AlCircle News Edited By "Nilanjana Banerjee"
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.
Russia takes EU’s CBAM to WTO: 5 key questions for global climate, aluminium trade
The European Union’s (EU’s) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has entered a new phase of scrutiny. In light of the conflict between Russia and the EU, a new World Trade Organisation (WTO) panel was formed on September 25. The debate, initiated in May 2025, puts both the design and implementation of CBAM and aspects of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) under the WTO lens, with implications extending beyond the EU-Russia conflict and possibly entering the aluminium trade boundaries. Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. Why is Russia challenging the EU-ETS? Russia has challenged the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) over the allocation of free emissions allowances to sectors considered vulnerable to carbon...
Bauxite transport and traceability: Why tracking the cargo back to the mine is difficult
Bauxite is the starting material for alumina refining and primary aluminium production, but its route from mine to refinery is rarely as simple as a labelled shipment moving from one country to another. Unlike fabricated metal products, bauxite is usually traded as a loose bulk mineral. It is loaded into stockpiles, trucks, rail wagons, barges and bulk carriers, often passing through multiple handling points before reaching an alumina refinery. This logistics model keeps transport costs low for a high-volume commodity, but it also makes mine-level origin difficult to establish. The key question for traders, refiners and downstream buyers is therefore not only about where a cargo was loaded but where the ore was actually mined and whether that origin can be traced and documented along the...
Rio Tinto-RevoCast deal links Kitimat aluminum to new North American billet supply chain
Rio Tinto is connecting its Kitimat aluminum production with a new British Columbia-based supply chain through a long-term agreement with RevoCast Aluminum Billets Ltd., under which aluminum from BC Works will be combined with recycled aluminum to produce billet for North American manufacturers. Announced on September 28, the agreement gives Rio Tinto exclusive marketing rights for aluminum billet produced at RevoCast’s newly commissioned Langley casting facility. The operation combines primary aluminum from BC Works with recycled aluminum processed by RevoCast. 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 ” The deal, however, will not change...
Critical Metals gains ground as Greenland approves Tanbreez mining plan through 2050
Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML) gained ground on Monday after Greenland approved the Tanbreez rare-earth project’s mining and closure plans through 2050, removing a major regulatory hurdle for one of the largest heavy rare-earth deposits outside China. Signed by Greenland’s Minister and Member of the Parliament Múte B. Egede on September 29, 2026, the approvals cover operations through September 2050, providing a framework for roughly 24 years of permitted activity under the company’s current exploitation license. To learn about the market potential of aluminum dross, explore "ALuminium Dross Processing: Generation, Recovery & Strategic Roadmap" Critical Metals shares climbed up around 13% in morning trading before easing to a gain of about 4%, putting the stock on course to end a...
LME aluminium price slips to $3,107/t as Asian Reference Price gains 1% on October 5
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price chart continued to slip across the pricing and contract segments on the October 5 trading session, reporting declines over the October 2 close . Meanwhile, the LME three-month Asian Reference Price benchmark alone reported a gain of nearly one per cent. The LME aluminium cash bid price dipped slightly by 0.1 per cent day-on-day, shifting from USD 3,109 per tonne to USD 3,106 per tonne. The offer price contracted from USD 3,109.5 per tonne to USD 3,107 per tonne, reflecting an even more modest 0.08 per cent decline. 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 and offer prices faltered by...
Coimbatore MSMEs seek easier aluminium scrap imports amid raw-material pressure
Coimbatore-based MSME and industry associations have urged the Government of India to facilitate and encourage imports of aluminium scrap, citing reported shortages of essential metals and rising production costs affecting local manufacturers. In a representation sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the associations identified aluminium, steel, copper and pig iron among raw materials facing supply pressure and price volatility. While the representation described the broader situation as an “acute and unprecedented” increase in prices and shortages, the report specifically quantified the recent price rise only for steel, which reportedly increased by around INR 8,000–10,000 (USD 83.07–103.83) per tonne between August and September 2026. Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for...
US aluminum scrap imports jump to 580kt in H1 2026; Canada leads with 64% share
The US aluminum industry is becoming increasingly dependent on aluminum scrap, with the Aluminum Association noting that 85% of aluminum produced in the US comes from secondary sources. Against this backdrop, US imports of aluminum scrap have continued to rise year-on-year. During January-June, or the first half (H1) of 2026, the US imported 580,000 metric tons of aluminum scrap, valued at $2.07 billion. The US-Canada trade relations are a recurring headline with tariff and duty updates from both sides. Interestingly, when it comes to aluminum scrap trade, Canada accounts for a staggering 63.62% share as a supplier to the US. Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. The H1 growth chart: 2026 vs 2025 vs 2024 Comparing the...
Gallium, germanium in automotive electronics: Study maps Europe’s critical-mineral recycling edge
As electronics occupy a larger share of the backbone of automotive industry, Europe’s reliance on imported critical minerals is drawing greater attention. A recent bachelor’s thesis from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg has explored the recycling potential of two strategic materials, viz., gallium and germanium, within automotive electronics, particularly in Electronic Control Units (ECUs), which control functions ranging from powertrain systems and safety technologies to battery management in electric vehicles. Although recycling rates for both metals remain negligible today, the study suggests that industrial waste streams, semiconductor scrap and future end-of-life electronics could become important secondary sources if recovery infrastructure develops in time. To learn...
Germany’s next big aluminium recycling prospect lies in 600kt of solar PV waste
Germany is on track to generate over 600,000 tonnes of solar PV waste by 2030, creating a major recovery opportunity for aluminium and silver. A new study by the Fraunhofer Centre for Silicon Photovoltaics (CSP) highlights the approximate raw-material value locked in the country’s installed solar fleet. At the same time, it identifies a key challenge of an efficient recovery of the trapped aluminium and silver. Germany had roughly 5.35 tonnes of PV modules installed by 2023, containing around 660,000 tonnes of aluminium and 3,900 tonnes of silver, with a combined value of about EUR 4.8 billion (USD 5.4 billion) at current prices. These figures have risen considerably since 2023 and would need to almost double by 2030 if Germany is to meet its solar deployment targets. However, turning...
Andhra Pradesh backs Srikakulam aluminium smelter plan with Odisha alumina link
The proposed Srikakulam aluminium smelter project in Andhra Pradesh is gaining momentum, with around 6,800 acres of saline land earmarked at Mulapeta and Pundi for the large-scale industrial development. The proposal could also bridge Odisha’s alumina industry with Andhra Pradesh’s coastal port infrastructure, forming a potential industrial link between the two states. Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu discussed the proposed smelter with Union Minister for Mines G Kishan Reddy in Delhi, highlighting the availability of around 6,800 acres of saline land in Srikakulam district. Out of this, 5,000 acres are located in Mulapeta and 1,800 acres in Pundi. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: “ Global Bauxite &...
AL Circle Analysis: Europe’s aluminium scrap curbs, India’s risk and US’s supply opportunity
Aluminium recycling is supposed to be the industry’s easiest win — economic and eco-friendly. Interestingly, this is where the plot thickens. Aluminium recycling is moving from a sustainability objective to a strategic supply-chain issue, with scrap availability, domestic recovery, cross-border waste rules and decarbonisation policy influencing where recycled metal can be produced and consumed. Recent developments across Europe, such as the UK and Greece, in the US and India reveal that investment in recycling is accelerating, but access to suitable scrap and the rules governing its movement are becoming equally important. Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. Europe wants more recycled aluminium, but what is the...
LME aluminium price drops 2.62% as stocks remain stable at 241,375t on October 1
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price graph dropped further in the October 1 trading session, reporting major declines of 2 per cent and above across the pricing and contract segments. Stocks in the aluminium inventory remained stable for three consecutive days. The LME aluminium cash price dipped by 2.6 per cent from USD 3,203 per tonne to USD 3,119.5 per tonne. The offer price moved from USD 3,204 per tonne to USD 3,120 per tonne, representing a slightly higher 2.62 per cent plunge. 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 3,208 per tonne to USD 3,130 per tonne, decreasing by 2.43 per cent. The offer...
Aluminum investment across North America and Asia: Who leads reshaping the next phase of growth?
Aluminum investment has been spreading across the entire value chain, from primary smelting and alumina refining to recycling, rolling, extrusion and battery foil, building more integrated and higher-value supply chains. During the past 5 years, the US and Canada in North America and China in Asia have been grabbing headlines pertaining to the aluminum industry. These updates have involved growth stories or have shed light on volatile market situations. How have these headlines contributed to a greater picture for the benefit of the aluminum industries of the two continents? Between 2021 and 2026, major projects across North America and Asia have targeted new primary capacity, lower-carbon production, recycled aluminum and higher-value downstream products. But the investment pattern is...
Neuman Aluminium’s Mexico expansion gets Jasper’s 40-tonne melting furnace
Neuman Aluminium has selected a 40-tonne aluminium melting furnace from industrial furnace supplier Jasper for Hirschvogel’s site in San Juan del Río, Mexico, to expand aluminium production at the facility. After Neuman’s melting furnace upgrade at its Marktl headquarters in Austria , the company is deepening its footprint in North America. Neuman Aluminium recently partnered with Hirschvogel for the project. Construction has begun on two production halls, each spanning 7,500 square metres, with production scheduled to start at the beginning of 2028. Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook The furnace will be a tiltable 40-tonne melting furnace equipped with...
Guwahati police recover 100 kg aluminium wire, investigate theft network
Guwahati’s Basistha Police have recovered around 100 kilogrammes of aluminium wire during an investigation into alleged theft-related activities in different parts of the city. Two individuals in connection with the probe have been detained. According to police, the two were allegedly involved in the incidents reported from different parts of Guwahati. During the operation, officers recovered a substantial quantity of aluminium wire that was connected with the reported thefts. To know the global production, demand and consumption forecasts of aluminium extrusions, explore our report " The World of Aluminium Extrusions to 2035 " The individuals have been identified as Abdur Rahim, who was taken into custody from Behebar, and Anshuman Basumatary, who was apprehended from Amtola. The...
Aluminium replaces cast iron: What drove the auto industry’s engine-block shift?
Since late 1970s, the shift from cast iron to aluminum engine blocks became a major change in automotive manufacturing, driven by the need for lighter vehicles and lower emissions. As automakers faced stricter emissions standards, reducing vehicle weight gained greater momentum. As the block is among the heaviest components of an engine, aluminum emerged as an attractive alternative to the traditional cast iron, lowering weight onus and offering better thermal conductivity. According to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), replacing conventional cast iron with aluminum casting alloys can reduce engine-block weight by approximately 40% to 55%. The lighter block is favorable to automakers, lowering overall vehicle weight, improving efficiency and cutting emissions. To know the global...
LME aluminium price drops nearly 1%; stocks hold firm at 241,375t on September 29
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price graph continues to drop nearly 1 per cent across the pricing and contract segments in the September 29 trading session, reporting declines over the September 28 close . Opening stocks hold firm and cancelled warrants report a rise. The LME aluminium cash bid and offer prices dipped by 0.71 per cent day-on-day. The bid contracted from USD 3,248 per tonne to USD 3,225 per tonne. The offer price moved from USD 3,248.5 per tonne to USD 3,225.5 per tonne. 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 3,251.5 per tonne to USD 3,231 per tonne, decreasing by 0.63 per cent. The...
Odisha seeks Bengal partnership as India aims 37Mt aluminium capacity by FY47
As India advances to deepen its footprint in the global aluminium platform, Odisha is aiming to strengthen its aluminium industry connection with West Bengal. Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy expressed interest in joining Odisha’s strong aluminium production base with Bengal’s downstream manufacturing potential, partnering the two eastern states in building a broader aluminium ecosystem. “Today, Odisha is a powerhouse when it comes to the aluminium industry, with 67-72 per cent of the production coming from the state. Bengal can become a natural downstream partner,” Reddy stated at a roadshow organised by the National Aluminium Company (NALCO) and Assocham for the Angul Aluminium Park in Odisha. To know the global production, demand and consumption forecasts of aluminium...
