AlCircle News Edited By "Rupankar Majumder"
A professional with a technical background, specialising in producing insightful content centred around metals, particularly aluminium, passionately engaged in the intricacies of the recycling sector.
14-day ultimatum served to UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica, says UCASE
UCASE, the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees said that it has served a 14-day ultimatum to the management of UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica Limited post negotiations with the company became motionless. As per the statement from UCASE, the bauxite mining company on 10 th March 2021 refused to address the 27 points listed in a claim that was served to the company on October’ 20. The Moscow, Russia headquartered UC Rusal is one of the largest processors of bauxite, alumina, aluminium and UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica Limited is its subsidiary. UCASE said: “The claim was served on behalf of 600 production workers at the company's mining and alumina processing facilities at Ewarton Works, Swallenberg, Port Esquivel and Kirkvine and is retroactive to 4 th November 2019 and is due...
India Govt. considers creating Non-Ferrous metal scrap recycling an organized sector, Aluminium to play vital role
The mining ministry has lately released the National Non-Ferrous Metal Scrap Recycling Framework 2020, covering key non-ferrous metals like Aluminium among others. The framework has been released with the intent to promote a formal and well-organized recycling ecosystem in the country which is presently hugely unorganized and highly dependent on imported scrap. It also focuses to produce high-quality scrap for quality secondary production, while reducing the dependence on imports and encourage economic wealth creation, job creation and increased contribution to GDP through metal recycling. The upcoming vehicle scrappage policy for automobiles has also given the drive to build this framework at the backdrop and it will secure abundant availability of domestic scrap in the country. The...
Ex-Volvo purchasing Chief Martina Buchhauser proposed as a new Board member of Gränges AB
The Chief Procurement Officer at Volvo Car Corporation, Martina Buchhauser who stepped down from his position recently, where she was also part of the Executive Management Team, is proposed as a new member of the Board of Directors to be elected at the Annual General Meeting on 6 th May 2021. Ragnhild Wiborg, who has chosen to resign and will leave the Board of Directors in conjunction with the AGM has served the board since 2014. Ragnhild Wiborg has taken a very active part in the Board as Chairman of the Audit Committee for five years, including working on the IPO in 2014 and a member of the task force involved in the successful rights issue process in 2020. Jannis Kitsakis, Senior Portfolio Manager at the Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund, representing the largest shareholder in...
Live in just 3 months! AlCircleBiz crosses 100+ Global Sellers
AlCircleBiz, the world's first global marketplace which connects millions of buyers and sellers across the entire aluminium value chain, went live on 14 th November’20, proudly announces the platform has crossed 100+ global seller as on date. AlCircleBiz brings on board 40+ years of industry experience in the Aluminium domain, with a network of offices, representatives & associates in all 5 continents, covering over 17 verticals and having 1000+ partners around the globe. The prime feature of AlCircleBiz is to connect buyers and sellers through enquires against listed products and business leads. The online marketplace is sailed by the mission to turn out enterprising supply chains through increased transparency and reduced dependencies on intermediaries across the aluminium value chain....
Denmark’s import of Aluminium Tubes or Pipes Fittings during 2018-20 illustrates steady growth
Denmark, a small country with an open economy and a structural balance of payments surplus, the economy remains although prosperous but is highly dependent on foreign trade. This was the major reason Denmark recorded its deepest fall in GDP in the first half of 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis, although it partially recovered during the second half of the year underpinned by private consumption, for an overall decrease of 4.5%, as reported by IMF. Denmark’s real GDP forecast to expand by a solid 3.5% in 2021 and around 2.5% in 2022, as both domestic and external demand, normalises. The Scandinavian nation’s import of aluminium tubes or pipes fittings during 2018-19 reached 349 tonnes and the revenue expended for the import stood at $2.21 million. The import for 2020 remained at 196 tonnes...
Govt. stands at final stage towards the selection of strategic investor for bauxite project, says President of Ghana
The Govt. of Ghana is standing at the final stage to close a deal for bringing in an investor to partner with the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) for bauxite exploitation in the country. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, while addressing the parliament in his first State of the Nation address in his second term said: “GIADEC has made good progress on the bauxite exploration programme that will drive the government’s industrial transformation agenda.” “We are in the final stage of an open and transparent investor engagement process, and we are in negotiations to select strategic investors to partner GIADEC for the bauxite mining and alumina refinery projects. The selected partner will be announced imminently,” he added. GIADEC is an institution that was...
Rio Tinto’s Tiwai Aluminium smelter assures over clean-up after Govt. suspended negotiations
Stewart Hamilton, the Chief Executive officer of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter has delivered assurance that the group will shut down the smelter safely and responsibly after the New Zealand Government suspended negotiations over its future clean-up. NZAS chief said: “The smelter recognised its impact and responsibilities wouldn’t end when its operations ceased.” “We respect our local community and will share further information on closure studies as soon as possible,” he added. Global mining and metal giant, Rio Tinto, the majority stakeholder of the smelter in January decided to smelter operative at least until the end of 2024 after Meridian energy agreed to reduce the price it charged the smelter for power until then to what Meridian described as an "unsustainable" price, believed...
NALCO CPP receives two years extension of bride linkage from Coal Ministry
The National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco), a Navratna CPSE having integrated and diversified operations in mining, metal and power under the Ministry of Mines, Government of India have received two more years’ extension of bridge coal linkage for its captive power plant as recommended by the Standing Linkage Committee of the Ministry of Coal. The extension up to 31 st March 2023 for the bridge linkage of coal is recommended examining slowdown in production from Nalco’s captive coal blocks Utkal-D and Utkal-E. The Coal Ministry said: “In view of the recommendation of the administrative ministry (Ministry of Mines) and keeping in view the production schedule from Utkal-D coal mine, the standing linkage committee (long term) recommended extension of bridge linkage to Nalco’s Unit 9 and...
Colombia’s export of Aluminium Household Articles during 2018-20 reveals unsteady movement; earnings exhibit drop
The economy of Colombian commenced its recovery process from H2 of 2020. As forecast, it will grow 4.8% in 2021 and 3.8% in 2022 boosted by private consumption and investment, while inflation will gradually return to its target in 2021 and the Central Bank will hold rates at low levels during 2021. The South American country with territories in North America revealed its export for aluminium household articles during 2018-19 at 4972 tonnes and the revenue earnings totalled $33.50 million. The export for 2020 remained at 3084 tonnes and the earnings stood at $16.07 million. However, when the export volume and earnings for 2020 gets accumulated with the existing two years, it signifies 8056 tonnes and $49.57 million respectively. Colombia’s export for aluminium household articles in 2018...
Leading rail engineering firm Vecturis joins the Minim Martap BFS team
On 9 th March 2021, Canyon Resources Limited made public that Vecturis has joined Canyon’s Owner’s team to develop the technical and commercial rail solutions for the BFS. A privately-owned Belgian company, Vecturis specialise in railway management services and operations, functional for freight, natural resource extraction and export logistics and solutions. Vecturis is generally experienced in single-track railway lines including bulk commodities freight. It has delivered similar consulting services for the SETRAG line in Gabon, the Nacala Corridor in Mozambique and Malawi, Ghana’s Western Line, the CFB in Angola, and several other lines in Africa and South America. Of significance and direct relevance to Minim Martap, Vecturis has subsequently worked in the West African bauxite market,...
Altech HPA battery coating technology first-phase test results remain positive, advancing for the next stage
Altech Chemical, the high purity alumina producer confirmed that the results from first-phase testing of batteries that contain graphite particles coated with its proprietary high purity alumina coating technology remain positive. Test work will now advance to the next stage comprising further testing of battery charging and discharging with the focus of demonstrating repeatability and consistency. The Australia headquartered company lately accomplished initial-stage demonstrations of its technology which coats graphite particles typical of those used in anode applications within lithium-ion batteries with a nanolayer of high purity alumina, a product that Altech is looking to produce out of Malaysia from its long-life feedstock of kaolin in Western Australia. Altech said: “The initial...
Ireland’s import of Aluminium Plates, Sheets and Strips during 2018-19 reflects impressive growth, 2020 records downfall
Ireland enjoyed a steady economic growth post the EU-IMF bailout in late 2013 and the country placed itself as one of the fastest-growing European economies. In 2020, the Irish economy suffered from the successive lockdowns put in place to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, while the GDP growth fell to -3% from 5.9% in 2019. According to IMF estimates, the economy is set to bounce back in 2021 (+4.9%) and 2022 (+4.3%), supported by fiscal stimulus and liquidity-boosting measures, subject to the post-pandemic global economic recovery and the conclusion of the post-Brexit transition period. The island nation in the North Atlantic region has recorded 66,852 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and strips importation during 2018-19 and the amount expended for the import remained at $143.83 million....
Spanish Govt. seeks solvency prove from a division of GFG Alliance before acquisition of San Ciprian Aluminium smelter
Metal tycoon Sanjeev Gupta has crowned a reputation for over a decade as one of the world’s biggest promoter of steel by sealing deals for mills and smelters across Australia to Romania while placing up billions in debt for decaying assets. The Executive Chairman of GFG Alliance has planned out a vision of a greener future for steel, with his network of companies – GFG Alliance – leading the way. However, the almost bankruptcy of his biggest lender, Greensill Capital, has immediately throttled off a key source of funding and is threatening that pace of breakneck expansion. As per our industry sources, the Spanish government has demanded from a division of Gupta’s GFG to prove its solvency before the company will be permitted to push ahead with a takeover of San Ciprian Aluminium smelter,...
Odisha, India: State cabinet permits OMC to sell entire Bauxite
On 6 th March 2021, the Odisha cabinet held a meeting, where it approved the proposal of the state government to authorize Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) to sell the entire quantity of bauxite ore meant for sale through national e-auction for 2020-21 at the rate of INR 1,000 per tonne. As decided, the bauxite will be sold at the rate of INR 1000 per tonne with a subsequent undertaking to pay the differential rate as stipulated by the High Court. This decision by the cabinet will prevent loss of revenue to OMC. In February 2018, the government amended the Long Term Linkage (LTL) policy for the supply of bauxite ore by the OMC to the end-users in the State. However, in 2019, the Centre amended the conversion factor for calculating the average sale price (ASP) of metallurgical grade...
ElementUS: DADA Holdings, Enervoxa venture to infuse $800 million for rare earth extraction project
The Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards joined DADA Holdings Chairman and CEO David D’Addario and Enervoxa CEO Vandit Verma to publicise that the joint venture of DADA Holdings and Enervoxa ‘ElementUS’, will infuse an $800 million capital investment to extract rare earth elements at the Noranda Alumina site in Gramercy, Louisiana. This is subject to a final investment decision within the next year. The Gramercy-based Noranda Alumina owned by DADA Holdings is joining hands with green technology firm Enervoxa to extract rare earth elements and other valuable minerals from alumina by-products. The Gramercy site has a 35 million dry-tonnes reserve of mineral-rich residual bauxite. The carbon-neutral project would result in 200 new direct jobs, with an average annual salary of more than...
Hydro divests Rolling division to KPS Capital Partners for €1,380 million
The Norwegian aluminium company Norsk Hydro ASA has set foot to sell its rolling division to KPS Capital Partners for EUR 1,380 million on an enterprise value basis. This is considered as a major step on Hydro's agenda to enhance profitability and drive sustainability. The transaction comprises seven plants, one R&D centre, global sales offices, and around 5,000 employees of which 650 employees in Norway and the remaining mainly in Germany. Hilde Merete Aasheim, President and CEO, Hydro said: “Hydro launched a strategic review of our Rolling business area in 2019, along with other strategic measures towards profitability and sustainability. We have now concluded, and our Rolling business will continue its development under new ownership. This is a good solution for both Hydro and for the...
Morocco’s import of Aluminium wire during 2018-20 manifests rapid de-growth
The World Bank has forecasted 4% growth for the economy of Morocco, as reported by the Moroccan state media and also notified the country’s growth will be accredited to agriculture. The North African nation during 2018-19 has recorded 31,967 tonnes import of aluminium wire and the expenditure that occurred for the import remained at $74.83 million. The import for 2020 stood at 2482 tonnes and the expenditure accounted for $1.73 million. However, when the import volume for 2020 gets added with the previous two years, it denotes 34,449 tonnes and $76.56 million respectively. Morocco’s import of aluminium wire in 2018 stood at 24,266 tonnes and the expenditure remained at $58.15 million, whereas, in 2019, the import saw a downfall by 68.26%, as the import volume dropped to 7701 tonnes and...
Bel Air Mining in deep financial crisis, workforce to lay-off
In 2017, Bel Air Mining was established in Guinea and now in 2021, it is in a deep financial crisis. The Guinean subsidiary of Alufer Mining Ltd., which exploits bauxite in the Boffa region, has been severely affected due to the recent slash in prices and the increase in freight and restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 3 rd February 2021, the board of directors declared a loss of approximately $ 70 million in revenue over the past two years due to the decline in bauxite prices. Bel Air Mining in its short-term action plan has decided to slow the pace of transport activities in February 2021, until deposits of 400,000 tonnes have been established, at the port to load 2O GV as soon as it is resumed. The sub-contract in transport favouring companies in Djoma and Maliguia will be...
