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.
AddUp introduces the FormUp® 350 Evolution for printing parts up to 1 meter tall
The aerospace, space, defence, and energy industries need the ability to print big metal components. In response to this demand, AddUp has introduced the FormUp® 350 Evolution machine, enabling the highly productive printing of parts up to 1 metre tall. The FormUp 350 Evolution has been introduced by AddUp, a developer of metal additive manufacturing solutions founded by the French companies Michelin and Fives. This new variant, which is based on the FormUp 350 New Generation machine's architecture, offers a higher manufacturing volume and an architecture designed to cut down on unproductive time. The FormUp 350 Evolution can print objects up to one metre high because its print volume is 350 x 350 x 1000 mm. Many manufacturers will be able to broaden the L-PBF technology's range of...
The ten most significant developments in the global bauxite industry in 2022
The primary driver of bauxite demand is aluminium production, which is anticipated to rise in response to increasing demand from the building, transportation, and packaging sectors. In 2021, the global bauxite market was valued at $15.59 billion, and from 2022 to 2030, it is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 1.7 per cent. The demand for aluminium is expected to increase due to favourable government regulations for electric vehicles (EV) and increased investment in manufacturing lightweight automobiles. As a result of this development, the bauxite business is likely to expand during the projection period. The United States holds a significant portion of the North American bauxite market. It is envisaged that increased production of cement and aluminium will help the market expand. The Aluminum...
Canyon Resources receives new investor and shareholder to advance the development of Minim Martap bauxite project
The world-class bauxite project developer Canyon Resources has received a nearly A$12.1 million strategic placement from Eagle Eye Asset Holdings to advance the development of its Minim Martap bauxite project in Cameroon. Pramod Prusty, the President and CEO of Asset Holding, said on the Strategic Placement, “We are pleased to make this strategic investment into Canyon. We are confident about the future development prospects of the Minim-Martap Project and view Cameroon as the new source of high-grade bauxite supply that will feed the world’s growing demand. Our vision with this investment is to participate in the bauxite and aluminium value chain from Africa, and importantly, we have a successful track record of investing and developing projects in Africa and are looking to repeat this...
Indonesia to impose ban on bauxite exports from June 2023
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 largest bauxite suppliers, with China as a significant consumer. The bauxite export ban's timing complies with Indonesia's present mining regulations. During an economic forum, the Indonesian President said Indonesia would announce a ban on commodity exports without disclosing which or a timeframe for implementation. Exports of other unprocessed minerals, such as copper, are prohibited under Indonesia's current mining law. However, the President did not specify when the bans on shipments of the other materials would be implemented....
Sortera Alloys meets over 95% accuracy milestone in sorting mixed aluminium scrap
On December 20, 2022, the disruptive technology driver in the world of aluminium scrap sorting and recycling, Sortera Alloys, Inc., announced that it had achieved high-quality sorting of pre-production aluminium with more than 95 per cent accuracy. These findings demonstrate that Sortera's advanced deep-technology platform, which includes a vision and other advanced hardware sensors and is powered by a software stack that includes machine learning and artificial intelligence, can handle complex sorting effectively and efficiently, specifically processing end-of-life mixed alloys by category and chemical composition. This enables the business to recycle these resources into the supply chain without compromising their integrity or compound makeup, supporting North America's circular economy...
Rusal approves the updated climate strategy until 2032 with a perspective up to 2050
The Board of the Russian aluminium giant and one of the world’s leading aluminium producers, Rusal, has approved the updated climate strategy until 2032 with a perspective up to 2050. The updated climate strategy was adopted at the Rusal Board of Directors meeting in Krasnoyarsk. The Strategy is divided into two scenarios: basic and intensive, each of which defines a strict framework for achieving the company's decarbonization goals. Rusal plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity per tonne of metal from all production facilities (Scope 1, Scope 2 - direct and indirect energy emissions) by at least 25 per cent by 2032 and by at least 47 per cent by 2050, compared to 2018, excluding the effect from carbon emissions neutralization projects. This reduction is in line with the most...
Discovery Bauxite continues its reforestation efforts, plants large number of trees
Discovery Bauxite, an Atlantic Alumina subsidiary that aims to plant 200,000 trees over three years in support of the National Tree Planting Initiative, has announced that it is ahead of schedule. Operation Discovery Tree was launched in December of last year. Ackee, jackfruit, apple, kola nuts, pimento, cedar, mahogany, blue mahoe, moringa, citrus, mango, breadfruit, and avocado trees have been planted so far. According to Discovery Bauxite, the initiative also contributes to its community-wide land restoration and replanting programme, which includes rehabilitating mined-out sites around Lime Tree Gardens, Water Valley, Tobolski, and other regions. This was stated in the company's newsletter for December. Delroy Dell, the Vice-President and Country Manager of Discovery bauxite, said,...
Vietnam makes the most significant investment in Laos for bauxite exploration
On December 19, 2022, the construction work on a bauxite-alumina mining industrial complex, one of Vietnam’s most significant projects in Lao, was initiated in Dakcheung district, the southern Lao province of Sekong. The investment is counted as one of the biggest investment projects in the country’s Sekong province. The bauxite mine, which spans 8.692 hectares and is valued at USD $1 billion, can produce 1 million tonnes of aluminium ore annually. However, it is anticipated to run for 30 years, with a potential 50-year extension. Phuong Minh Hue, the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Viet Phuong Group, vowed to see the project through to completion while fostering bilateral economic ties between the two countries, particularly in the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia...
Danish design furniture brand ReFramed exhibit bed made from recycled aluminium
The Danish design furniture brand Reframed is quickly becoming the go-to bedroom furniture shop, although only being founded in 2021. The furniture manufacturer has eliminated bulky bed frames in favour of uncomplicated, simple-to-assemble items made of sustainable materials. Its designs feature a simple, clean look anchored in pure practicality. The company has just introduced their well-liked Reframed Bed in anodized aluminium. Tim Rundle, a designer with Reframed, created a new piece to showcase the material's beauty in its unprocessed state. They created a design using aluminium, almost entirely made from post-consumer trash, in collaboration with the metal production business Hydro. Rundle said, “Our new finish celebrates the linear texture of the fine lines formed on the profiles'...
Hydro proposes to build an onshore wind farm to safeguard its aluminium production from rising energy prices
On December 19, 2022, the world's leading industrial company committed to a sustainable future, Norsk Hydro and two partners stated that they plan to build an onshore wind farm costing between 3 and 4 billion Norwegian crowns ($304 million-$405 million) in Norway's west coast. If permitted, the project would use 50 wind turbines to provide one terawatt hour (TWh) of clean energy for present and future enterprises in the Hoeyanger and Sunnfjord areas. Local communities in Norway have recently opposed onshore wind farm projects out of concern for preserving pure nature, but Hydro said it aimed to overcome any potential opposition. Hydro, in its statement, stated, "The project will provide yearly income for Hoeyanger and Sunnfjord municipalities, as well as local value creation in the...
Rio Tinto appoints Kaisa Hietala as a Non-Executive Director
The global mining and metal giant Rio Tinto has announced the appointment of Kaisa Hietala as a non-executive director. A Finnish citizen, Kaisa Hietala, will join the Board on March 1, 2023. An experienced executive, Kaisa Hietala has a proven track record of assisting businesses in transforming environmental megatrends' challenges into growth opportunities. Her career began in upstream oil and gas exploration. As Neste's Executive Vice President of Renewable Products, she was instrumental in the company's commercial transformation into the world's largest and most profitable producer of renewable products. Kaisa Hietala is a seasoned non-executive director who chairs the board of Tracegrow, a private Finnish manufacturer of sustainable fertilisers. She also sits on the boards of Exxon...
Bauxite cargo evacuation at India's Mormugao Port halted due to protests by residents
According to our report, it has been confirmed since December 15 that the road transportation of bauxite and coal from the Indian state-owned Mormugao Port has been halted due to opposition from Vasco City inhabitants to the transit of these commodities due to pollution concerns. The port is now home to about 100,000 tonnes of bauxite cargo that belonged to clients, including Hindalco Industries Ltd and UltraTech Cement Ltd (owned by the Aditya Birla Group). Due to the protesting locals, the material cannot use the two export-import gates of Mormugao port. A port official stated, “In the last three days, 30,000-40,000 tonnes of cargo were expected to be transported out of the port by road. The port will soon become congested." “It’s strange that some 10-15 people have completely stopped...
ElvalHalcor equips its cold rolling facility with an SMS Airwash™ system
The Greek aluminium manufacturer ElvalHalcor SA has installed the SMS Group's Airwash™ technology at its cold rolling production site in Oinofyta, close to Athens. Elval gave the SMS group the final acceptance certificate for the project's successful conclusion in the fall of 2022. However, with this investment, ElvalHalcor has made another significant step toward even more environmentally friendly aluminium manufacturing and protection. A portion of the rolling oil evaporates during the cold rolling of aluminium. The Airwash™ system receives the removed fumes. Rolling oil is primarily present in the exhaust air as a gas, with some droplets and less gas. The Airwash™ technology can separate and recover droplet and gaseous components, unlike mechanical separators, which can only separate...
Rio Tinto, Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation inks agreement for an innovative and sustainable alliance
The signing of the first agreement named Kuessilueu, which means "the wind is turning" in Nelueun, by Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation and Rio Tinto marks the beginning of a new era in their relationship. From a human, cultural, and economic standpoint, this agreement lays the groundwork for both partners' innovative and sustainable alliance. The agreement, which Gilbert Dominique signed, Chief of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation, and Sébastien Ross, Managing Director, Atlantic Operations, Rio Tinto Aluminium, is the first step in a special process that could result in as many as 80 representatives from the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation and Rio Tinto working together as early as 2023. They will collaborate in multidisciplinary teams for several months to identify opportunities for...
Arfin India bags $42 million worth aluminium deox supply order from Saudi Arabia
The prominent name in the aluminium recycling and ferroalloys segment, Arfin India, witnessed stock price pick up following the company's announcement that it received an export order from the Saudi Arabia-Middle East steel plant to supply aluminium deox worth $42.26 million (INR 350 crore). The company, however, also declared that the export order would be completed in four phases. Incorporated in 2001, the company boasts a progressive vision as well as the necessary industrial capacity to become a market leader. In metallurgy, deoxidization is a method of removing oxygen from steel. Most steelmaking operations use aluminium as a deoxidizer. Most often, aluminium is deoxidized in a ladle; in rare cases, it may also be added to the mould during continuous casting or ingot casting.
Capral acquires Allyman Aluminium to expand its distribution footprint in Australia
Australia's leading industrial solutions specialist and aluminium provider, Capral Aluminium, announced that it had acquired Allyman Aluminium, an aluminium distribution business in Wollongong, New South Wales, servicing the South Coast of NSW. The acquisition is a result of Capral's dedication to increasing the size of its distribution network so that it can have hubs and trade centres for aluminium strategically positioned all over Australia. Mark Murray, the NSW Industrial Sales Manager at Capral Aluminium, said, "The acquisition of the Allyman business is an integral part of our long-term commitment to supporting Australian trades and manufacturers with reliable access to aluminium products. Our philosophy is that wherever our customers are, they should feel that Capral Aluminium is...
Pondy Oxides and Chemicals Ltd accomplished the installation of a new facility for recycling aluminium
Pondy Oxides and Chemicals Limited has accomplished the installation of plant and machinery for the aluminium recycling/melting facility at its existing premises in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India and gained the required regulatory approvals and thereby inaugurated its commercial production on December 14 2022. Over the course of several months, the production at the recycling facility will be steadily increased to reach maximum levels. This will enable the business to satisfy the rising demand for aluminium. The Company constantly emphasises the circular economy and the importance of environmental responsibility and will continue to introduce more friendly projects and further contribute to the circular economy.
Balco explores the use of biodiesel across its plant operations to reduce carbon emissions
India’s iconic aluminium producer and a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium, Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), is exploring biodiesel applications across plant operations to decarbonize emissions. The business initially uses it as fuel for specialist vehicles used for plant-wide mobility. When burned, biodiesel has a substantially lower carbon impact than traditional, non-renewable fuels because it is made from organic matter. This is another effort the corporation is making to cut carbon emissions. The two key pillars of BALCO's decarbonization journey are energy efficiency and a rise in the use of green fuels. BALCO is attempting to achieve this goal by incorporating more renewable energy sources, such as biomass, biodiesel, and renewable energy, into its energy mix. For instance,...
