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.
Update on Vedanta’s demerger: 9-12 months more to complete the process, says John Slaven
A top official of Vedanta Limited has apprised that the company is close to demerging its key businesses, including aluminium, and is likely to complete the process in the next nine to twelve months. The news came after John Slaven, CEO of the aluminium business of Vedanta, said in an interview with PTI that the company is working very actively to secure the successful demerger of the aluminium business. He also said the process is underway and is subject to some approvals from various authorities, including current lenders who would approve the allocation of debt across the demerged entities. In 2023, Billionaire Anil-Agarwal-owned Vedanta Limited had announced its plan to demerge metal, power, aluminium, and oil and gas businesses into independent verticals to unlock potential value....
Sohar Aluminium to finance a building construction in Suhar as part of its CSR activity
Sohar Aluminium Company, the first aluminium smelter in the Sultanate of Oman, will reportedly finance the construction of a building for Takaful Suhar Social Charity Team in Suhar, North Batinah. The news came on Sunday, February 11, after Sohar Aluminium inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Charity Team. As per the report, the financing would include the construction of a four-floor residential as well as commercial building based on the approved design. The structure will span approximately 406 square metres and expected to be completed within a year. This building will not only transform the cityscape but symbolise the partnership between Sohar Aluminium and Takaful Suhar Social Charity Team. The agreement was signed by Ahmed bin Mohammed al Kharusi, General Manager of...
Rusal's new cast alloy with 25-30% recycled aluminium allies with carbon neutrality and circular economy commitments
Rusal, the world's largest aluminium company by primary aluminium output, announced that it produced cast alloy with a higher share of recycled aluminium content, which increased to 25-30 per cent. The alloy is tailored primarily for the automotive industry. This new alloy is equivalent to Rusal's primary equivalent foundry alloys (PEFA), consisting of more than a quarter of recycled aluminium. From the initial 20 per cent, the recycled metal content in this alloy has been increased to 25 to 30 per cent. This new cast alloy fully aligns with OEM requirements, meeting the need for recycled content and a low-carbon footprint. Moreover, the scrap sourcing approach for PEFA is more methodical than the approach followed in the case of primary foundry alloys, helping Rusal with its commitment...
LME aluminium benchmark price shrinks by US$40.5/t; SHFE market is closed for the CNY holiday
On Friday, February 9, LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price stood at US$2,179.50 per tonne and US$2,180.50 per tonne, respectively. The latter showcased a sharp fall of US$40.50 per tonne. As per the LME data, 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price settled at US$2,212 per tonne and US$2,213 per tonne, down by US$25 per tonne from US$2,237 per tonne and US$2,238 per tonne. December 25 bid price and December 25 offer price slipped by US$20 per tonne to close at US$2,438 per tonne and US$2,443 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock came in at 527,350 tonnes. Live Warrants and Cancelled Warrants stood at 325,825 tonnes and 201,525 tonnes. LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference Price closed at US$2,213.82 per tonne. SHFE price The SHFE market is closed on...
Primary aluminium weekly recap: EU plans not to include Russian aluminium in its 13th sanctions package; Egypt approves E£2.9 billion investment in metal industry
While recapitulating the week, the primary aluminium sector flashes some very important events and information. For instance, the European Union is now contemplating refraining from banning Russian aluminium imports in its next sanctions package; the Southland Chamber of Commerce is assisting Tiwai Aluminium Smelter with its potential closure at the end of 2024; three subsidiaries of Nanhai Aluminium bag the National High Tech Enterprises recognition and much more. This week, we also learned that primary aluminium production started in 2024 with an annual hike of 4.2%, as SMM predicted earlier this month. Let us explore every significant event that has made this week momentous. According to a report, the European Union will most likely back off from prohibiting Russian aluminium imports...
US aluminium crude metals and alloys imports in Nov’23 reflect an 11.5% fall M-o-M; imports from Canada shrink 10%
The United States aluminium crude metals and alloys imports in November 2023 stood at 277,000 tonnes, reflecting a fall of 11.50 per cent month-on-month from 313,000 tonnes, found the US Geological survey. In the second half of the year, November marked the second month when the US aluminium crude metals and alloys stood below 300,000 tonnes. In the previous two months, the United States' imports of aluminium crude metals and alloys saw M-o-M hikes. In September, the imports rose 9.19 per cent from 283,000 tonnes to 309,000 tonnes, which in October further grew by 1.29 per cent to 313,000 tonnes. From January to November 2023, the United States imported 3.5 million tonnes of aluminium crude metals and alloys compared to 3.76 million tonnes during the corresponding period of the earlier...
Energy crisis affecting operations at refineries lowers European alumina production by 21% in 2023
According to the International Aluminium Institute survey, alumina production in Europe (including Russia) through 2023 amounted to 6.50 million tonnes, with an average daily production totalling 213,600 tonnes. The annual output decreased by 20.92 per cent from 8.22 million tonnes in 2022, while the daily output plunged by 55.9 per cent from 484,200 tonnes. The downtrend in Europe’s alumina production in 2023 was more prominent during the first six months, with the output totalling 3.2 million tonnes versus 3.34 million tonnes in H2. Thus, the production in H1 was 4.2 per cent less than in H2 2023. In H1, the lowest amount of production was in February at 492,000 tonnes. In H2, the output mostly hovered above 550,000 tonnes. In December 2023, Europe’s alumina production came in 581,000...
EU likely to drop the plan of banning Russian aluminium imports in 13th sanctions package
According to a report this week, the European Union will most likely back off from prohibiting Russian aluminium imports in the 13th sanctions package. Despite full consent and support from local aluminium producers in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland, the European Union will likely refrain from taking drastic steps like banning Russian aluminium. Many industrial nations may have opposed the EU's proposed ban, fearing a potential escalation of aluminium prices. Some industrial consumers within the European Union even called this measure a potential "economic tactical nuclear bomb." Besides being worried about price consequences, industrial nations like Italy were apprehensive of the tight availability of aluminium, a critical component for various industries. The European Union...
“The integration of digital and physical systems will keep advancing, bringing them closer together. Heavy industries, mining, and minerals are already experiencing benefits from exponential technologies like AI,” Dr Saptarshi Das
Dr Saptarshi Das is a firm believer that sustainability and profitability can be achieved simultaneously. To this end, he has focused his activities and investments on clean technology and affordable education. He heads the global Decision Science division of the energy major Shell. He has extensive knowledge of the technology and economics of energy systems, ranging from the molecular to the geopolitical level. Earlier in his career, he worked with Morgan Stanley and Siemens. Saptarshi has a strong technical background. He holds a Master's degree in Applied Statistics and Informatics from IIT Bombay and earned his PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Vienna. He has numerous patents and publications in top journals to his credit. AL Circle: We are witnessing the increasingly...
A Chinese firm plans to enter into bauxite purchase & sale contracts with Alcoa World Alumina and Shanxi Aokaida Chemical
A report revealed on Tuesday, February 6, that Shanghai Ace Investment & Development Co., Ltd., a China-based company engaged in supply chain logistics and supply chain implementation of the trading business, mulls over signing bauxite purchase and sale contracts with Alcoa World Alumina LLC and Shanxi Aokaida Chemical Co., Ltd. This contract's signing and smooth implementation is expected to enable Shanghai Ace Investment & Development Co., Ltd. to generate potential operating results. According to the deal, the company will provide transportation services before the cargo rights shift. The contract mentions a few clauses, such as, in case of any significant changes in the external macro environment, like alternations in relevant national policies, fluctuations in bauxite demand and...
Southland Chamber of Commerce assisting Tiwai Aluminium Smelter for its potential closure this year
On Thursday, February 8, the Southland Chamber of Commerce reported that it is assisting to prepare for the potential closure of the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter at the end of 2024. The chamber is working closely with the smelter to enable it to deal with any uncertainty if that defers the closure again. Upon the smelter's closure, about 750 direct jobs would be affected, along with 2,500 livelihoods in the region indirectly associated with the smelter. According to the company's report, the smelter produces about 330,000 tonnes of aluminium a year. Initially, the smelter was announced to be closed by the end of 2021; however, following a new energy contract with Meridian Energy, it extended its operations until the end of December 2024. Chief executive of the Southland Chamber of...
LME aluminium benchmark price adds US$11/t amid inventory growth; SHFE price sheds off US$8/t
LME aluminium opened at US$2,230.50 per tonne on Wednesday, with its high and low at US$2,234 per tonne and $2,214.50 per tonne, respectively, before closing at US$2,221.50 per tonne, down 0.34 per cent. On Wednesday, February 7, LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price increased by US$11 per tonne or 0.50 per cent to reach US$2,195 per tonne and US$2,195.50 per tonne, respectively. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price built up by US$8 per tonne and US$9 per tonne to settle at US$2,228 per tonne and US$2,230 per tonne, while December 25 bid price and December 25 offer price added US$3 per tonne to stand at US$2,453 per tonne and US$2,458 per tonne. On the same day, LME aluminium opening stock stood at 528,050 tonnes, up by 1,300 tonnes from 526,750...
Chinalco Guinea marks a new record in 2023 bauxite production with technical advancement and strategic planning
In 2023, Chinalco Guinea's bauxite production and return volume reached a new high, leveraging the strategic deployment of overseas resources of Chinalco Group and Chinalco shares. As per the report, the company achieved 104.8 per cent of the annual target task, marking a new chapter in the development of the Bofa project in West Africa. This achievement was possible as Chinalco Guinea seized all favourable production opportunities. Chinalco Guinea also improved its supply capacity through various measures such as precise management, residual ore recovery, and strengthened technological transformation. The company deployed a team of personnel at the production line, scientifically designed more than 1400 mining machine operation belts, and efficiently improved work efficiency to ramp up...
North America’s primary aluminium production trends up in Q4 2023, leading to a 4% rise in full-year
According to the International Aluminium Institute, North America’s primary aluminium production in December 2023 stood at 339,000 tonnes, bringing the output of the fourth quarter to 1.004 million tonnes, up by 2.03 per cent from 984,000 tonnes in Q3. On a year-on-year basis, primary aluminium production in North America during December 2023 edged an increase of 5.61 per cent from 321,000 tonnes, while the output in Q4 reflected a rise of 6.58 per cent from 942,000 tonnes. In the entire year, North America’s primary aluminium production totalled 3.9 million tonnes, up by 4.19 per cent from 3.743 million tonnes in 2022. This hike was primarily driven by the output during the second half of 2023, amounting to 1.988 million tonnes. Compared to 1.908 million tonnes H1 2023, the production in...
Constellium to supply recycled aluminium for sustainable packaging of Chanel’s new collection of mascara
Constellium SE, a global leader in the manufacturing and recycling of aluminium products and solutions, and g.pivaudran, a designer and manufacturer of aluminium parts intended for packaging in the Beauty and Spirits sectors, have collaborated on a new packaging project for Chanel Fragrance & Beauty. As per the report, Constellium will provide recycled aluminium solutions to Chanel for the packaging of its new line of mascara, “Le Volume”, which will be designed and manufactured by luxury packaging specialist g.pivaudran. The mascara packaging will incorporate 10 to 20 per cent post-consumer recycled (PCR) metal, depending on the model. Constellium and luxury packaging specialist g.pivaudran have been in partnership for various projects since 2018. They worked together to ensure the...
ASI grants Provisional Performance Standard Certification to Zhengzhou Guangdong Aluminum for sheet & coil production
On Tuesday, February 6, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative announced that it issued a Provisional Performance Standard V2 certification to Zhengzhou Guandong Aluminum Industry Co. Ltd. for the production of aluminium sheet and coil at its Gongyi Guandong Metal Technology Co., Ltd. facility in Henan Province. The provisional certification is valid for one year, during which Zhengzhou Guandong Aluminum Industry can learn and improve sustainable practices and then seek full accreditation. The aluminium sheet and coil produced at Gongyi Guandong Metal Technology Co., Ltd. facility are primarily used in aviation technology, electronic appliances, transportation, architectural decoration, food packaging, and laser printing. The ASI Performance Standard V2 certification defines environmental,...
ADDAM GmbH partners with IMR to revolutionise aluminium alloy powder delivery used for 3D printing
ADDAM GmbH, a specialist in aluminium 3D printing, is reportedly forming a partnership with IMR metal powder technologies GmbH to innovate sustainable solutions for the additive manufacturing sector. This collaboration is expected to revolutionise the delivery of aluminium alloy powders in the additive manufacturing process, ensuring sustainability, process stability, material quality, and operator safety. The new novel delivery system will contain the aluminium alloy powders in a secure and controlled environment, reflecting ADDAM and IMR’s commitment to reducing environmental impact and enhancing operational safety. This partnership will benefit both the parties. While ADDAM will gain access to tailored materials delivered in eco-conscious packaging, aligned with its commitment to...
China’s primary aluminium production begins 2024 with a 4.2% Y-o-Y growth, in line with SMM estimation
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China’s domestic primary aluminium production welcomed the year in January 2024 (31 days) with a month-on-month restraint at 3.562 million tonnes, with the average daily output at 114,900 tonnes, the same as the previous month. On a year-on-year basis, China’s primary aluminium output recorded a 4.2 per cent growth from 3.42 million tonnes , as was predicted by SMM. While announcing the December 2023 output volume, SMM shared an estimate for January 2024 with a production of 3.56 million tonnes. In January, the operating rate of domestic aluminium processing enterprises declined slightly, and so did the output of aluminium billets and other products in the northwest, southwest and other regions. The aluminium liquid ratio in the industry...
