AlCircle News Edited By "Sarnali Chakraborty"
Sarnali Chakraborty is a content writer with 2 years of experience. She has written articles on various genres like technical, creative, medical, to name some. Here in Alcircle she will be curating articles on the metal industry, writing newsletters and other online and offline content.
AAI writes to PM requesting immediate resumption of coal supply for captive power plants
Owing to the sudden decision by Coal India to further restrict coal deliveries to the non-power sector via road and rake, with no prior warning, causing huge scarcity of coal rakes for industries now expanding to road-based deliveries. The Aluminium Association of India (AAI) has written to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Cabinet Secretary and the Coal Minister, requesting immediate assistance to stop the sector’s impending disruptions. The AAI has made a very clear request in its letter that immediate steps be taken to resume supply of coal for the highly power-intensive aluminium industry captive power plants (CPP) by assigning at least 25-30 coal rakes per day, as well as enhancing coal supplies via road mode for the sector's continued survival. The domestic coal crisis that had...
Evonik’s Pure Performance Battery using Minth’s aluminium sandwich plate for better functionality
Evonik Industries, a German industrial conglomerate and one of the largest specialized chemical firms in the world had collaborated with VESTARO GmbH consortium to create a new generation of battery packs, the "Pure Performance Battery,” (PBB). Other members who were a part of this creation include Forward Engineering, a composite structures expert, and Minth, a Tier 1 automotive supplier. Minth joined the collaboration in 2021, bringing with it extensive experience with aluminium solutions, allowing the organisation to address two significant issues that existing battery packs face: the bottom impact use case and vehicle integration. The Pure Performance Battery (PPB) is roughly 2.1m long and 1.58m broad, with maximum heights of 0.15-0.22m, and is reported to be appropriate for a range...
China’s A00 aluminium ingot price surges by RMB470/t; Aluminium alloy (A356) price grows by RMB450/t
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, A00 aluminium ingot price has opened the week on Monday with a surge of RMB 470 per tonne to settle at RMB 22,990 per tonne. The average prices are expected to hover between RMB 22,970 per tonne and RMB 23,010 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 80-40 per tonne. The price in Foshan and Chongqing has hiked by RMB 470 per tonne to close at RMB 23,020 per tonne and RMB 22,910 per tonne. For the same day in Wuxi and Hangzhou the price has grown by RMB 465 per tonne to peg at RMB 22,980 per tonne and RMB 22,990 per tonne. As per SMM, the A00 aluminium ingot price in Shenyang has augmented by RMB 410 per tonne to register at RMB 22,900 per tonne, followed by the increase of RMB 310 per tonne in Tianjin to score at RMB...
Boeing, MT Aerospace accorded to supply structural components for NASA’s Space Launch System
The American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells aeroplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment and missiles worldwide, Boeing and MT Aerospace AG, a subsidiary of OHB SE, have consented to deliver structural components for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company is the industrial prime contractor for the development and production of this heavy-lift launch vehicle, with a maiden flight expected for spring 2022. Boeing has now ordered dome pieces for the cryogenic hydrogen tank of the EUS (Exploration Upper Stage) rocket from Augsburg-based MT Aerospace, extending their existing partnership. The EUS upper stage is for proposed exploration flights in NASA's Artemis programme. The Artemis mission...
Downstream products weekly recap: Speira picks Wipro as technology partner; Gränges sustainability progress attained competent breakthrough in 2021
Compared to the last week, this week the downstream sector of the aluminium industry witnessed much low incidental happenings. From the market point of view, there had been repeated decline in price. From aluminium billet to Hindalco price, the prices recorded had witnessed a significant drop, the main reason being the rise in demand, shortage of coal supply in India and many more. Wipro, a prominent worldwide corporation known for its information technology and cybersecurity solutions, announced that Speira, a major global manufacturer of sophisticated rolled aluminium products with an annual production of almost one million tonnes, has chosen Wipro as their technology partner. Apart from this, Gränges, an aluminium technology business that had been leading the development of lighter,...
Trimet Aluminium to halve output in Essen due to surge in energy prices
The German aluminium manufacturer, Trimet which designs, manufacturers, recycles, casts and distributes contemporary light-metal goods made of aluminium at eight locations have planned to axe production at its main facility in the city of Essen by half. According to CEO Philipp Schlueter, Trimet will halve output at its main plant in Essen in the upcoming weeks ahead. The main reason for this decision is due to the heightened energy prices for the energy-intensive manufacturing process. “Due to the further increase in energy prices as a result of the war in Ukraine, the situation has worsened dramatically. This is forcing us to make further adjustments,” added Philipp. Schlueter stated that the company will continue to honour current supply commitments. Trimet had already begun reducing...
Mercedes-Benz not restricted to usage of low-carbon steel, incorporates recycled aluminium in the supply chain
The German luxury automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz is focused to raise a fleet of carbon-neutral passenger vehicles by 2039 and to do so, it projects to use an average of 40% recycled materials in its vehicles. Markus Schäfer, the CTO for development and procurement at Mercedes-Benz said, “Our vision is to transform our entire value chain into as closed a loop as possible. Our series-production vehicles already contain a large number of recycled materials. Within the next 10 years, we will increase the share of secondary raw materials in our passenger car fleet to an average of 40%.” According to the luxury automotive brand, the usage of sustainable resources in vehicle construction will comprise both visible and non-visible resources to the useful resources to the user. “The inside of the...
LME aluminium price drops by US$18/t to US$3,288/t; SHFE price continues to ascend by US$68/t
LME aluminium opened at US$3,250 per tonne on Thursday, touching the highest and lowest at US$3,409 per tonne and US$3,250 per tonne respectively, and closed at US$3,383 per tonne, up US$117.5 per tonne or 3.6%. Following a hike in price on Wednesday, March 16, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price declined by US$17.5 per tonne or 0.52% and US$18 per tonne or 0.54% to peg at US$3,287.50 per tonne and US$3,288 per tonne on Thursday, March 17. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price also dropped by US$10 per tonne or 0.30% to peg at US$3,315 per tonne and US$3,317 per tonne. For the same day, December 23 bid price and December 23 offer price also moved down by US$12 per tonne or 0.38% to total at US$3,110 per tonne and US$3,115 per tonne. LME...
China’s billet inventories plummet by 8.84% W-o-W to 190,000t due to on-demand downstream buyers
On Thursday, March 17, China’s aluminium billet inventory has nosedived by 18,400 tonnes or 8.84 percent week-on-week, as the stockpile of aluminium billets continued to fall due to on-demand downstream purchase. As a result, the inventory has been registered at 190,000 tonnes. Due to fewer arrivals, inventory in Foshan had declined rapidly in the last week. Looking ahead to the next week the market will keep a careful eye on the logistics that may have been or will be impacted by the pandemic control, which might impede the drop in aluminium billet inventories. The chart below indicates the current status of aluminium billet inventories across China in more detail: In Foshan and Wuxi the inventory has decreased by 20,500 tonnes and 8,000 tonnes to peg at 83,400 tonnes and 51,000 tonnes....
Lunar recycling- the next big step for recovering aluminium on the moon
Space specialists believe that there are approximately 100 million pieces of space trash orbiting the Earth, weighing around 8,000 tonnes, the majority of which is satellite and rocket debris. Not all space junk floats around in space. Approximately 200,000kg of space trash is believed to be on the lunar surface, with this number expected to rise with future missions. According to Orbit Recycling, a German start-up, more than 150 tonnes of aluminium may be recovered and recycled on the moon alone. This would save billions of dollars, as the total cost of recycled aluminium on the moon is Є150,000 per kilogramme, which is a fraction of the cost of transporting material from the Earth. Researchers at Swinburne University have begun investigating a really interesting matter, which is...
Canada’s aluminium plates, sheets and bars exports to US record sporadic rise in H2 2021
In December 2021, Canada exported 16,700 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and bars to the United States, declining sharply by 3,400 tonnes or 16.91% from 20,100 tonnes in November. However in November 2021, the amount of aluminium plates, sheets and bars exported by Canada to the US closed at 20,100 tonnes, showing a month-on-month surge of 600 tonnes or 3.07% from 19,500 tonnes in October 2021. For the same year in October, Canada shipped 19,500 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and bars to the United States, which on a month-on-month forefront plunged by 400 tonnes or 2.01% from 19,900 tonnes in September. The amount of aluminium plates, sheets and bars US imported from Canada in September 2021 registered at 19,900 tonnes, which plummeted by 2,000 tonnes or 9.13% from 21,900 tonnes...
China’s A00 aluminium ingot price gains RMB310/t as stimulus pledge boosts investors’ confidence
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has elevated by RMB 310 per tonne to total at RMB 22,080 per tonne as stimulus pledge boosted investors confidence. The average prices for the same is expected to hover between RMB 22,060 per tonne and RMB 22, 100 per tonne with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 40-0 per tonne. The anticipated stimulus measures in China, helped calm worries of the new COVID-19 outbreak there. Vice Premier Lie He of China has encouraged the government agencies to implement friendly policies and ‘cautiously’ propose measures that create a less harmful impact on the market. The A00 aluminium ingot price in provinces like Foshan and Tianjin has gone up by RMB 330 per tonne and RMB 320 per tonne to close at RMB 22,130 per...
AMAG using additive manufacturing for the aerospace industry since 2018
AMAG, one of the biggest manufacturers and processors of aluminium in Austria, had been associated with aerospace component manufacturing through acquisition for 1.5 years. AMAG components, which has locations in Übersee am Chiemsee and Karlsruhe, was recently bought in its entirety and is a proven specialist in the mechanical processing of aluminium and titanium components. AMAG components have been working on titanium structural components for the aerospace sector using additive manufacturing since 2018/19, from research to demonstration pieces. Components are built up layer by layer using the WAAM technique (Wire-Arc-Additive-Manufacturing (wire build-up welding)), and then mechanical processing gives them their final shape. Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Franz Haas (Head of the...
Mexico’s Q-o-Q aluminium scrap imports from US decline in Q4 by 3.38%
The total amount of aluminium scrap imported from the United States by Mexico in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2021 closed at 45,100 tonnes. On a Q-o-Q comparison, there was a downfall of 1,400 tonnes or 3.38% from 41,400 tonnes in Q3’21. In December 2021, Mexico imported 11,700 tonnes of aluminium scrap from the United States, showing a month-on-month drop down of 3,500 tonnes or 23.02% from 15,200 tonnes in November. According to the USGS data, US exported 41,400 tonnes of aluminium scrap to Mexico in Q3, showing a jump of 500 tonnes or 1.22% from 40,900 tonnes in the second quarter of 2021. In the second quarter of 2021, Mexico imported a total of 40,900 tonnes of aluminium scrap from the United States. However, for the second quarter of 2021, a total of 40,900 tonnes of US aluminium...
LME aluminium price drifts lower by US$181.5/t to US$3217.50/t; SHFE price steps up by US$14/t
LME aluminium opened at US$3,315 per tonne on Tuesday and closed at US$3,299 per tonne, down US$16 per tonne or 0.48%. As supply was interrupted by the increased Russia-Ukraine conflict, aluminium prices had reached a new high at around US$4,000 per tonne in early March. However, going by the recent graph, there had been a sudden dip in prices owing to the prolepsis of stock release in the market. On Tuesday, March 15, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price witnessed a sharp decline of US$181.5 per tonne to close at US$3,216.50 per tonne and US$3,217.50 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price further declined by US$158 per tonne or 4.63% and US$157 per tonne or 4.60% to score at US$3,252 per tonne and US$3,254 per tonne. For the same...
Rio Tinto plans to adopt renewable hydrogen for decarbonizing alumina refining
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has awarded up to $579,786 in funding to Rio Tinto on behalf of the Australian government to conduct a feasibility study looking at the possibility of partially decarbonizing its alumina refining processes using renewable hydrogen. Natural gas is used in traditional alumina refining to generate the high temperatures required in the calcination process. Rio Tinto's Yarwun alumina refinery in Gladstone, Queensland, will look into the technical implications of replacing natural gas with renewable hydrogen. The outcome of the study will be used to determine the viability of a possible demonstration project to validate the findings. The $1.2 million research will be shared into two work packages, each sponsored equally by ARENA and Rio Tinto: At...
US aluminium crude metals and alloys imports from Bahrain hike 21.81% M-o-M in Dec’21, leading to a Q-o-Q rise of 232.70%
In December 2021, US imported 29,600 tonnes of crude metals and alloys from Bahrain, a hike of 5,300 tonnes or 21.81% month-on-month. Imports of US aluminium crude metals and alloys from Bahrain for November 2021 closed at 24,300 tonnes, up 7,100 tonnes or 41.27% from 17,200 tonnes in October 2021. According to the USGS records, the total amount of US aluminium crude metals and alloys shipped from Bahrain in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2021 scored at 71,100, a surge of 49,730 tonnes or 232.70% from Q3’21. In the third quarter of 2021, the United States imported 21,370 tonnes of US aluminium crude metals and alloys from Bahrain, showing a downfall of 10,528 tonnes from 31,898 tonnes in Q2 2021. On a year-on-year calculation, US aluminium crude metals and alloys imported from Bahrain...
China's A00 aluminium ingot price plummets by RMB170/t to RMB21730/t, aluminium alloy (A356) price plunges by RMB200/t
On Tuesday, March 15, A00 aluminium ingot price in China has fallen sharply by RMB 170 per tonne to peg at RMB 21,730 per tonne finds the Shanghai Metals Market. The average price for the same is likely to hover between RMB 21,710 per tonne and RMB 21,750 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 40-0 per tonne. The price in Chongqing has decreased the most by RMB RMB 210 per tonne to settle at RMB 21,670 per tonne, followed by the price in Gongyi which has descended by RMB 200 per tonne to register at RMB 21,700 per tonne. In Hangzhou and Shenyang, the price has shown a downfall by RMB 175 per tonne and RMB 150 per tonne to come in at RMB 21,730 per tonne. In Foshan and Wuxi, the price has plummeted by RMB 150 per tonne and RMB 170 per tonne to total at RMB...
