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.
Taking a closer look at the recent developments in the Aluminium FRP segment
Worldwide aluminium FRP usage is estimated at 24.1 million tonnes in 2022 and is expected to grow at about 2.4 per cent to reach 24.7 million tonnes by 2023. AlCircle's latest industry-focused report, 'Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2023 ', reveals that China accounted for about 33 per cent, equating to 7.8 million tonnes of the total aluminium FRP usage in 2022. Europe and North America followed this at 22 per cent and 21 per cent respectively. Close to 11 million tonnes of aluminium FRP was used in various packaging applications in 2022. The transportation sector used about 3.7 million tonnes during the year. The report also unveils that during 2023, aluminium FRP usage is likely to be driven by demand from the packaging sector. Consumer preference for sustainable packaging,...
Record-breaking excavations reported at Nalco bauxite mines
The Nalco-operated Panchpatmali bauxite mine achieved the highest-ever annual bauxite excavation rate since its inception. FY 22-23 has been reported with a figure of 75,50,670 tonnes, up from its previous benchmark of 74,14,100 tonnes in FY 18-19. Odisha's Bauxite mines are vital to NALCO's supply chain. On the Panchpatmali hills of Koraput district in Odisha, a fully mechanized opencast mine has operated since November 1985, serving feedstock to the alumina refinery at Damanjodi on the foothills. Bauxite occurs over the entire length of the Panchpatmali plateau, which spans over 18 km and covers an area of approximately 7,500 hectares. Bauxite reserves at Panchpatmali are estimated to be over 310 million tonnes, making it one of the country's largest. High-quality bauxite is available...
Japan prohibits Russia-bound exports of aluminium and steel
The world's leading industrial economy, Japan, has announced a ban on aluminium, steel, components for aviation, the space industry and drone exports to Russia in its latest sanctions on the Ukraine-Russia geopolitical crisis. Also, Japan forbade its business community from exporting different industrial goods such as balloons, gliders, unpowered aircraft and their components, parachutes, aircraft brake gear, equipment for ground-based flight training, drones and their components, optical systems for underwater and aerial photography, compasses and navigational equipment. April 7 is decided as the date for the measures to become effective. On March 31, 2023, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Commerce declared a ban on Russia-bound exports of aluminium, steel, and aircraft,...
Alumar initiates repair work on Ship-to-Shore conveyance system
On March 31, 2023, Alcoa Corporation announced that its engineering crews are repairing Alumar's two-belt system that conveys raw materials from the pier. On March 25, 2023, the conveyance system—which transports bauxite, coal, coke, and pitch—broke down, blocking the offloading of supplies. The pier is undamaged and fully functional. As a result of the failure of the conveyance system, the refinery and smelter have been working on alternative delivery methods and planning repairs. Daily alumina refinery production will be reduced by approximately 25 per cent for about ten days to conserve existing bauxite inventories. The nameplate capacity of the Alumar refinery is 3,860,000 tonnes per year, of which Alcoa's combined capacity is 2,084,000 tonnes. For the smelter's raw materials,...
Winning Logistics expands its bauxite handling fleet by adding two more Konecranes barge cranes in Guinea
Winning Logistics in Guinea awarded Konecranes an order for two Konecranes Gottwald Cranes on Barge in the first quarter of 2023. Winning will use ten Konecranes Gottwald Cranes on Barge to load ships with bauxite off the coast of West Africa after on-site commissioning in Q3 2024. Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses serving customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes Gottwald Cranes on Barge are specially designed and constructed to ensure continuous material flow on water, even in harsh marine conditions. They are built to Lloyd's Register Code for Lifting Appliances in a Marine Environment and can operate in winds of up to 24 m/s and at maximum wave heights of 2.5 m. Sun Zhijun, the Vice President of...
Gränges partners with China's Shandong Innovation Group to produce sustainable aluminium
As part of a joint venture, Gränges and Shandong Innovation Metal (group) Technology are on the go for constructing a recycling and casting facility in Yunnan , a hydropower-rich area in China. However, it has also been confirmed that the joint venture has secured access to low-carbon primary aluminium through energy-efficient delivery from a nearby smelter and renewable energy for casting operations. In order to reach its 2040 net-zero goal, Gränges' carbon footprint will be significantly reduced thanks to this strategic alliance. Additionally, it will make it possible for Gränges to satisfy Asian customers' requests for industry-leading sustainable aluminium solutions. The latest industry-focused report, ‘Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2023’ released by AlCircle, states China...
Glencore deposits 100,000 tonnes of Russian aluminium at the LME warehouse in South Korea
Glencore, the Swiss multinational commodity trading house, has unloaded more than 100,000 tonnes of aluminium at the LME-registered warehouses in the South Korean port of Gwangyang, as reported by one of the world's largest news agencies. Several buyers and consumers in the transport, packaging and construction sectors have opted to renew their contracts to procure Russian aluminium. However, some declined due to the Ukraine-Russia geopolitical crisis. On the other hand, only some metal producers are anxious that the huge quantities of undesired Russian aluminium stored in LME warehouses will weaken the benchmark prices on the exchange. A few weeks back, Glencore delivered 40,000 tonnes of aluminium produced in Russia, adding its deliveries to LME warehouses in Gwangyang to the least...
Egyptian Railway's fourth high-speed lightweight aluminium Talgo train begins service
On March 29, 2023, the Egyptian Railway Authority (ERA) announced that the fourth high-speed Talgo train had begun daily commercial service on the Cairo-Aswan line. The Egyptian Ministry of Transport and the Spanish railway tycoons agreed on a contract of EUR 157 million in 2019, which also called for the delivery of six Talgo trains. In addition, the trains are made of aluminium, which makes them lighter, helps extend their lifespans, and reduces fuel consumption. A caboose, an engine, a power car, five air-conditioned first-class railcars, eight air-conditioned second-class railcars, and other vehicles make up each train. The train has several contemporary features, such as entertainment and special-needs seating. Asuit, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Edfu, and Kom Ombo are destinations where the...
Australia adopts emissions caps for big polluters including aluminium, driving sustainable development
On March 30, 2023, the Australian parliament passed the progressive climate laws eyeing the countries' worst polluters, impelling aluminium smelters and alumina refineries, coal mines, and oil refineries, among others, to restrain emissions by about five per cent annually. The legislation, according to experts, marks the end of Australia's harsh "climate wars," a decade-long political scuffle that has repeatedly thwarted efforts to combat climate change. Tommy Wiedmann, the sustainability expert at the University of New South Wales, said, "It's the first time greenhouse gas emissions reduction has been written into Australian law. "That's obviously a good thing. We have a climate policy now." The legislation, which applies to 215 significant industrial units producing more than 100,000...
Bauxite train catastrophes continue in Guinea
On March 29, 2023, a train accident occurred in the district of Tinguilinta in the sub-prefecture of Tanéné in Boké. According to our information, a CBG train loaded with Bauxite in the province from Sangaredi struck a machine in which a young employee of a security company was present. It has been revealed that the latter eventually succumbed. Our informant claims that the switchman, Sadjouma N'Diaye, who is years 30 old, is the victim. The victim in question was lying in a tamping machine, the needle pointing to the siding. The accident occurred while descending a hill. The train carrying bauxite to Kamsar collided with the tamping machine, severely damaging it. Tamping machines do the same job as stone blowers, restoring the line and level of the track, but work slightly differently....
State Property Fund of Ukraine draws up to sell the Mykolaiv alumina refinery
The State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPF) plans to take control of the assets of Russian businesses, as stated by Rustem Umerov, the head of SPF. Umerov said, "Legally, the Mykolaiv alumina refinery has yet to reach the management of the State Property Fund. We plan to put it up for auction quickly as soon as we get it under control." The State Property Fund of Ukraine is a central body of executive power with special status administrated by the Cabinet of Ukraine. "It is feasible to begin the privatization of the alumina refinery in the second or third quarter of this year. Site preparation for privatization typically takes 60–90 days", Umerov added. "If the state gives us other Russian assets confiscated by the court ruling, we will put them up for privatization. We are moving as quickly...
US, European economic slowdown cools the demand for aluminium
The surge in global aluminium output coincided with growing concerns that an economic slowdown would reduce demand for the metal. Europe's industrial economy suffered greatly due to the geopolitical-induced energy crisis. Fears of a recession were raised in the US due to inflation and rising interest rates. Furthermore, currency fluctuations have dented aluminium prices. The aggressive escalation of interest rates by the Federal Reserve to fight inflation has increased the US dollar’s worth relative to other currencies. An increase in the dollar's value impacted the price of aluminium for holders of other currencies because metals are labelled in US dollars on international markets. The challenging economic circumstances from 2022 have persisted into 2023, giving aluminium a gloomy...
US tariffs on Russian aluminium unlikely to impact the metal price
The possibility that the United States and its allies would impose economic penalties against Russia's aluminium in response to the ongoing geopolitical issue with Ukraine was one of the biggest unpredictability in the global aluminium sector while driving into 2023. The Russian aluminium industry is vital to the country's defence industrial base. The United States and its allies imposed several economic sanctions on Russia following the geopolitical crisis that started a year back, but none eyed the aluminium sector. It's crucial to recall the incident of 2018 when the White House imposed sanctions on the Russian aluminium giant, Rusal, in response to Russian aggression, including meddling in United States elections. As an outcome, the US froze most of the company's exports, stunned the...
Energy crisis expected in Yunnan throughout 2023, aluminium production may be affected
China, the world's largest aluminium producer, is again in a precarious position. In this instance, the primary cause is a problem with the nation's power supply in the southwest. Due to a severe water constraint, the Yunnan province , the centre of southern China's aluminium manufacturing industry, is restricting metal production. The availability of hydroelectric power in the region has also been affected by this deficit. However, industry analysts will determine how this will affect the price of aluminium worldwide. The region's hydroelectric energy-producing capability has considerably decreased, as our sources from China reported. As a result, the province authorities last month delivered a warning to Yunnan aluminium smelters, instructing the businesses to cut their power usage,...
India Govt. likely to sell Balco stake in the next financial year
The government of India is likely drawing up to sell its remaining stake in Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (Balco) in the next financial year, as per reported by a media house. The Chhattisgarh-Korba-based Balco has been privatized now for more than two decades. It has also been stated the Union ministry has already corresponded with the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) regarding the stake sale roadmap. The latest information floated by the media organisation on a digital platform says, “The mining ministry has now sought further advice from Dipam on the roadmap for the disinvestment of Balco, which has been in the works for some years. Upon finalizing this, the process of appointing transaction advisers and legal advisers may begin for the share sale plan of...
Banking industry crisis impacting metal trade: Bureau of International Recycling
According to the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), the most recent banking crisis is weakening market confidence, with UK non-ferrous traders reporting reduced tonnage. The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) is the only global recycling industry federation representing more than 30,000 companies around the globe, with a direct membership of over 900 companies and 37 national associations from 68 countries. BIR members are world leaders in the supply of raw materials and a key pillar for sustainable economic development. On March 23, 2023, the first federation to support the interests of the recycling industry on an international scale, BIR stated in its report that the emergency bailout of Credit Suisse and other trade and banking shocks "have proven once again that...
Marubeni reports Japan's aluminium stocks declined by 2.6% in February
On March 27, 2023, Marubeni Corp. reported that aluminium stocks at three major Japanese ports, Yokohama, Nagoya and Osaka, dipped by 2.6 per cent to 382,400 tonnes at the end of February 2023 from 392,500 tonnes from January 2023. Japan's largest trading company, Marubeni Corp., has been functionalised for over 160 years. The Tokyo headquartered Marubeni continues expanding its businesses globally, with a presence in over 65 countries and 130 branches and offices worldwide. The data was collected by the Japanese trading giant Marubeni from the ports of Yokohama, Nagoya, and Osaka. It stood at 382,400 tonnes in February, 392,500 in January, and 294,600 in December 2022. The latest AlCircle industry-focused report, ‘Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2023’ , unveils that the primary...
Iconic John Deere produces two millionth tractor, aluminium components crucial to its success
The Mannheim John Deere plant is celebrating the production of its two millionth tractor, a 6R 250. On March 22, 2022, the tractor was unveiled at the Mannheim plant and displayed alongside the one-millionth tractor, a JD 6400, in the factory museum. One million John Deere took 70 years to produce from the initial production day, but the second million rolled off the line in just 30 years. At the site, approximately 3,300 employees assist in the production of 40,000 tractors per year before the tractors are exported worldwide. However, the plant is more than just a production site. It is also a development site for all John Deere medium tractors. The primary emphasis is on performance, comfort, and efficiency. Tractor cabs today have all of the luxuries of a car, including automatic air...
