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.
ALCORE selects the initial operating conditions for its pilot plant to recover fluorine from ‘excess bath’
The Australia-based mining and metal technology company ABx Group has confirmed that its 83%-owned subsidiary ALCORE Limited (ALCORE), has selected the initial operating conditions for its planned pilot plant on the New South Wales (NSW) Central Coast. This pilot plant aims to produce hydrogen fluoride from 'excess bath', a waste product from aluminium smelters. During the commercial process, hydrogen fluoride will be converted into aluminium fluoride, a high-value chemical essential for aluminium smelting. ALCORE commissioned three reactors earlier this year and has since monitored their performance at varying temperatures, residence times, and acid amounts. The results of this assessment program, combined with literature data and thermodynamic modelling, have allowed the company to...
Aluminium plays a crucial role in extending the life of Toyota engines
A unique characteristic separates every Indian car manufacturer from its competitors among customers. For instance, Maruti Suzuki is known for its fuel efficiency, Hyundai and Kia for their features, and Mahindra and Tata for their strong build. However, the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota is known for its reliable engine. According to our report, many type 1 Toyota Innova owners still drive their cars without any significant issues. There have been Innovas that have done over 1 million km on odometers without any problems. Toyota Innovas are incredibly reliable when compared to other cars in the segment. As per our information from auto experts, these engines are unique from others in the segment and are built for a purpose. The engine of this car does not have too many advanced...
Global trade leader in refined metals inks $800 million loan agreement backed by the German government
The Singapore-incorporated multinational commodity trading company Trafigura, also acknowledged as the global leader in trading refined metals, including aluminium, has entered into a USD800 million five-year loan underwritten and arranged by Societe Generale and syndicated to seven participating banks. The loan is guaranteed by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany acting through the German Export Credit Agency (ECA) Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft. Germany's Untied Loan program supports Trafigura's commitment to delivering up to 500,000 tonnes of non-ferrous metals, including aluminium, to Germany over five years. The Untied Loan program ensures Germany's long-term access to strategic commodities. In exchange for offering cover on the financing, Trafigura has committed to a...
Alcoa lowers its outlook for alumina and bauxite shipments
The Pittsburgh-based industrial production and the world's eighth-largest aluminium producer, Alcoa, is lowering its outlook for alumina and bauxite shipments on the ground of demand contracts and reducing output. According to the Q3 earning report, the company anticipates alumina shipments to range from 13.1 million tonnes - 13.3million tonnes (t), a dip of 500,000 tonnes. This lower production level results from the company's San Ciprián refinery's 50% reduction in production, or 800,000 tonnes per year, to reduce its losses from higher natural gas prices. The Australian refineries of Alcoa are also expected to minimise shipment volumes. Due to lower demand from Australian refineries, the bauxite shipment estimates for the year have been reduced by 1 million tonnes to 43-44 million...
Aluminium Association unveils updated environmental product declarations for significant types of aluminium
On 20th October 2022, the Aluminum Association, the aluminium industry's leading voice in the United States of America, released the updated environmental product declarations (EPDs) that show reductions in the environmental impact of aluminium product types including primary aluminium ingot, recycled aluminium ingot, aluminium extrusion products and aluminium sheet products. An EPD is a comprehensive, internationally harmonized report describing a product's potential environmental impact through its life cycle. Companies using EPDs in the building and construction industry make informed decisions about what products to use. Charles Johnson, the President & CEO of the Aluminum Association, said, “Aluminum produced in North America is more sustainable than ever. The domestic industry has...
Rusal dominates the bauxite and alumina supply chain in addition to primary aluminium production
As the global economy is driving through a challenging situation, the aluminium sector witnessed’s price drop amidst the alleged dumping of Russian aluminium, weakening the demand for metal and propelling the cost of production. Aluminium stocks in London Metals Exchange (LME) warehouses surged this week, raising concerns about the potential dumping of Russian-origin aluminium. Currently, the Joe Biden administration is considering banning aluminium imports from Russia. However, that has been reported as irresponsible by the Chairman of the Russian aluminium giant, Rusal. A significant portion of unsold metal ends up in the LME warehousing system. These are warehouses that are authorized to store metal that is registered with the exchange. A highly recognised mining and metal analyst from...
Hydro invests in solar fence at its German aluminium extrusion facility to reduce emissions
The leading industrial company committed to a sustainable future, Hydro is investing in a 426-meter-long solar fence at its extrusion plant in Offenburg, Germany. The fence is the first of its kind in Germany and will reduce the plant's emissions. By 2030, Hydro intends to reduce its emissions by 30% and become net zero by 2050. All Hydro locations are working on switching to renewable energy sources. Renewable electricity is purchased in some of these projects, while it is produced on-site in others. The solar fence project is a collaboration between Hydro Extrusions and the renewable energy company Hydro Rein colleagues. Hubert Ronecker, the Managing Director at the extrusion plant in Offenburg, said, "Every step matters on the path to zero emissions. The energy consumption at an...
KPS Capital Partners Speira secures EU antitrust approval for Real Alloy Europe deal
On October 19, 2022, the European Commission stated that KPS Capital Partners' portfolio company, German aluminium smelter Speira had received the EU antitrust approval to acquire aluminium recycler Real Alloy Europe after offering to sell two plants. The private equity firm KPS Capital Partners works exclusively to acquire and improve businesses that manufacture various products across many industries. Speira, headquartered in Grevenbroich, Germany, owns the world's largest rolled aluminium finishing mill. It sells a plant in France and another owned by Real Alloy Europe. Speira comes from Greek and stands for a spiral of growing influence that originates from a strong core, uplifting performances and much more: Speira also stands for the circularity of production, using and recycling,...
Powerful human performance tool 'Stop and Seek Help' preventing conveyor belt mishaps carrying bauxite
Lately, intuitiveness and acuteness combined with exhaustive experience in conveyor belt maintenance and repair tasks shaved off prospective mishap proceedings just before the last minute. The Rio Tinto Australia Gove (RTAG) bauxite operations in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, are bound by only one vital conveyor belt connecting the mine pit to the port. Accidental maintenance failures outside usually lined-up downtime stoppages for this crucial conveyor system established enhanced safety risks to onsite teams and are incredibly big-budgeted and unwanted. At the high end of Australia, Rio Tinto’s Gove operation exports just less than 12 million tonnes of some of the world’s premium quality bauxite globally. The C6-7 artery belt delivers 1750 tonnes per hour from the mine to the port to...
Balco wins Chhattisgarh Barra coal block bid, reinforcing aluminium production's power security
Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), Vedanta's subsidiary company, has been declared the successful bidder for the Barra Coal Block, situated in the Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh under Tranche IV of the commercial coal block auction conducted by the Ministry of Coal, Govt. of India. Considering the location of the coal block, it is the best possible choice for BALCO. According to estimates, the block contains 900 million tonnes of coal reserves. Upon operationalization, it will provide fuel security and improve power availability while strengthening BALCO's operations and performance. Presently, Balco produces around 600,000 tonnes of aluminium per annum, which is 20% of India's annual aluminium output. The power production capacity at Balco has also reached 2010 MW per annum from 270 MW...
Brazil’s auto production soared 11.6% in 2021: Anfavea
According to the Brazilian body, which brings together the automobile, light commercial, truck, bus, agricultural and construction machinery manufacturers National Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea) reported that in 2021, the auto industry's production witnessed an 11.6% upswing against 2020 to 2.2 million units. However, it has been acknowledged as a marginal improvement but still below the potential for domestic and foreign demand. Truck sales increased 43.5%, pickup sales increased 25.1%, and van sales increased 22.8% on the balance sheet, while car sales dropped 3.6% and made passenger cars the most affected, majorly due to the global semiconductor shortage crisis. Concurrently, the production of processed aluminium is also winged up. The increase occurred in...
IDT rules in a wage dispute between Windalco and the Jamaica union
The Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT), which deals with disputes involving unionised as well as non-unionised workers, is settling a wage dispute between Windalco (UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica) Limited and the Union of Clerical, Administrative & Supervisory Employees, increased Windalco's offer to six per cent for the period November 2019 to November 2021. In addition to other benefits, the union requested a 12 per cent wage increase for year one and a 15 per cent for year two. Last month, the Tribunal said the one per cent increase was based on the circumstances of gradual improvements in the company's finances and the inflation out-turn in 2020 and 2021, which accumulated to a 12.5 per cent increase. King's Counsel Allan Wood, the company representative, stated that the union's claim...
Speira all set to obtain EU antitrust approval for its Real Alloy Europe acquisition offer
A recent report from Europe indicates, that the private equity firm that has grown substantially over the past two decades, KPS Capital Partners, whose portfolio company Germany's aluminium smelter Speira ready to receive EU antitrust approval for its plan to acquire aluminium recycler Real Alloy Europe with its offer to sell two plants to address EU concerns. The deal was announced in February by Speira, which owns the world's largest rolled aluminium finishing mill in Grevenbroich, Germany. Annually, the company produces about a million tonnes of aluminium-rolled products. As a result of the deal, the company can use recycled metal to make low-carbon rolled aluminium products. In Germany, Norway, France and Britain, Real Alloy Europe has seven facilities and about 600 employees....
Bucher consigned galleys made of 65% recycled aluminium to Virgin Atlantic
Aircraft interior solutions provider Bucher has consigned the first set of fully customized galleys and stowages to Airbus Toulouse for their integration into the new Virgin Atlantic A330-900neo. However, on 16 th October 2022, the airline took delivery of the first aircraft. The Crawley, UK-headquartered Virgin Atlantic Airways is a repeating customer for Bucher. In 2011, Bucher placed the order for the first generation A330 for Virgin Atlantic. Again, Virgin Atlantic selected Bucher as its airline's 'Buyer Furnished Equipment' (BFE) partner for the follow-up order. As the industry leader in sustainable materials and processes, Bucher's galleys are made up of 65% recyclable aluminium and are backed by a team of specialized engineers. Virgin Atlantic stated, "Bucher is known for its high...
IMIDRO H1 data reveals Iran’s alumina production grew 2%
According to the data published by a significant Iranian state-owned company active in the mining sector, Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) that the nation's alumina production has leapt by two per cent in the H1 of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-September 22), against the same period in 2021. The IMIDRO’s data reveals that the alumina powder output in the six months of this year was 118,845 tonnes, while the figure was 116,192 tonnes in the same period of the previous year. However, the organization has formerly recorded alumina powder production growth by 11 per cent in Q1 2022 from the first quarter of 2021. Alumina powder production reached 62,291 tonnes in the first three months of 2022, compared with 55,974 tonnes in...
EGA pinpoints procurement opportunities costing UAE companies millions of dirhams to be produced locally
The aluminium conglomerate in the Middle-east region, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), with interests in bauxite, alumina and primary aluminium smelting, has diagnosed millions of dirhams of annual procurement spending are accounted on imported goods, that the aluminium producer counts be manufactured domestically, thus contributing to the UAE's Operation 300bn industrial growth strategy and economic growth. Typical opportunities include general materials, industrial equipment, and spare parts commonly needed across industries but not currently manufactured in sufficient quantities or at all in the UAE. As part of Operation 300bn, the UAE's strategy to more than double the size of its industrial sector by 2031, EGA aims to localize its procurement of materials further. In 2021, EGA spent...
Gas crisis in Europe impacts non-ferrous recyclers, primarily aluminium
The gas supply restriction by Russia has propelled the energy prices to surge, resulting in the aluminium smelters slashing production, which are big customers for secondary non-ferrous metals. The European metal sector is countering a massive challenge following the Ukraine-Russia geopolitical crisis. The continent's economy is now burdened by another issue, i.e. energy, besides the problems it has known for months, such as poor supply chains and the recent Covid pandemic. Europe has shown little self-sufficiency regarding energy resources over the past few weeks. At least in the short and medium term, wind, solar, and water energy cannot meet the energy demand. For too long, some European countries, notably Germany, have relied on Russian gas - this source is now drying up. As of this...
First Indian-manufactured aluminium goods train rake flagged off
On 16th October 2022, the first Indian-manufactured aluminium goods train rake was flagged off from Bhubaneswar in Odisha. In addition to being lighter than its predecessors, it is also more capable of carrying freight. Besco Limited (Wagon Division) manufactured the aluminium-bodied wagons following an order in 2021 placed by aluminium major Hindalco Industries Limited. It was motivated by Hindalco's team headed by Mr Sagar Dhamorikar, Jt. President, and their desire to introduce aluminium in wagon manufacture, Besco, led by Mr Anant Tantia, along with the company's dedicated design and production team, led by Mr Goutam Banerjee, General Manager, completed the project within the 15-month schedule. It consists of one full rake of 61 wagons and 01 Brake Van. According to our report, these...
