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.
Rio Tinto and BHP Group resume operations at some of their facilities after cyclone
Miners Rio Tinto and BHP Group said today, on March 26, that they resumed operations at some facilities that were stopped because of the cyclone-hit at Australia’s northern coastline over the weekend. In response to the Bureau of Meteorology report, Rio had suspended its Weipa bauxite operations after cyclone Trevor made landfall. However, now mining operations have recommenced and staffs started returning to ports and rail operations in Western Australia, according to a statement by Rio Tinto. In a separate statement, it said operations at its bauxite mine in Weipa, Queensland, have been ramped back up after they closed last Wednesday ahead of the bad weather. “Rio Tinto Weipa Operations have returned to normal activities with both ports fully operational by Sunday afternoon,” it said in...
Chinese spot aluminium premiums show restraint today amidst lowered transactions
Shanghai Metals Market found spot aluminium premiums continuing at the same price today, on March 26, as trades in east China remained muted in the morning. Traders were reluctant in purchasing that primarily accounted for a lacklustre spot aluminium trading. In Shanghai, spot aluminium transactions were mostly heard at RMB 13,940 per tonne to RMB 13,950 per tonne today, down from the transaction of RMB 13,950 per tonne to RMB 13,970 per tonne on Monday, March 25. But premiums over the front-month April contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange remained unchanged from yesterday at RMB 320 per tonne to RMB 340 per tonne. In Wuxi and Hangzhou, on the other hand, spot deals mostly occurred at RMB 13,940 per tonne to RMB 13,950 per tonnes and RMB 13,970 per tonne to RMB 13,980 per tonne this...
Canyon Resources confirms existing rail network capable to transport Minim Martap bauxite ore
Canyon Resources Limited’s Managing Director Philip Gallagher has reportedly confirmed that the existing Camrail rail network located adjacent to Minim Martap Project is capable to transport commercial tonnages of bauxite to Cameroon’s largest city, Douala. This he confirmed after completing an initial independent assessment. An assessment has also been carried out on the proposed rail extension from Douala to the Kribi Deep Water Port in order to ensure ground conditions. Canyon’s managing director Phillip Gallagher said: “A logistics solution is a crucial component of the Minim Martap Bauxite Project and we are pleased with the very positive feedback from this assessment of the existing rail infrastructure, in particular, that ongoing maintenance and upgrade works are underway.”...
A00 aluminium ingot price records further decline by RMB20/t; Input costs remain same
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a further decline today, on March 26, to RMB 13,950 per tonne. Yesterday the price was at RMB 13,970 per tonne, which represents that today the price has dropped by RMB 20 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between 13,930 per tonne and RMB 13,970 per tonne, with spot premium to settle at RMB 310 per tonne to RMB 350 per tonne. The aluminium ingot price in the east (Wuxi and Hangzhou) has plunged by RMB 15 per tonne and RMB 25 per tonne to settle at RMB 13,945 per tonne and RMB 13,975 per tonne, respectively. The aluminium ingot price in the south has dropped by RMB 15 per tonne to RMB 13,960 per tonne while that in the north has slipped by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 13,920 per tonne. As far as...
Spot aluminium premiums in south China widen against futures prices fall: SMM
Followed by a breakthrough of RMB 300 per tonne last Friday, spot aluminium premiums in south China extended gains today, on March 25, Shanghai Metals Market found. In Shanghai, premiums over the front-month April contract on Shanghai Futures Exchange hovered between RMB 320 per tonne and RMB 340 per tonne, compared with RMB 310 per tonne to RMB 330 per tonne on Friday, SMM learned. Spot transactions were seen at RMB 13,950 per tonne to RMB 13,970 per tonne, down some RMB 60 per tonne from last Friday. Spot transactions in Wuxi mostly occurred at RMB 13,950 per tonne to RMB 13,970 per tonne while that in Hangzhou at RMB 13,990 per tonne to RMB 14,010 per tonne this morning. Spot aluminium premiums stood above RMB 330 per tonne in early morning trade but dipped in later trade as smelters...
China’s alumina exports record significant M-o-M decline in February
According to the latest data from China Customs, China’s alumina exports in February came in at 3,443 tonnes, after declining 139,000 tonnes from January. This data represents that China’s alumina exports in January 2019 had pegged at 142,443 tonnes. {newsStudioGallery} China Customs data found that alumina exports by China had been declining over a past couple of months. The exports in January were 34,987 tonnes or 20 per cent lower than 177,430 tonnes in December, which again was 37.9 per cent down from 285,696 tonnes in November. China’s alumina exports in February stood lower not only month-on-month but from a year earlier by 10.5 per cent. In February 2019, China’s domestic average alumina price was at US$413.78 per tonne while the global average price at US$378.61 per tonne. In...
Chinese prebaked anode prices to extend decline in April on weaker demand
Shanghai Metals Market found commercial used prebaked anode prices across China to likely extend its decline in April on weaker demand. With sufficient inventories, most aluminium producers had been found purchasing prebaked anode cautiously. Prebaked anode stocks at a large aluminium producer currently stand at over 30 days, SMM learned. Meanwhile, carbon producers struggled to lower their inventories of the prebaked anode and for doing so, some carbon producers even went ahead and lowered offers below market prices so that more and more aluminium producers indulge in buying their cargoes. Moreover, environmental probes remained strict in the two consecutive sessions, resulting in some carbon producers in Shandong and Henan to cut production as they failed to meet emission standards....
Tax cuts drive aluminium billet processing fees to 3-months high
Shanghai Metals Market found processing fees for aluminium billet in Guangdong climbed to nearly three-months high this week as traders withheld from selling cargoes to await lower value-added tax rates. As on Monday, processing fees for φ90 aluminium billet in Guangdong were offered at more than RMB 500 per tonne. Monday, March 18, was the first trading day after Premier Li Keqiang on Friday, March 15, announced lower VAT cuts from April. On Friday, the offers were heard at RMB 400 per tonne. The aluminium billet processing fees, however, did not retreat on Tuesday and Wednesday. Aside from the imminent tax cuts, lower prices of spot aluminium in Guangdong than in Shanghai also kept billet traders in the southern market away from offloading cargoes that drove the hike of processing fees...
Ghana and Guinea to discuss over bilateral cooperation for developing bauxite industries
Ghana Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia reportedly announced to the press that both Guinea and Ghana are all set to begin discussions over bilateral cooperation for developing bauxite industries, similar to trade co-operation between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in the cocoa sector. “You know what we are trying to do in the extractives sector as far as bauxite is concerned is quite similar to Guinea, but different in many perspectives,” Dr. Bawumia told reporters. He further said, “Guinea has the bauxite resources and they have the mine. We are trying to move up the value chain by not just doing mining but also refining. After refining we have VALCO to smelt.” In his opinion, co-operation of this kind will help both the countries, through knowledge-sharing, drawing of synergies and enhanced...
Canada’s aluminium structures export estimated to drop in 2019 after three consecutive years of growth
Owing to several advantages like low weight, unlimited choice of cross sections, corrosion resistant, and toughness at low temperature, the use and demand of aluminium structures for major end-uses such as construction, transportation, electrical, and packaging is incessantly increasing across the globe. A study says around 25 per cent of all aluminium produced worldwide is used in construction. {newsStudioGallery} To cash on this rising demand for aluminium in structural engineering, Canada is one nation that has been increasing its export volume of aluminium structures for the past three years, according to our third-party data. In 2016, Canada’s estimated export volume was at 58,884 tonnes, which in the next year 2017 grew to 66,230 tonnes, up 12.47 per cent. In 2018, the country...
Nalco eyeing Jerrela block of bauxite ore in Andhra Pradesh
Public sector National Aluminium Company (Nalco) is reportedly eyeing Jerrela block of bauxite ore in Visakhapatnam district for allotment. The news came after Nalco Chairman and Managing Director T.K. Chand told The Hindu that company requested the Centre to allot it Jerrela block that homes huge reserves of high-grade bauxite ore. The navratna company had revived its proposal for bauxite mining and investment on aluminium complex in Visakhapatnam district generating a lot of interest among various circles in the mid-last year. It had even proposed to establish a greenfield refinery with a capacity of 1.4 million tonnes to 2 million tonnes in Visakhapatnam with an investment of ₹7,000 crore to ₹12,000 crore. However, the proposal is still pending before the Centre. The company hopes that...
Chinese spot aluminium premiums further widened this morning; Transactions remained brisk
According to Shanghai Metals Market, spot aluminium premiums in Shanghai further widened this morning, on March 19, ahead of a value-added tax cut from next month. Transactions of spot aluminium in Shanghai were mostly heard at RMB 13,880 per tonne to RMB 13,890 per tonne, up by some RMB 90 per tonne from the previous day. Premiums over the front-month April contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange came in at RMB 240 per tonne to RMB 250 per tonne, wider than RMB 220 per tonne to RMB 230 per tonne on Monday, March 18. In Wuxi, spot deals mostly occurred at RMB 13,880 per tonne to RMB 13,890 per tonne while that in Hangzhou at RMB 13,890 per tonne to RMB 13,910 per tonne. Spot aluminium trades across eastern markets were brisk this morning as the imminent tax cuts triggered purchasing...
Ghana Bauxite Company workers demanding improved working conditions
Contract workers at Ghana Bauxite Mining Company Limited have reportedly demanded improved working conditions; or else, threatened to walk off the job. Labour spokesperson Issahaku Yakabu said the general condition under which they work is unsafe and retrogressive. Over the last eight years since in operation, the site showed no sign of improvement. Moreover, the management is not paying them the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions. He further updated that a dozen of workers at the site have accepted the invitation to the company’s headquarters in Accra for negotiations, while warning that should the delegation not bring a better deal upon return, the aggrieved workers will implement a strike for three to six month. As per local reporting, Ghana Bauxite...
Tension at Lanjigarh alumina refinery subsides after mutual discussion
According to a recent report, the tension between locals and authorities of Vedanta alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district has subsided today on March 19, after a mutual discussion between the two parties. The tension had taken place on Monday, March 18, after Rengalpali villagers tried to break into the factory to demand jobs. However, urging for peace Vedanta spokesperson had stated, "We will submit our statement to the authorities and provide every support to resolve the matter. We urge the people of Lanjigarh Block to maintain peace." Vedanta Limited has proposed to invest $250 million to $300 million in the next fiscal, in a bid to expand the capacity to six million tonnes per annum from its current 1 million tonnes, according to reports early this year. As per domestic...
A00 aluminium ingot price extends rise across China; Spot premium plunges RMB10/t
The A00 aluminium ingot price continues to grow today, on March 19, to reach RMB 13,870 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. Yesterday, on March 18, the price was at RMB 13,810 per tonne, which represents that it has grown today by RMB 60 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,850 per tonne and RMB 13,890 per tonne, with spot premium to settle at RMB 220 per tonne to RMB 260 per tonne. Yesterday the spot premium was expected to settle at RMB 230 per tonne to RMB 270 per tonne, which shows that it has dipped by RMB 10 per tonne today. In the east (Wuxi and Jiangsu), the ingot price has grown by RMB 90 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,885 per tonne and RMB 13,900 per tonne. In the south and north, on the other hand, the ingot prices are up by RMB 70 per tonne and...
China’s February prebake anode operating rates down 0.99 percentage point MoM; decline to extend in March
Shanghai Metals Market anticipates that operating rates across prebaked anode producers may continue to decline in March as sluggish prices in the market will prevent some plants from recovering after the winter heating season. As of the middle of March, downstream consumption remained poor while primary aluminium plants continued to cut capacity in February. Cash flow issues and aluminium smelters’ demand for high-quality products are some of the other factors that can affect prebaked anode producers operations in March, found SMM. The research data of SMM showed that operating rates across China’s prebaked anode producers had averaged at 57.97 per cent in February, down 0.99 percentage point from January. A falling market and production cuts were some of the reasons behind lowered...
EGA inks contract with Maersk for worldwide aluminium shipment
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) reportedly announced in a press release that it entered into a volume commitment extension contract with the global shipping company A.P. Moller – Maersk, in a bid to transport aluminium to all around the world. Maersk is one of EGA’s most significant shipping partners and has supplied shipping services to the UAE aluminium giant since 1992. Currently, EGA exports aluminium to customers in more than 60 countries worldwide, through 20 different shipping lines, and makes more than 11,000 shipments each year using over 100,000 containers. EGA’s aluminium is the second largest made-in-the UAE export after oil and gas. In 2018, EGA produced 2.6 million tonnes of cast metal. Over 80 per cent of EGA’s production is value added products, one of the largest among...
Anhui province to install 18,000 electric vehicle charging points by 2020: SMM
According to an update from Shanghai Metals Market, China’s eastern province of Anhui has aimed to install over 18,000 electric vehicle charging points by 2020 as part of its clean energy initiatives in transportation, according to release of Action Plan of Promoting the Adjustment of Transport Structure in Anhui Province on February 21. By 2020, some 150,000 units of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) will be produced and sold, along with the installation of 500 charging stations and battery swap stations, according to SMM. NEVs or clean energy vehicles that meet national emission standards will account for at least 80 per cent of logistics vehicles within the urban areas by 2020. The action plan also highlighted the shift of bulk cargo transport from road to rail and waterways. Recently,...
