long restraint, A00 aluminium ingot price surges by RMB170/t
The average alumina spot price in China has recorded a decline of RMB 25 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,314 per tonne, following restraints at RMB 2,339 per tonne during August 6-12, found Shanghai Metals Market on August 13. In the north, the price has decreased by RMB 30 per tonne to RMB 2,300 per tonne, while that in the central and east has plunged by RMB 25 per tonne and RMB 20 per tonne to stand, respectively, at RMB 2,315 per tonne and RMB 2,305 per tonne. In the south, however, the average alumina price has remained unchanged at RMB 2,520 per tonne. The imported alumina price has also registered no change from RMB 2,325 per tonne, but the price of Australian alumina FOB has inched down by US$ 6 per tonne to hover at US$ 265 per tonne. Among other input costs, the price of aluminium...
COVID-19 Impact: Novelis net income declines 85% Y-o-Y in Q1 FY21, attributing to lower sales and shipments
Novelis Inc., the world leader in aluminium rolling and recycling, has reported the first-quarter results of fiscal 2021 ended June 30, mentioning a net loss of $61 million from continuing operations, down 148 per cent year-on-year. The company’s net income totalled $22 million during Q1 FY2021, excluding tax-effected special items. This stood down by 85 per cent versus the same period last year, primarily attributing to the after-tax impact of lower Adjusted EBITDA, which was 32 per cent lower year-on-year to $253 million in Q1. The company's financial results were mainly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Novelis. However, the resiliency of the beverage can market and the recovery in the automotive and specialty markets towards the end of the quarter provided some stability....
Jiangsu Pomlead expanding its aluminium wheel hub manufacturing capacity to meet growing demand
Jiangsu Pomlead, aluminium wheel hub manufacturer in China, is reportedly on track to launch its second production line, in a bid to expand Chinese aluminium alloy wheel hub capacity. The second production line is expected to commission in September with a capacity of 500,000 units per year. This will raise Pomlead’s total manufacturing capacity to 1.5 million units per year. Pomlead is expanding its capacity in response to higher demand for lightweight and energy-saving materials from the automotive industry. Besides, Pomlead is building another four production lines with a combined capacity of 2 million units per year and has already invested RMB 1 billion ($144 million) for the project. Two of the new lines are scheduled to be completed at the end of this year, while the remaining two...
Dresden scientists develop aluminium plate with self-cleaning properties
An aluminium plate has been made with a laser process in a way that no water droplets can adhere to its surface and dirt particles can be removed without the use of any chemical cleaning agents or additional efforts. A joint effort of a project team of Technische Universität Dresden and the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS made this innovation possible. For several years, scientists at TU Dresden and Fraunhofer IWS were striving to develop functionalised surfaces by means of laser-based manufacturing processes. Now, they have created a periodic surface structure that is water and ice repellent and also capable of removing dirt particles solely by rolling water drops. Their primary focus was the metal aluminium as it is largely used in the manufacture of...
Three-month LME aluminium closed firmer at $1786/t, SHFE continued to decline to $2066/t
The US dollar fell from one-week highs on Tuesday, August 11, as investors flocked to currencies that benefit from an improving global market outlook. Three-month LME aluminium finished the day 0.17 per cent firmer at US$ 1,786 per tonne on Tuesday. As of Tuesday, August 11, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price increased by US$ 19.5 per tonne to stand at US$ 1749.5 per tonne, following a decline of US$ 14 per tonne on the previous day. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price rebounded to US$ 1786 per tonne, while Dec 21 bid price and Dec 21 offer price came in at US$ 1860 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock continued to decline from 1621400 tonnes to 1617175 tonnes. Live Warrants hovered at 1361200 tonnes, while Cancelled Warrants at 255975...
Hindalco again cuts its aluminium prices w.e.f August 11 after an intermittent hike; Ingot price now stands at INR14900/t
Hindalco Industries Limited has reduced its aluminium ingot and aluminium product prices with effect from Tuesday, August 11, following a hike on August 8. The company is now selling its aluminium ingot at INR 14,900 per tonne, down by INR 1,250 per tonne or 1 per cent from INR 150,250 per tonne on August 8. With the latest reduction, Hindalco’s aluminium wire rod price has come in at INR 160,100 per tonne, while earlier the price was at INR 161,350 per tonne on August 8 – a decrease of INR 1,250 per tonne or 1 per cent. The company’s aluminium billet price is now at INR 156,100 per tonne versus INR 157,350 per tonne on August 8. Like any other major Indian aluminium producers, Hindalco links its aluminium prices to the three-month futures of the metal on the London Metal Exchange. In the...
Canyon announces maiden JORC 2012 ore reserve at 51.1% alumina for Minim Martap Bauxite Project
According to a recent report, Canyon Resources Limited has announced a maiden JORC 2012 ore reserve for its Minim Martap Bauxite Project in Cameroon, West Africa. The reserve is estimated to have 97.3 million tonnes of ore at 51.1 per cent alumina and 2.3 per cent silica. This ore is based on the pre-feasibility study (PFS), which Canyon completed in early July. The company then confirmed project’s ability to produce high-quality, low-contaminant bauxite over a long mine life of at least 20 years via a multi-stage development. Mine will start with a production rate of four million tonnes per annum for two years. "The maiden ore reserve for the Minim Martap Project is the culmination of a great deal of work from all our teams around the world and sets the scene for the next exciting phase...
US aluminium scrap exports to China recorded half during Jan-May 2020, despite month-on-month growth
The latest data from the US Geological Survey showed a year-on-year decline of 50.31 per cent in the United States aluminium scrap exports to China during January-May. The total exports of aluminium scrap from the US to China during the first five months of the year amounted to 94,900 tonnes versus 191,000 tonnes during the same period last year. In May 2020, US exported 28,400 tonnes of aluminium scrap to China, higher by 6.8 per cent than 26,600 tonnes in April 2020. In March, the US aluminium scrap exports to China were 18,000 tonnes, meaning April saw a month-on-month hike of 48 per cent. The export in March also grew month-on-month from 11,000 tonnes, followed by a restraint in February compared to 10,500 tonnes of exports in January 2020. This show the aluminium scrap exports from...
Shell completes its Port Allen Plant expansion to increase precipitated alumina powder production
According to a recent report, Shell Catalysts & Technologies (SC&T) has successfully completed the expansion of its Port Allen, Louisiana plant in the US, to double the production capacity of precipitated alumina powder. The project is part of the SC&T’s strategy to meet the growing demand for precipitated alumina powder in the residue and gasoil hydroprocessing markets. Besides productions, this expansion will allow the Port Allen plant to increase powder supply to its world-scale catalyst plant, located at the Port Allen facility, and also to other Shell catalyst plants globally. The expansion project includes the capacity ramp-up of existing equipment, the addition of several new major pieces of processing equipment, and improving energy-efficient alternatives to reduce fixed and...
Canadian manufacturers call US aluminium tariffs “Unjustified and Unnecessary”
Showing grief and disgust, Canada’s manufacturing industry has condemned the new aluminium import tariffs imposed by the Trump Government. They are worried about the adverse economic impact that the tariffs may cause, slowing the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Industry experts and groups, which represent companies whose supply chains rely heavily on aluminium, call the new tariffs “unjustified and unnecessary.” “It’s very disheartening that the U.S. would take this action,” said Dennis Darby, chief executive of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, which represents more than 2,500 manufacturers across the country. “The last thing that any industry needs right now is extra costs,” he added. He fears the tariffs will hurt the efforts putting in for restoring the Canadian and...
A00 aluminium ingot price continues to decline to hover below RMB14500/t; Aluminium alloy (A356) price also plunges
The A00 aluminium ingot price has continued to decline in China by RMB 110 per tonne to stand at RMB 14,470 per tonne, as of Tuesday, August 11, according to the Shanghai Metals Market. Data shows the average prices are expected to range between RMB 14,450 per tonne and RMB 14,490 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 70-110 per tonne, up by RMB 20 per tonne from the previous day. Linyi has seen the highest downfall in primary aluminium ingot price today among all other major Chinese cities. In Linyi, the price has decreased by RMB 170 per tonne to RMB 14,610 per tonne, followed by the decline of RMB 140 per tonne in Gongyi to RMB 14,450 per tonne. The price in Wuxi and Hangzhou has declined by RMB 120 per tonne to come in at RMB 14,470 per tonne, while that...
China’s unwrought aluminium and aluminium semis exports increase by 5.5% in July after months of downfall
According to the data shown by the General Administration of Customs, China’s unwrought aluminium and aluminium semis exports recorded a month-on-month hike of 5.5 per cent in July 2020. Following a decline in the month earlier from 382,900 tonnes in May to 352,485 tonnes, China’s unwrought aluminium and aluminium semis exports in July increased to 373,000 tonnes. In May as well, the exports declined month-on-month by about 13.17 per cent from 441,000 tonnes. On a year-on-year basis, China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium semis in July 2020 stood down by 23.3 per cent, showed the data. In the first seven months of the year, the exports totalled 2.74 million tonnes, down by 21 per cent from the same period last year. China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium...
China’s primary aluminium production grows 1.83% Y-o-Y to 3.12 million tonnes in July 2020
Shanghai Metals Market found China’s primary aluminium production rose by 1.83 per cent year-on-year to 3.12 million tonnes in July 2020. On a month-on-month basis, the output edged higher by 4 per cent from 3 million tonnes in June 2020. Data shows there were 41.41 million tonnes among 41.23 million tonnes per year of existing primary aluminium capacity in operation at the end of July. This increased by 12.65 per cent from 36.76 million tonnes of capacity in operation in June-end. Operating rates hiked by 0.5 percentage point to 89.5 per cent as increase in primary aluminium ingot prices encouraged newly commissioned and resumed capacities to ramp up. In the first seven months of the year, China’s primary aluminium output amounted to 21.13 million tonnes, up by 2.76 per cent from the...
LME aluminium price edged higher at $1744/t on decreasing opening stock; SHFE stood lower at $2087/t
Three-month LME aluminium fell by 1.04 per cent to end at US$ 1,759.5 per tonne on Friday as the dollar index strengthened. Open interest added 2,430 lots to 802,000 lots as longs added positions. The contract is likely to trade between US $1,740-1,800 per tonne today. As of Friday, August 7, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price stood at US$ 1744 per tonne, up by US$ 22 per tonne from to US$ 1722 per tonne on August 6. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price rebounded to US$ 1780 per tonne, following a downfall of US$ 21.50 per tonne to US$ 1758.50 per tonne on the previous day. Dec 21 bid price and Dec 21 offer price came in at US$ 1858.50 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock declined from 1632325 tonnes to 1626850 tonnes. Live Warrants hovered...
Utkarsha Aluminium Dhatu Nigam Ltd to hire an environmental consultant for its proposed alloy plant in Nellore
Utkarsha Aluminium Dhatu Nigam Limited (UADNL), a joint venture firm of Nalco and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited, has reportedly floated a tender to hire a consultancy firm who would be getting environmental clearance for UADNL's proposed high-end aluminium alloy plant at Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. The consultancy firm will have to obtain environmental clearance, including preparation or conducting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies and preparation of environmental management plan for the project site and other studies. The tender document said the environmental consultant will fulfil the statutory requirement and assist UADNL in obtaining environmental clearance for the Nellore project from appropriate authorities. The joint venture was formed to set up a high-end aluminium alloy...
