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.
Alcoa restructures the 'Executive Leadership Team' to strengthen its focus on operational excellence, cost-cutting, and innovation
On December 10, 2023, the global industry leader with a vision to reinvent the aluminium industry for a sustainable future, Alcoa Corporation, announced a restructuring of its 'Executive Leadership Team' to further improve the Company's rigorous focus on operational excellence, cost, and innovation. However, the changes will come into effect from February 1, 2023, including reassigning responsibilities for two existing 'Executive Leadership Team' members and appointing a new Chief Financial Officer. William F. Oplinger, currently Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Financial Officer, will become EVP and Chief Operations Officer. Senior Vice President and Controller Molly Beerman have been appointed EVP and Chief Financial Officer. She will also be the executive member to oversee...
Sohar Aluminium appoints Ricardo Fontes Santana as Chief Financial Officer
The first aluminium smelter in the Sultanate of Oman, Sohar Aluminium, announced the appointment of Ricardo Fontes Santana as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In his position, Ricardo will head the finance, information technology, and supply chain management departments while championing the financial strength business strategy target. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the State University of Rio de Janeiro and an MBA from Brazil's Universidade Federal Fluminense. He has held senior executive positions in global aluminium and oil and gas companies in Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and the Netherlands in finance, financial compliance, business evaluation, risk management, information technology, supply, and reporting activities.
Slovak aluminium producer Slovalco to shut down after 70 years in business
Slovakia's sole aluminium producer, Slovalco, is closing its smelters after 70 years of operation. Slovalco, based in the central Slovak town of Žiar nad Hronom, stated that after decades of operation, it could no longer afford to operate its last ten remaining furnaces. However, Slovakia will be forced to procure aluminium from foreign sources in the absence of the producer. According to the Hydro majority-owned aluminium producer, the company had gradually reduced production due to the surging energy prices. Slovalco initially operated 226 furnaces, but just over a year ago, the number of furnaces in use dropped by 40 per cent due to high energy expenses. Among all industrial operations, the smelting of aluminium is the most energy-intensive industrial manufacturing process. Milan...
Canyon Resources inks MoU with the Port Authority of Douala to modernize infrastructure
On January 9, 2023, the developer of the world-class Minim Martap bauxite project in Cameroon, Canyon Resources, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (‘MoU’) that outlines a declaration of intent with the Port Authority of Douala (‘PAD’) regarding the development of infrastructure at the Port of Douala-Bonabéri. The Port Authority of Douala is responsible for developing and controlling port security and operations. It is acknowledged that the expansion of the Port of Douala, one of Cameroon's primary port operations, is a catalyst for raising the competitiveness of the country's economy. The PAD's main objective is to provide an effective operation that serves the area by serving as a Gulf of Guinea logistical centre. The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a...
Mind ID witnessed the soft-commissioning of Indonesia Aluminium Alloy's recycling plant
Indonesia Aluminium Alloy (IAA), being a subsidiary of PT Inalum, is unquestionably beneficial for better market access and raw material utilization. This was said during the soft commissioning event at the PT IAA recycling plant by Hendi Prio Santoso, the managing director of Mind ID. On this occasion, the Board of Commissioners and Directors of PT IAA, Carry EF Mumbunan, Togu Sihombing, Ricky Gunawan, and Agus Wibowo were present in addition to the Managing Director of PT Inalum, Danny Praditya, Senior Vice President of PT Inalum Rainaldi Harahap, Kuspriyono, and Benny Alexander Wiwoho. Hendi Santoso said, "We have great hopes from the Mind ID Group that this capacity can be increased as much as possible while at the same time developing marketing by making derivative products made by...
CITA acquires stake in aluminium smelting and power plant companies in North Kalimantan
The Indonesia-based company engaged in bauxite mining and alumina production, PT Cita Mineral Investindo Tbk (CITA), will be involved in two businesses in Bulungan, North Kalimantan, one of which manages an aluminium smelting facility and the other a power plant. However, PT Kalimantan Aluminium Industry (KAI) and PT Kaltara Power Indonesia are both third parties (KPI). On December 23, 2022, Yusak Lumba Pardede, the Director of CITA, said, "The transaction value of both companies' shares acquisition clocked to IDR 674.18 billion. The acquisition took place on December 20, 2022. The investment in KAI and KPI is intended to realise our plan to increase the value of minerals." CITA has acquired 330,624 unit shares out of KAI's total paid-up capital of 925,748. CITA IDR 330.62 billion, or...
WWW and Hydro sign agreement for exploration of floating wind turbines built using recycled aluminium
Norsk Hydro, the Norwegian aluminium giant, signed a letter of intent (LoI) on January 3, 2023, with World Wide Wind AS (WWW), a newly established Norwegian company presenting a novel solution and technology - counter-rotating vertical axis turbines - to explore using recycled aluminium to build a potentially revolutionary new floating design. The two will begin by building a prototype of WWW's contra-rotating vertical turbine (CVRT) concept, which features two omnidirectional rotors spaced apart on a tower-spar structure, all anchored with a novel turret-shaped mooring system to the seafloor. The duo expects to expand its collaboration to investigate employing the lightweight metal alloy in the "renewable wind industry" more broadly. The levelling cost of energy (LCOE) for floating wind...
Adaro Energy envisions accomplishing the aluminium smelter project by 2025
The world’s leading exporter of thermal coal, PT Adaro Energy Indonesia Tbk, plans to begin constructing the aluminium smelter in North Kalimantan this year and anticipates accomplishing it within two years or maximum, by 2025. Febriati Nadira, the Head of Corporate Communication at Adaro Energy, said, "Adaro hopes to realize the investment soon and start construction of the aluminium smelter at the end of this year. It is anticipated that the construction process will last 24 months.” ADRO, through its subsidiary, PT Adaro Minerals Indonesia Tbk, is developing an aluminium smelter through its subsidiary PT Adaro Indo Aluminum. The aluminium smelter will be constructed in the industrial area of PT Kalimantan Industrial Park Indonesia (KIPI), North Kalimantan. The total investment value...
Romanian aluminium components manufacturer Altur initiates insolvency proceedings
The Romania-based aluminium components manufacturer of cars, Altur's board of directors, stated it authorized the filing of insolvency proceedings and intended to restructure the company's operations. On January 3, 2022, the company said during the Bucharest Stock Exchange filing that it applied to the Olt County court to initiate insolvency proceedings. Furthermore, Altur declared in court its intention to restructure the company's activities in accordance with a reorganisation plan. According to the recent data revealed on the nation’s finance ministry’s website, the company recorded a turnover of 103.8 million lei and a net profit of 3.2 million lei in the first three quarters of 2022, compared to a net loss of 3.4 million lei in the same period the previous year. The company made a...
Brunel University London joins Constellium-led CirConAl consortium
The world's leading research institute, Brunel University London, has joined forces with automakers and suppliers to develop low-carbon, low-cost aluminium extrusion alloys through BCAST, the Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology. The £10 million CirConAl project, funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) of the United Kingdom, intends to maximize the use of post-consumer trash in a new generation of high-strength alloys with a carbon footprint of less than 2 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of aluminium produced. In the UK, programmes to create a whole supply chain for zero-emission vehicles are supported by the government, businesses, and industry working together as CirConAl. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, Grant Shapps, revealed the...
Lower export duties could boost India's bauxite mining and export earnings: FIMI
The all-India apex body to promote the interests of all mining, mineral processing, and metal-making industries, the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), has requested the removal of bauxite export duties, citing optimal utilisation of low-grade mineral resources as the move will speed up the reopening of closed bauxite mines, create jobs, and earn foreign exchange. In its pre-Budget proposals to the finance ministry, FIMI said, "The export duty of 15 per cent on bauxite is detrimental to Indian non-metallurgical bauxite producers and exporters. Therefore, this Federation requests the complete withdrawal of export duty on bauxite exports." According to the report, India is self-sufficient in meeting its requirements and has enormous potential to become a major player in the...
UAE’s ASIS to supply Cote d'Ivoire customized aluminium boats
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) headquartered inflatable boat manufacturing company ASIS Boats is delivering custom-built patrol boats to the West African nation Cote d’Ivoire. According to the advanced maritime solutions provider, the Ivorian Maritime and Port Affairs maritime law enforcement agency requested ASIS to supply a police boat to perform tasks not only limited to safeguarding coastal borders and ports but also conducting search and rescue missions along the tropical country's rivers, where flooding is a constant hazard. For Cote d'Ivoire, ASIS Boats constructed two 7.6-meter rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) with marine-grade aluminium hulls and decks. They added a safety collar made of Orca Hypalon 1670 Dtex to keep the craft steady and improve the ride. Each boat has two...
India: Despite environmental concerns, the Maharashtra state government initiate the resumption of bauxite mining in Kolhapur
The government of Maharashtra in India has resumed bauxite mining in the Kolhapur district once again. The state government is endeavouring to exclude 18 villages from starting an industrial estate in the Bhudargad taluka of the community. A request has been made to the government of India to look into 18 villages in Bhudargarh to establish an industrial estate in Devkewadi. According to a notification from the central government, 184 villages in the Kolhapur district are classified as sensitive zones. According to the state government, thirty-one settlements will be excluded from these vulnerable zones. Out of these 17 villages, the state government has requested the central government set up an industrial estate in one village to start bauxite mining and exclude all 13 villages as they...
Alba produced 1.6 million tonnes of aluminium in 2022, shattering the previous record
On January 03, 2023, the first aluminium smelter in the Middle East, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), which started its journey in 1971, announced that it had set a new historic production record of 1,600,111 tonnes in 2022, a rise of 38,889 tonnes versus 1,561,222 tonnes in 2021 (+2.5% Year-on-Year). Ali Al Baqali, the Chief Executive Officer of Alba, commented on the achievement of this milestone, "This all-time production record translates our motto' opportunities don't happen, we create them by doing the best we can with what we have'. We also look forward to setting new highs in the future driven by our in-house production creep." "I take the opportunity to express my gratitude to the Management team, our employees and contractors' personnel for making our 2022 objectives a reality...
Key highlights from the global aluminium value chain, December 2022
The year 2022 has been highly active for the global aluminium industry, and the sector also experienced some significant developments in the year's final month. Indonesia finally announced the long-awaited ban on bauxite export, which will take effect in June 2023. Exports of other unprocessed minerals, such as copper, are prohibited under Indonesia's current mining law. The European Union has sealed the world’s first carbon tariff agreement, and in its initial stage, it has included aluminium imports among the other commodities. The President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, announced on December 20, 2022, that the nation would ban bauxite exports, the primary ore source of aluminium, starting from June 2023 to boost the domestic processing of the material. Indonesia ranks among the world's...
Rusal sees a demand surge for low-carbon aluminium in the Chinese market
According to our source in China, it has been reported on December 30, 2022, Rusal, a significant low-carbon aluminium producer, is trying to increase its low-carbon aluminium exports to China in light of the two countries cordial relations and the growing demand for the metal from Chinese electric vehicles manufacturers. Per the 2021 data from the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), primary aluminium is one of the most carbon-intensive segments of the metals business, and the automobile industry uses a lot of aluminium sheets, producing an average of 16.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide per tonne of metal. In order to reduce carbon emissions, more and more low-carbon aluminium is produced utilizing hydropower or recycled materials. The Russian aluminium producer contributes significantly...
Bauxite export ban in Indonesia sets Malaysia up for gains
The Southeast Asian nation, Malaysia, formerly ranked among the top ten global suppliers of bauxite to China, is poised to gain from Indonesia's most recent export embargo. Data from Indonesia's customs show that in 2021, China bought 17.8 million tonnes of bauxite from Indonesia, making up nearly 15% of all imports. According to Statista data, China, the world's largest consumer, imported 107.42 million tonnes of bauxite in 2021. Nik Nazmi, the Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change, said, "In this situation, if a country (Indonesia) has imposed a ban on the export of bauxite, then the global demand will shift to any other country that can supply those resources." "In this case, demand for bauxite from Malaysia will be high, especially from China."...
Impact of Indonesia's bauxite export ban on the aluminium industry
The largest country in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, has recently announced a bauxite export ban, which will be implemented from June 2023. This is a government policy to increase domestic production of metal ores and industry since bauxite is a crucial component in manufacturing aluminium. The nation had already prohibited nickel exports starting around January 2020. Indonesia produced approximately 25.8 million tonnes of bauxite in 2021, making it the world's sixth-largest producer. Approximately 90 per cent of this amount is currently exported, which is expected to significantly impact the global aluminium market. The Indonesian bauxite ban primarily aims to upgrade the country's domestic metal processing industry growth. This could push up aluminium prices in the short term, mainly since...
