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Nilanjana Banerjee is a new leaf on this branch of AL Circle. is a spontaneous author and she writes on inspiration and purpose, not by design. Her penmanship is replete with sensitivity and depth.
Germany-France aluminium FRP trade 2026 at $692m: Two-way exchange of coil, sheet, foil and high-value products
Germany and France share one of Europe’s busiest downstream aluminium corridors, and the metal flows in both directions. In the first seven months of 2026, aluminium flat rolled products (FRP), which cover aluminium plates, sheets and strips (HS code: 7606), as well as aluminium foil (HS code: 7607), crossed the border each way, amounting to a total of around USD 692 million. However, the bilateral trade flow is tilted towards Germany, which remains France’s largest FRP supplier. Nonetheless, the inter-dependence remains as the countries do exchange the same products but engage in cross-border trade of specialised high-value products and alloys, feeding the demand on either side. The trade figures for January–July 2026, as compiled from the International Trade Administration, highlight...
NALCO marks ₹300b Angul aluminium smelter progress with 1 MTPA ramp-up approval
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) is advancing its INR 30,000 crore or INR 300 billion (USD 3.18 billion) aluminium smelter expansion project at Anugola or Angul, Odisha, which is expected to more than double its existing smelting capacity from 460,000 tonnes per annum to approximately 1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). The Navratna public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Mines has secured key statutory approvals and initiated partnerships and preparatory measures for the project, which is targeted to begin operations in 2030-31. A recent meeting of the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) focused on facilitating land acquisition for the proposed facility and addressing associated compensation and rehabilitation matters. Explore the...
China prebaked anode prices gain as costs firm; supply and demand remain balanced
Driven by firmer upstream raw material prices, cost support for China's domestic prebaked anodes continued to strengthen, and with smooth transmission along the supply chain, market quotes rose again in October 2026. According to Mysteel, a major primary aluminium smelter in Shandong raised its October 2026 prebaked anode purchase benchmark price by RMB 180 per tonne from September to RMB 6,310 per tonne on a cash basis and RMB 6,327 per tonne on an acceptance basis. While the increase was in line with expectations, raw material prices moved up in tandem, and the persistent rise on the cost side partly offset the gains from higher selling prices. Industry profits have recovered to some extent, but given earlier losses, overall margins remained below the break-even line, and the...
Cables hold the line: KEC’s aluminium conductor Phase II rolls on as revenue jumps 17%
India-based KEC International Limited is pushing ahead with Phase II of its aluminium conductor capacity expansion, even as a difficult second quarter dragged consolidated profit down. The Q2 FY27 investor presentation, dated November 2, lists the expansion as underway in its Cables & Conductors business, one of the few segments that grew in the quarter. The update comes over a year after KEC’s commissioning of the first phase of the plant in Vadodara in February 2025, marking an investment of about INR 600 million (USD 6.33 million). The company has not disclosed the capacity to be added, the investment or a completion date. Explore AL Circle’s report ALuminium Wires & Cables - Insights & Forecast to 2030 for insights into aluminium applications, industry developments and opportunities...
LME aluminium price falters at $3,082/t with stable alumina price on November 3
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price graph depicted a faltering market picture. Declines over the November 2 close were reported across the pricing, contract, and inventory segments. The LME alumina Platts price remained stable at the session close. The LME aluminium cash bid as well as offer prices dipped by 0.42 per cent. The bid slipped to USD 3,081 per tonne from USD 3,094 per tonne, while the offer eased to USD 3,082 per tonne from USD 3,095 per tonne , down 0.61 per cent day-on-day. Explore: Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook The LME aluminium three-month bid contracted by 0.64 per cent to USD 3,040 per tonne from USD 3,059.5 per tonne. The offer...
Argentina’s exports jump 42% to nearly 50kt; unwrought aluminium drives demand
The aluminium trade graph, excluding scrap, of Argentina in the first eight months of 2026, till August, continues to surge with steady momentum, indicating an increase in shipments and export earnings of the nation. As of year-to-date (YTD) August 2026, Argentina exported a total of 48,977 tonnes, valued at USD 179.05 million. Excluding aluminium scrap, the export basket covered all the articles of aluminium products including unwrought, bars, rods and profiles, foil, plates, sheets and strips, tube or pipe fittings and aluminium wire. Explore: Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook Volume and value register strong year-on-year growth Calculating the year-on-year growth,...
LME aluminium price dips to $3,095/t; Asian Ref, alumina prices gain nearly 1%
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price graph dipped across the pricing and contract segments on the November 2 trading session, reporting declines over the October 30 close . The Asian Reference Price and alumina Platts price, on the other hand, reported nearly 1 per cent gains. The LME aluminium cash bid price dipped by 0.63 per cent from USD 3,113.5 per tonne to USD 3,094 per tonne. The offer price moved from USD 3,114 per tonne to USD 3,095 per tonne, down 0.61 per cent day-on-day. Explore: Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook The LME aluminium three-month bid eased from USD 3,078 per tonne to USD 3,059.5 per tonne, decreasing by 0.6 per cent. The offer...
Tesla’s aluminium playbook: cost efficiency in Model 3, performance in Roadster
Two recent Tesla stories sit at opposite ends of the range. Tesla Model 3 is set to benefit from cost-focused Cybercab inverter technology, announced on November 1 2026. The flying car, Tesla Roadster, uses aluminum in its battery cells and underbody protection, reinforcing power delivery, thermal management and lightweight construction. The two models reveal how aluminum can serve very different engineering priorities, from making electric vehicles (EVs) more affordable to helping them deliver extraordinary performance. Tesla Model 3: the everyday car gets Cybercab hardware Nick Verzini, Tesla’s Head of Drive Unit Engineering, mentioned on a Munro Live factory tour that a new printed circuit board assembly and power stage from the Cybercab’s inverter will enter Model 3 production in...
ABB to upgrade 2 Chinalco aluminium mills with automation and digital tech
ABB has secured two orders from China’s Southwest Aluminum to supply integrated automation and digital technologies for two six-high aluminium cold rolling mills, supporting the manufacturer’s wide-strip production expansion and upgrade. The projects involve a 2,500 mm two-stand mill and a 3,000 mm single-stand mill, with both lines expected to be fully commissioned and operational by the end of 2027. Chongqing-based Southwest Aluminum is a subsidiary of the Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco). The orders build on the longstanding cooperation between ABB and the aluminium producer, with the latest projects focusing on process stability, control precision and production performance. Explore insights and forecasts for the aluminium flat rolled products (FRP) market from our...
Alamtri Minerals’ aluminium sales expand to Switzerland, lift 9M26 profit to $317.5m
Indonesia-based PT Alamtri Minerals Indonesia Tbk (ADMR) recorded a 55.5 per cent year-on-year increase in net profit to USD 317.53 million (IDR 5.75 trillion) in the first nine months of 2026, post the commencement of aluminium sales. The company’s new aluminium business helped drive revenue growth, while export markets accounted for more than three-quarters of its earnings. Alamtri’s aluminium sales contributed USD 522.4 million to ADMR’s third-quarter (Q3) revenue, helping lift total revenue by 85.59 per cent to more than USD 1.2 billion through September 2026. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: “ Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook ” A strong export revenue backed by...
India’s PG Foils and Bahrain join hands to build high-value aluminium foil plant
India-based PG Foils Limited plans to establish a downstream aluminium manufacturing facility in Bahrain, focusing on electric vehicle (EV) battery foil and pharmaceutical foil production. The proposed investment is expected to expand the kingdom’s aluminium downstream capabilities and strengthen its manufacturing base. Bahrain’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce signed a letter of intent with PG Foils for the project. The agreement was signed by Industry and Commerce Minister Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro and PG Foils Joint Managing Director Sahil Shah during the fourth edition of the Gateway Gulf expo, which opened on November 1 in Manama. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report – Aluminum Foil Market Report Forecast Till 2035 Hosted by the Bahrain...
149.5Mt bauxite in focus: Guinea drives Africa’s quadrupled export growth to China
Guinea has emerged as a major driver of Africa’s export growth to China, with its bauxite shipments to the Asian market nearly quadrupling between 2018 and 2025. Chinese imports of Guinean aluminium ores and concentrates, consisting almost entirely of bauxite, increased from 38.2 million tonnes to approximately 149.5 million tonnes over the period. The surge has bolstered Guinea’s position in China’s bauxite supply chain, while the country advances its alumina refining capacity expansion plans. Trade figures highlight the importance of Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to Africa’s bauxite and copper exports to China, respectively. Between 2018 and 2025, the two countries added USD 25.77 billion to Chinese purchases from the continent, exceeding Africa’s overall net...
AL Circle Analysis: 243% US scrap rise, 6Mt European recycling & Germany’s power fix drive aluminium trade
Aluminium’s trade map is no longer drawn by smelters alone. Scrap flows, power contracts, industrial policy and specialist grades now shape who secures metal, at what cost and under whose rules. Ten recent developments across Europe, the US, Australia, Japan and Mexico show how recycling, energy and regulation are becoming the new levers of aluminium competitiveness. They also show where traders, exporters and policymakers may need to adjust. Scrap tug-of-war: the US pull, Europe’s leak and the recycling base at stake The pull starts with price. The US UBC scrap benchmark averaged USD 2,322.89 a tonne in July, USD 2,491.22 in August and USD 2,602.51 in September. That is a 12 per cent climb, and it came after a July that opened at USD 2,464.98 and fell to USD 2,270.76 within two days....
LME aluminium price cools nearly 1% on October 29; Asian Ref Price jumps to $3,078.5/t
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price graph broke the rising streak on October 29, cooling after maintaining an upward trend for seven consecutive sessions. The session reported declines of nearly 1 per cent across the cash and near-term contracts over the October 28 close . The LME aluminium cash bid price dropped by 0.95 per cent from USD 3,100 per tonne to USD 3,070.5 per tonne. The offer price slipped from USD 3,101 per tonne to USD 3,071 per tonne, down 0.98 per cent day-on-day. Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook The LME aluminium three-month bid slumped from USD 3,083.5 per tonne to USD 3,062 per tonne, decreasing by 0.7 per cent. The offer...
Alumina prices fall 22% to $321/t: Nanshan Aluminium flags a volatile 2026 market
Nanshan Aluminium International Holdings has reported that overseas alumina prices averaged around USD 321 per tonne in the first nine months of 2026, down approximately 22 per cent year-on-year. The update highlights a third-quarter (Q3) price recovery following a subdued first half, supported by new overseas aluminium smelting capacity and supply constraints at some alumina refineries. The update centres around the unaudited nine-month results of Nanshan Aluminium International’s controlling shareholder, Shandong Nanshan Aluminium Co., Ltd., for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2026. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook "...
Alurion’s Amargosa bauxite project eyes mid-2027 PFS as China’s Guinea reliance nears 80%
China’s bauxite imports continued to rise in the first nine months of 2026, with Guinea accounting for nearly 80 per cent of its total supply. Against this backdrop, Alurion Resources, an independent company following a demerger from Brazilian Rare Earths, is advancing its Amargosa Bauxite-Gallium Project in Bahia, Brazil, through infill drilling, bulk sampling and export-logistics studies, targeting a pre-feasibility study (PFS) by mid-2027. The company’s September 2026 quarterly activities report outlines plans to improve bauxite resource estimates, assess processing yields and evaluate export routes, as it works towards establishing a scalable direct-shipping bauxite (DSB) operation. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: "Global...
Vedanta Q2 FY27 profit jumps to ₹62.02b; Aluminium EBITDA soars 83% with record 649kt output
Vedanta Limited and Vedanta Aluminium Metal Limited (VAML) have posted their best second quarters (Q2) yet. Vedanta Limited’s Q2 2026 profit reached INR 6.2 billion (USD 651.22 million). Vedanta Aluminium reported profit after tax of INR 6.2 (USD 649.64 million), alongside an 83 per cent rise in EBITDA and record quarterly aluminium production of 649,000 tonnes. Here is how the Q2 FY27 metrics break down, entity by entity, and how they stack up when compared with each other. Vedanta Limited Q2 FY27: Financial performance Vedanta Limited reported an improved half-yearly performance with higher quarterly revenue, EBITDA and profit over the corresponding period of FY2026 . Financial highlights: H1 2027 and Q2 FY27 vs H1 2026 and Q2 FY26 Revenue: H1 revenue at INR 492.68 billion, up 54 per...
Japan’s UACJ combines recycled aluminium and solar power in 7.43 MW project
Japanese aluminium manufacturer UACJ Co Ltd has signed a 20-year solar power purchase agreement (PPA) with Hokuriku Electric Power Biz Energy Solution Co Ltd to supply renewable electricity to its Fukui Works. The 7.43 MW solar project in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, is expected to deliver 8.5 GWh of electricity annually while reducing UACJ’s carbon dioxide emissions by 27,694 tonnes per year. Private-line solar supply to begin in November Under the agreement announced on October 26, 2026, Hokuriku Electric Power Biz Energy Solution will supply UACJ’s Fukui Works through a dedicated 4.2 km private power line. The offsite solar plant has a capacity of 5 MWAC/7.43 MWDC, with electricity deliveries scheduled to begin on November 1, 2026. Built on a 75,197-square-metre site, equivalent to...
