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.
Speira, RWTH Aachen University study report on aluminium in battery technology for E-mobility revealed
Speira, a leading aluminium rolling and recycling company with operating facilities in Germany and Norway has published a white paper on the joint concept study with the Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components at RWTH Aachen University, an elite German public research university located in Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The study eyes on the thermal management of cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells (LIB) in 4680 format, due to LIB developers and car manufacturers are aiming further to increase the energy and power density as well as the safety of LIBs, while at the same time shifting charging rates towards conventional refuelling times. Against this background, the study partners investigated whether the significantly better thermal conductivity of aluminium compared...
Gränges reported a fire incident at under commissioning cold rolling mill in Konin
Granges, the aluminium technology company driving the development of lighter and more sustainable aluminium products and solutions reported a fire incident on 13th May 2022 in the newly built cold rolling mill currently under commissioning in Konin, Poland production facility. The management declared that no one got injured, but the fire resulted in damage to production equipment. However, the outlook for the second quarter remains unchanged. Konin's current production capacity and short-term outlook are unaffected by the damaged equipment since the damaged equipment is not yet in production. Accordingly, the current production level in Konin can be sustained. Despite this, the volume ramp-up originally slated for the second half of 2022 will now be delayed until 2023. The event will be...
New Zealand witnesses continuous downfall of aluminium scrap export during 2019-22
A systemic process is used to remanufacture scrap metal, such as aluminium, into new products. It is possible to recycle aluminium by remelting it, which is a more durable and less energy-intensive process than extracting it electrolytically from bauxite ore. However, this is also to be notified that recycling aluminium scrap requires about 5% of the energy needed to produce new aluminium. Following a surge of 4.7% in 2021, New Zealand’s GDP is predicted to augment by 3.8% in 2022 before easing to 2.5% growth in 2023. Mathias Cormann, the Secretary-General of OECD, while presenting the survey alongside Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson and Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications David Clark said, “The near-term economic outlook is positive. The New...
UAE-Germany emphasizes fostering bilateral trade; aluminium export to Germany excels
During the recent discussion on escalating the bilateral and trade relations, the Gulf nation UAE and the EU nation Germany discussed strategies to co-operate in multiple areas that will benefit both the large economies. On 10 th May 2022, it was reported that discussions were held during a visit to Berlin by a high-level delegation from UAE led by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology. Dr Jaber said, “Co-operation in the sectors discussed will contribute to sustainable economic growth.” The UAE delegates were hosted by Robert Habeck, the Vice-Chancellor and Economy Minister of Germany. On the agenda, the sectors discussed were energy, specifically wind and solar advanced industries, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, tourism and agriculture, as well...
Alba sustains to lead in ESG, achieving the highest ranking of all Bahrain-listed companies
The first aluminium smelter in the Middle East which has started its commercial operations back in 1971, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) pursues to lead in sustainability as it has been acknowledged as the top company in Bahrain on the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating list by ESG Invest - the investment research arm of ‘Sustainability Excellence’, which provides comprehensive ratings that quantify ESG performance of companies in the Arab World. Al Baqali, Alba's Chief Executive Officer, expressed his views on this occasion by saying, “We view ESG as central to Alba’s mission -- being a responsible corporate citizen, we want to create value for all our stakeholders and society. “ “We are pleased to be selected as the Number One Company for ESG in Bahrain, for the third...
MRAI addresses the success of IMRC conference aiming to make India a global recycling hub
The apex body representing the interest of the Indian recycling industry, the Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI), to make India a global recycling hub, has been precisely working toward developing a circular economy and sustainable recycling operations inside the country. The 9th IMRC conference which took place on 5 th – 7 th May 2022 at Leela Convention Centre, Shahdara, Delhi addressed the growing concerns about making India a green superpower by 2030. Several issues were discussed in the MRAI’s IMRC conference including segregation of waste during generation, use of a minimum percentage of recyclable waste in every manufacturing activity in India, setting up of recycling parks and clusters in India, government tenders to allow recycling materials that comply with BIS,...
Bosnia Herzegovina's imports of aluminium cans during 2019-22 illustrate a fluctuating demand pattern
In recent years, aluminium cans have gained in popularity both among consumers and companies. There are endless possibilities for aluminium cans, from craft beers and canned wine to energy drinks and sparkling water. In the 1950s, Coors Brewing Company mass-produced aluminium cans for improving beer taste and providing a more sustainable container than steel cans. It is therefore reassuring to know that the environmental goals of that revolutionary new product are still being addressed. Despite limited market reforms, Bosnia and Herzegovina's economy is in transition and upper-middle-income. On 10 th May 2022, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) stated that it anticipates Bosnia and Herzegovina's economy to inflate by 3% in 2022, revising upwards its existing...
UAE-Greece trade escalates by 67% in 2021; aluminium export to Greece tops the list
According to the data revealed for 2021 by Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), a government center affiliated with the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs in the United Arab Emirates, the value of trade exchange between the UAE and Greece soared by 67%, comprising to over AED2 billion, when compared to AED1.2 billion in 2020. As indicated in the figures, the top five commodities imported from Greece in 2021 comprised petroleum and oils obtained from minerals worth AED510 million, tobacco for AED134 million, aluminium sheets and plates for AED77 million, building stones for AED67 million, and medicines for AED65 million. Last year, raw aluminium topped the list of top five commodities exported to Greece, valued at AED244 million, while telephones, including those used for...
Europlasma reports positive trial results in China related to the recycling of hazardous aluminium waste
As part of the company's role as a pollution control solution provider, Europlasma announces positive results of new tests in preparation for the marketing of ultimate plasma torch treatment units for aluminium waste. Following the optimization of its treatment process, Europlasma has carried out a series of tests in partnership with Hangzhou Dianzi University. They processed aluminium waste and recovered alumina with a purity of over 80%, as verified by an independent laboratory, compared with 70% previously. Europlasma thus demonstrates the possibility of transforming, thanks to its innovative process, ultimate aluminium waste, whose toxicity is proven, into a harmless raw material with high added value. The Group is thus once again following the example of what is already practised by...
Top ten countries with the highest bauxite production in 2021
The principal raw material used in the production of aluminium is bauxite and it is used for both metal supply and non-metallurgical needs. As residually enriched rocks, bauxites are composed primarily of Al-hydroxides (gibbsite, boehmite, and diaspore), kaolinite, Fe-oxy-hydroxides, and Ti-oxides, which are produced by the lateritic weathering of aluminosilicate protoliths. Humid, tropical, and subtropical climates are generally conducive to lateritic weathering and bauxite formation. In addition to its multipurpose uses in metallurgy and chemical industries, bauxite is also used as a raw material in building and road construction. Aluminium is made only from bauxite, the best and only material. There are many uses for bauxite, including the chemical industry, refractory bricks,...
Vedanta Aluminium names George English as Director of Value-Added Products
India’s largest producer of aluminium, Vedanta Aluminium announced the appointment of George English, in the position of Director - Value Added Products. Vedanta Aluminium operates one of the world’s leading single largest aluminium smelters in Jharsuguda, Odisha. George English carries with him over two decades of rich experience in the metals industry to lead the Value Added Products vertical of Vedanta Aluminium Business, a strategic lever as the aluminium giant caters to the raw material needs of its customers with top of the line aluminium products. English will be reporting to the Dy Aluminium Division CEO and will be based at Jharsuguda, Odisha. A metallurgical engineer by qualification, George remains logical with a methodical approach to projects that delivers results on time and...
Aluminium scrap export volume in Dominican Republic declines, revenue increases during 2019-22
In modern times, recycling aluminium from scrap has become a vital component of industry and has been a practice since the early 1900s. However, the process was a low profile undertaking until the 1960s, when the recycling of aluminium beverage cans finally came into the limelight. The most common item that is collected and brought to a scrap yard is aluminium cans, as it is very commonly available from beverages and food cans. The other sources for the recycling of aluminium scrap include - automobiles, appliances, windows and doors, and other products. The foremost export of the Dominican Republic is ferronickel, aluminium and other metal scraps, jewellery, medical equipment, etc. The country’s major export partner remains the USA with over 60% of its trade, while the other import...
Aluar Aluminio Argentino selects Vestas for Llano wind energy complex expansion
The sole aluminium smelter in Argentina and one of the largest in South America, Aluar Aluminio Argentino has awarded Vestas, the energy industry’s global partner on sustainable energy solutions for the 81 MW Llano IV Wind Farm in the province of Chubut in Argentina. However, it has been reported that Vestas is supplying and installing 18 V150-4.5 MW for the project. In addition to the completion, Vestas will also deliver a 20-year service agreement for Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000). As a result of this agreement, energy production can be optimized while also providing certainty for the long-term business case. It will provide renewable electricity for Aluar's aluminium smelter in Puerto Madryn, which is the largest in Argentina, and help Aluar comply with the requirements from...
Top Newsmakers for April 2022: Aluminium smelter technology developer EGA keen to invest in Indonesia; Global alumina market may experience disrupting Q2 due to the Ukraine-Russia stand-off
The global aluminium value chain is still going through rough patches, which the industry thought dissimilar at the beginning of the year. The year 2022 started with a positive note that the worldwide manufacturing sector is rebounding from the dent of the Covid pandemic. Although the shortage of gas and the challenge of the steep rise in energy prices spilt over from 2021, still hope remained high. The geopolitical crisis has now stirred the issue to the worst phase, which the world did not envision. The sanctions of Russia have created a great impact on the global aluminium market, as the Russian aluminium giant holds a 6% stake in the global aluminium production and also it is one of the leading producers of low carbon aluminium. However, the LME price remained on the downside during...
Rusal sanctions would unsettle aluminium market, Rio Tinto acknowledges
On 5 th May 2022, the Anglo-Australian mining and metal giant, Rio Tinto stated that any sanctions on the Russian aluminium producer Rusal in response to the Ukraine-Russia conflict will disrupt the aluminium market and precipitate an increase in the silver metal's price. Simon Thompson, the Chairman of Rio Tinto informed the shareholders at the group's annual meeting in Australia, “If Rusal was to be sanctioned that would certainly cause pretty significant disruption in the aluminium market, because Rusal is a very big exporter of aluminium, particularly to Europe." "I think the impact on Rio Tinto would probably be positive, in the sense that the aluminium price would likely go up." Rio Tinto announced on 19 th December 2021, “The Board of Rio Tinto has selected Dominic Barton to...
Indonesian aluminium structures mark enterprising export demand during 2019-22
The economy of Indonesia is substantial in the South-eastern region of Asia and is one of the leading emerging market economies. The country has a mixed economic system which incorporates a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning and government regulation. The industrial sector plays a crucial role in the Indonesian economy, as it contributes relatively high more than 20% of national output. The Indonesian aluminium sector is regaining its growth significantly, following the deceleration caused by the Covid pandemic. The island nation, Indonesia classified as a newly industrialized country exported 60,884 tonnes of aluminium structures during 2019-21, attracting foreign revenue inflow of $194.14 million from the export. In 2019, Indonesia registered...
Increasing energy prices, aluminium and steel import shortages will dampen the construction industry's growth: CPA
The construction industry trade association of the United Kingdom, Construction Products Association (CPA) has alerted disquiet in regards to the inflation that will create a dent in the construction sector in the long term. According to CPA’s updated projections, the mounting price pressure encircling labour shortages, soaring material costs, sizable energy bills and the Ukraine war combined jeopardise the construction industry’s growth, especially in the final months of 2022. The pipeline of work and persistent demand should keep the industry buoyant at least through the third quarter, with an expansion of 2.8% projected for 2022, in comparison to the 4.3% growth that was estimated three months ago by the CPA. The CPA’s report reveals, “The soaring energy prices and product scarcity...
Nokia C100 super affordable smartphone comes with aluminium frame
The Finnish multinational consumer electronics company, Nokia’s budgeted smartphone C100 focuses on those consumers with low finances or the ones who are only bothered with a basic amenity that a smartphone is offering with an instant messaging system and occasional easy gaming. Now, this mobile handset has a removable back cover which signifies that the battery is also removable, while the phone is made of polycarbonate. Once the plastic cover is removed, the aluminium frame is visible, which makes the Nokia C100 a sturdy device. It is designed to prevent bending by having bulks which means this phone is durable. Nokia C100, with its 4000 mAh battery and durable body, is very easily an ideal backup phone. In the previous decade, Nokia lost its significance to mobile handset brands Apple...
