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.
Befesa reports organizational changes to capture double-digit sustainable global growth opportunities
On 12 th July 2022, the Board of Directors of Befesa S.A. appointed Javier Molina, the present Chief Executive, as the Executive Chairperson of Befesa, while the working Vice President of the Steel Dust Recycling Business, Asier Zarraonandia is promoted as the CEO of Befesa. The current Chairman of the Board has been appointed as the Lead Independent Director and abides as Chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. However, the company has reported that all the changes are with immediate effect. In his capacity as chairman of the board of directors of Befesa and executive chairman, Javier Molina will represent Befesa to regulators, authorities, and shareholders. Befesa's corporate strategy will be implemented by him, covering growth projects, the Sustainable Global Growth Plan...
Jamaica Parliament approves budgetary support of J$268 million for JBI
The Lower House of the Jamaica Parliament, also known as the House of Representatives has sanctioned the amount of J$268.48 million to be withdrawn from the Capital Development Fund (CDF), to contribute budgetary support to the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) for FY 2022-23. On 5 th July 2022, Dr Nigel Clarke, the Minister of Finance and the Public Service, said: “The JBI was established by the Government in 1975 as a regulatory planning and development agency, to manage the sovereign aspects of the Government’s participation in the bauxite alumina industry.” He further highlighted that the JBI is responsible for observing and studying the alumina sector and advising the Government on matters concerning the industry both domestic and international markets. However, Dr Clarke reported that...
Balco's energy conservation initiatives saved 22000 GJ in FY22, increasing its decarbonization efforts
India's iconic aluminium manufacturer, Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium, conserved more than 22,000 gigajoules (GJ) of energy in FY22. As part of the company's commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 2050 or earlier, Balco is gaining ground toward decarbonizing its operations. Intending to conserve energy, in FY22, BALCO reduced: Specific Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) consumption at its cast houses by 10% Specific power consumption (energy used for producing a unit of product) by 15% Scrap generation in Ingot Casting Machine by 20% and in Wire Rod Mill by 31%, thereby reducing energy used in re-melting, which is energy-intensive In addition, the company is using biomass briquettes to reduce its GHG emissions by 0.43 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent...
ADC revokes anti-dumping duties on aluminium profiles imported from Vietnam and Malaysia
According to the Department of Industry and Trade, the Australia Anti-Dumping Commission (ADC) completed its final review of the anti-dumping tax period for aluminium profiles from Vietnam and Malaysia. The Australian Anti-Dumping Commission (ADC) has decided not to continue charging antidumping duties on the goods in question. According to ADC, Malaysian and Vietnamese aluminium profiles have represented a relatively small proportion of Australian aluminium profiles over the past five years and anti-dumping measures have had no significant impact on the Australian aluminium profile market. Consequently, the current 1.9% anti-dumping measure against Vietnam expired on 27th June 2022. ADC's end-of-term review was previously initiated on 15th September 2021, following Capral Aluminium's...
Epsilon Carbon to develop a molten pitch storage facility at Mangalore port aims to supply aluminium smelters
Epsilon Carbon, India's foremost manufacturer of coal tar derivatives, as well as the nation's only backwards-integrated manufacturer of raw material, has agreed to collaborate with edible oil refiner Sri Anagha Refineries to construct molten pitch storage tanks at the refiner's premises in Mangalore on India's western coast. Storage tanks capable of holding 10,000 metric tons will be erected at the facility. The Mangalore Port is the seventh-largest port in the country and it is a place where some of the key primary commodities are imported as well as exported. The carbon company exemplified, “Since the port had a draft of 14 metres, it allowed vessels up to DWT of 100,000 MT to berth, and thus the facility would help Epsilon to scale up exports.” Epsilon further added, “Through this...
Vedanta Aluminium inks MoU with TÜV SÜD to achieve water-positive sustainability goals
India's largest aluminium producer, Vedanta Aluminium has partnered with TÜV SÜD, a global leader in safety, security, and sustainability solutions, to become net water positive. As a part of this partnership, Vedanta Aluminium and TÜV will create a roadmap for the company's water positivity goal by enhancing the accounting process for water consumption, building capacity for continuous improvement and conservation, and implementing innovative solutions and initiatives. A key pillar in Vedanta Aluminium's approach to Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) excellence for climate action is water management, which aims to achieve net water-positive operations by 2030. A water-positive pledge helps companies align with the UN goal of ensuring that people have access to safe water while...
Canyon Resources Managing Director Phillip Gallagher steps down
Philipp Gallagher, the founder and Managing Director of Canyon Resources, has stepped down after 12 years of service. In accordance with previously announced plans, Phillip will remain on the board as a Non-Executive Director. However, with a mutual decision, he will step aside from the board immediately. The ASX-listed company, Canyon didn’t unveil any further communication on Phillip Gallagher’s earlier-than-planned exit, but said that it's part of the “evolution of the company”. As Managing Director, Gallagher served the company since its ASX listing in 2010. The company secured the Minim Martap bauxite project in Cameroon and recently completed a bankable feasibility study. Cliff Lawrenson, the Chairman of Canyon Resources said, “On behalf of the board, I would like to acknowledge...
Aloft Holdings may acquire Alcoa’s Portland Aluminium smelter in Australia
The Alcoa-owned Portland Aluminium smelter, Australia's second-largest aluminium producer, is in talks with Aloft Holdings, a Dutch company run by an Australian investment banker. According to our report, people familiar with the situation stated, that Aloft Holdings which was floated in November 2021 to buy and run aluminium assets globally, has done the assessment of the Portland aluminium smelter and has been in dialogue with American Industrial Corporation, Alcoa’s Australian assets for months in regards to a potential deal. Furthermore, Aloft also moved to Australian and offshore financial institutes for debt funding, to strive its offer into a fully funded bid. In the past six months, Alcoa's local subsidiary Alcoa of Australia held confidential discussions with Aloft and other...
Runaya wins ‘Golden Peacock Innovative Product/Service Award 2022’ in the category of mining & metallurgy
Runaya Group has been felicitated as the Winner of the ‘Golden Peacock Innovative Product/Service Award’ for the year 2022, adding another acclamation to its cap for innovative technology of Briquettes made from Aluminium Dross, at the Runaya Refining LLP. Hon'ble Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Justice of India and former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission of India and National Commission for Constitutional Reforms, presided over the award ceremony. Runaya’s vision is to deploy cutting-edge technology to enable innovation, sustainability, and efficiency improvement in the natural resources industry. Jagannath Prasad, the COO of Runaya Refining LLP said, “This award corroborates the fact that we are continuously striving to bring innovation and technology at par at...
Hillside Aluminium partners with Solana Energy to develop regional solar infrastructure
Fully owned and operated by South32, South Africa-based Hillside Aluminium has collaborated with Solana Energy to provide entry of renewable energy to one of the country’s most crucial commercial hubs. With its launch in June 2022, this multi-phased project will enable renewable solar power infrastructure to be introduced into Richards Bay and King Cetshwayo District (KCD), adding between 2MW and 2.5MW of renewable energy capacity to the local grid within a year. This will allow businesses that supply Hillside Aluminium to start experiencing the benefits of renewable energy. This partnership will lower electricity costs and greenhouse gas emissions for workers and businesses, and drive investment that will support the transition to a low-carbon economy in the region. Rob Jackson, the Vice...
Falling aluminium and copper prices may lead KEI Industries to reduce its price
The Chairman of KEI Industries, Anil Gupta stated that the company has already implemented some price cuts in Q1FY23, and with copper and aluminium prices down 20%-30% Q-o-Q, it may further cut prices in the near future. KEI Industries, the market leader in the manufacturing of wires and cables in India with a vision to become the world largest is one of the preferred suppliers for private and public sector clients globally. Cables and wires prices are updated every 15 days in the B2C segment. It has been reported that cable and wire companies have cut prices by 8-9 per cent in the past few weeks. Inventory destocking usually occurs more quickly when prices fall. In Q1FY23, the KEI management stated that there was significant interest from both the B2B and institutional segments. However,...
WTO withholds decree on US’ aluminium and steel tariff dispute with six nations
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has impeded its dispute panel’s decree on the United States tariff with six nations including Russia, India and China against higher duties on some aluminium and steel products to the second half of 2022 adducing “complexity of the issue”. A Geneva-based official stated, “Due to the complexity of the dispute, the Panel now expects to issue its final report to the parties no earlier than the last quarter of 2022.” The three European nations Norway, Turkey and Switzerland had also tugged the United States to the WTO on the White House’s move to impose 10% and 25% import duties on certain aluminium and steel products in 2018. However, the US had voiced that the duties were steps for national security. Concerning this issue, India protested that the duties...
Gas crisis: German aluminium industry prepares for the worst, draws up contingency plans
The aluminium industry is a highly energy-intensive sector and the German aluminium industry is getting ready for the extreme situation in the aspect of the uncertainty in the gas supply. On 1 st July 2022, the President of Aluminium Deutschland e. V. (Aluminium Association of Germany), Hinrich Mählmann said, “Preparation for the worst-case scenario consists of companies drawing up emergency plans.” He further added, “It is about which gas consumers have to be switched off first and then subsequently. However, this is only possible to a certain extent, after which the companies would have to be closed. Then the contingency plan consists of managing liquidity in such a way that the companies survive at least for a certain period. But this period is also limited.” The aluminium industry in...
India’s largest aluminium producer Vedanta reports 3% production leap in Apr-Jun quarter
On 4 th July 2022, the largest aluminium producer of India, Vedanta reported a 3 per cent upswing in its aluminium production to 565,000 tonnes in the April-June quarter of FY22-23. Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Ltd runs its aluminium operations in the states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh and had produced 549,000 tonnes of aluminium in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. Aluminium has applications across a wide range of critical industries, including aerospace, aviation, electrical, transportation, infrastructure, consumer goods, and more, as well as emerging sectors such as electric vehicles and renewable energy; making it an essential part of modern life and crucial for a low carbon future. As a result, aluminium is the world's second most important metal today and is set...
Diversified metal producer South32 reshaping its portfolio to focus on a low-carbon future
The Chief Development Officer of South32, Simon Collins stated at the virtual session of this year’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada, that the company encountered a significant change in the past year and has evolved considerably since its formation in 2015, reshaping the company's portfolio to focus on metals critical to a low-carbon future mandate the company to diversify its product portfolio. During the first half of the company's financial year 2022, he noted that record earnings and shareholder returns were supported by the company's favourable commodity mix and recent portfolio improvements. Collins expressed by commenting, “Study outcomes for our world-class development options in North America underline their potential to supply critical minerals into the future....
Italian aluminium structures export during 2019-21 illustrates uneven moment; 10% growth estimated for 2022
As a structural metal, aluminium is used for its toughness, high strength, lightweight, and corrosion resistance. Due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, aluminium is almost as strong as steel at a fraction of the weight. Thus, aluminium alloys are commonly used in skyscrapers and high-rise structures. In 2020, Italy ranked as the 4 th largest exporter of aluminium structures in the world and during the same year, it was the 151 st most exported product of the country. Since Italy relies heavily on Russian gas imports, it is one of the most vulnerable non-eastern countries in the Eurozone to the war in Ukraine. Italy exported 249,055 tonnes of aluminium structures during 2019-21, attracting a revenue inflow of $2.64 billion from the export. In the hands of the architect, aluminium...
Alcoa idles one of the three potlines at Warrick aluminium smelter in Indiana
On 1 st July 2022, the Pittsburgh-headquartered American Industrial Corporation due to operational challenges at Warrick aluminium smelter, Alcoa announced it is curtailing one of three potlines immediately. There are three smelting lines at Warrick, each capable of producing approximately 54,000 tonnes per year. By the end of 1st July, one potline was shut down completely. John Slaven, the Executive Vice President and COO at Alcoa said, “Our teams will be focused on ensuring that we bring down this capacity safely while protecting production at the two other operating lines.” Alcoa in its 2020 sustainability report, which covered the activity of the previous year, exemplified “an ongoing focus on increasing the recycled content in the flat-rolled aluminium produced at our Warrick...
Ghana's bauxite industry foresees $10 billion Chinese investment
The senior presidential advisor to the Akufo-Addo Administration, Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo stated that Ghana can generate 100,000 jobs from a $10 billion loan agreement with China. In 2017, the Chinese government committed a sum of $15 billion to support developmental projects in Ghana. The Chinese government in 2017 had committed a sum of US$ 15 billion to developmental projects in the West African nation. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice-President of Ghana pointed out that the country would grasp its resources in cooperation with China and anticipates the investments to be utilized to enhance the economy. However, he emphasized that the China Exim Bank and other partners were committed to supporting Ghana. Yaw Osafo Maafo said, “Ghana can create 100,000 jobs from a $10 billion loan...
