AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
Rio Tinto’s graphene battery technology push adds a new dimension to its materials strategy
Rio Tinto Group’s efforts to expand its presence in battery materials are drawing attention following progress on graphene-based battery technology developed with Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG), alongside the miner’s third-quarter 2026 production update. Under a joint development agreement between the companies, GMG has reported progress on its graphene G®CELLS technology, which the supplied report describes as maintaining performance over rapid charging cycles. The development adds a technology-focused dimension to Rio Tinto’s wider battery materials strategy, although it is not yet identified as a current earnings driver. Rio Tinto’s latest operating figures provide the broader production context. The company reported 15.7 million tonnes of bauxite, 0.8 Mt of aluminium and 2.1 Mt of...
Alcoa reports $483m net income in Q3 2026 as aluminium production rises
Alcoa Corporation reported net income of USD 483 million in the third quarter of 2026, up from USD 407 million in the previous quarter and USD 232 million in the same period last year, as the company increased aluminium production and improved refinery performance. Revenue reached USD 3.7 billion, down 6.6 per cent from USD 4 billion in the second quarter but up from about USD 3 billion in the third quarter of 2025. Adjusted EBITDA, excluding special items, was USD 789 million, compared with USD 901 million in the previous quarter and USD 270 million a year earlier. Adjusted net income stood at USD 1.82 per share, while earnings per common share were USD 1.81. Alcoa generated USD 643 million in cash from operations and reported free cash flow of USD 472 million. Its cash balance reached...
Ghana urged to unlock bauxite export opportunities through China and AfCFTA
Ghana should develop a clear strategy to expand bauxite exports, strengthen value addition and take advantage of emerging international markets, rather than focusing solely on membership of global economic blocs such as BRICS, Africa Prosperity Network founder and Executive Chairman Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has said. Otchere-Darko argued that Ghana must prioritise the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and intra-African trade while preparing to benefit from China's reported zero-tariff initiative for 53 African countries. His remarks highlighted the need for the country to translate access to international markets into tangible economic gains, including opportunities for commodity sectors such as bauxite. “Because if you're not careful, your relevance will be reduced to...
AI model identifies electrolyte conditions to reduce aluminium corrosion in batteries
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed an artificial intelligence-based framework to analyse aluminium corrosion and identify electrolyte conditions that could improve the performance of aluminium-air batteries. Aluminium-air batteries have attracted interest as a potential energy source for electric vehicles because aluminium is abundant, recyclable and relatively inexpensive. However, corrosion of the aluminium anode in alkaline electrolytes remains a major challenge, as it wastes active material, generates hydrogen gas and affects battery reliability. Published in Frontiers in Batteries and Electrochemistry , the study examined how a commercial aluminium-magnesium-silicon (Al-Mg-Si) alloy corrodes in sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) solutions at...
Alcoa’s Alumar Smelter completes internal investigation into the September fatality in Brazil
Alcoa’s Alumar aluminum smelter in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil, has completed its internal investigation into a work-related fatality involving lighting maintenance at its carbon plant. The company is also cooperating with its partners and relevant authorities as their investigations continue. An employee died following a workplace incident at Alcoa’s Alumar aluminum smelter in Brazil, prompting renewed attention to safety controls during industrial maintenance operations. According to Alcoa, the employee was found unconscious at the facility on September 16, 2026, and immediately transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. The employee later died, and the incident was determined to be work-related. The incident involved lighting maintenance at the smelter’s carbon plant....
Capral backs provisional duties of up to 73.3% on Chinese aluminium windows and doors
Australian aluminium producer Capral has welcomed proposed trade measures against Chinese aluminium window and door imports, following preliminary findings of dumping and subsidies that have put pressure on local manufacturers. The Australian Trade Remedies Commission's investigation found dumping margins of 5.3 per cent to 70.4 per cent on certain imports. Provisional measures introduced on October 15 require importers to provide financial security against potential duties of up to 73.3 per cent. The investigation covers fully and partially assembled aluminium windows and doors imported from China between July 2024 and June 2025. Capral said the findings were important for Australia's domestic aluminium supply chain, particularly businesses involved in manufacturing windows and doors. To...
LME aluminium cash bid slips to $2,998.50 as three-month prices fall 0.63%
LME aluminium prices edged lower on October 15, with cash and futures contracts weakening. The Asian Reference Price was little changed, while exchange inventories recorded modest declines. Alumina Platts prices continued to climb. The cash bid slipped 0.31 per cent to USD 2,998.5 per tonne from USD 3,008 per tonne on October 14 . The cash offer fell 0.36 per cent to USD 2,999 per tonne from USD 3,010 per tonne. Three-month aluminium prices saw a sharper decline. Both the he bid and offer prices dropped 0.63 per cent. The bid was at USD 2,994 per tonne on October 15 from USD 3,013 per tonne previously, while the offer was USD 2,994.5 per tonne from USD 3,013.5 per tonne previously. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global...
PyroGenesis completes seven-system aluminium dross recovery deployment in Saudi Arabia
PyroGenesis Inc. has completed the deployment of seven Drosrite aluminium dross recovery systems at a new purpose-built plant in Saudi Arabia, fulfilling its original contract with Radian Oil and Gas Services Company. The systems can collectively process up to 45,000 tonnes of aluminium dross annually, including the company’s first two 10,000-tonne-per-year units. The Montreal-based technology provider announced on October 15, 2026, that the final four systems were installed and operational at the facility, located within what the company describes as the world’s largest vertically integrated aluminium production complex. The completed installation comprises two 5,000-tonne-per-year systems and two 10,000-tonne-per-year systems. The larger units are the first of their capacity to be...
South32 shareholders approve aluminium asset sale worth $5.6b to Alcoa
South32 shareholders have overwhelmingly backed the proposed sale of the company’s aluminium value chain assets to Alcoa for up to USD 5.6 billion, with proxy votes recording 99.18 per cent support for the transaction at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday. The disposal covers South32’s interests in Worsley Alumina, Hillside Aluminium, the MRN bauxite mine, the Brazil Alumina refinery and the Brazil Aluminium smelter. According to the company’s statement, the transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of fiscal year 2027, subject to the satisfaction of relevant conditions. The vote marks a significant step towards the transfer of the assets to Alcoa, spanning bauxite mining, alumina refining and primary aluminium production. Explore the production,...
How a Pittsburgh plumber’s aluminium dome helped shape observatory design
In 1930, Pittsburgh plumber Leo Scanlon built a backyard observatory using a material rarely employed in construction at the time: sheet aluminium. His lightweight, rotating dome protected a homemade telescope and became a model for later small observatories, helping establish his reputation in the amateur astronomy community before he met Albert Einstein four years later. Known as the Valley View Observatory, the structure stood in the Summer Hill neighbourhood on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Scanlon’s solution to a practical engineering problem demonstrated how aluminium could offer an alternative to heavier materials such as wood and steel in observatory construction. Aluminium offers a lighter solution Scanlon began documenting his backyard project in September 1930, according to...
Aluminium falls 1.4% as easing Hormuz restrictions raise supply expectations
Aluminium prices declined by 1.4 per cent to INR 320.25 (USD 3.37) as easing restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz reduced concerns over supply disruptions in the Gulf region. According to Kedia Advisory, the decline also reflected expectations of recovering smelter operations, higher Indonesian production and rising Chinese exports. The softer price outlook comes despite falling visible inventories, which continue to provide underlying support to the market. Aluminium exports from Indonesia exceeded 150,000 tonnes in August, while Chinese aluminium exports increased by 17.2 per cent year on year, adding to expectations of improved global availability. According to Citi, accelerating supply growth outside China could shift the global aluminium market from a deficit of...
Aluminium Arabia postponed from November 2026 to April 2027
Aluminium Arabia, an event for the global and Middle Eastern aluminium industry, has been postponed to April 2027. The event was scheduled for November 11–12. However, the organisers have not yet announced the new dates for the two-day event. The exhibition is expected to bring together industry leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders to discuss the future of the regional aluminium industry. It will also provide opportunities for companies to meet, build partnerships, share technology and develop advanced manufacturing clusters. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook " The organisers expect the event to help create jobs and support...
Gleich Aluminium installs new panel cutting saw to improve processing efficiency
Gleich Aluminium has installed a new fm 8 panel cutting system from IMA Schelling at its facility in Kaltenkirchen, Germany, replacing its existing saw. It completed the installation in three weeks while maintaining ongoing operations. The company selected the new system for its short throughput times, component layout, and readiness for further automation. Gleich employs 150 people and produces around 20,000 tonnes of aluminium annually. To know the global production, demand and consumption forecasts of aluminium extrusions, explore our report " The World of Aluminium Extrusions to 2035 " Gleich Managing Director Sebastian Ricken said the decision came down to design details and cost-effectiveness, as competing systems offered similar performance. He said, “The way the system now stands...
Kaiser Aluminum declares $0.77 quarterly dividend, payable November 13
Kaiser Aluminum Corporation has declared a quarterly cash dividend of USD 0.77 per share, with payment scheduled for November 13, 2026, according to a company press release. The dividend will be paid to shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 23, 2026. Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, Kaiser Aluminum produces semi-fabricated specialty aluminium products for customers across aerospace, high-strength applications, packaging, general engineering, automotive extrusions and other industrial markets. Its North American facilities manufacture a range of products, including plate, sheet, coil, extrusions, rod, bar, tube and wire. Kaiser Aluminum's stock is included in the Russell 2000 and S&P Small Cap 600 indices. Find the right unwrought aluminium for your business....
Aluminium extrusion market shrinks 29.8% as New Zealand rejects import protection
New Zealand's Government has rejected calls for safeguard measures on aluminium extrusion imports, despite an official investigation finding that domestic manufacturers have suffered serious injury. The decision, accepted by Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Cameron Brewer on October 5, has prompted warnings from the Aluminium Extruders Association of NZ (ALENZ) that continued pressure could put local plants and thousands of jobs at risk. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) concluded that imports contributed to the industry's difficulties but were not the sole or primary cause of the injury. It recommended against imposing safeguards, citing the contraction in domestic demand, rising production costs and the potential for higher prices for downstream...
Acer launches four Swift Air 14 laptops with all-aluminium bodies weighing 1.18 kg
Acer Japan has introduced four models in its Swift Air 14 laptop series, featuring all-aluminium bodies, 14-inch displays and lightweight designs aimed at users seeking portability and everyday computing performance. The laptops measure approximately 12.99 mm thick and weigh around 1.18 kg, with CNC diamond-cut processing used on the lid. The four models - SFA14-I31-A38Y, SFA14-I31-A32Y, SFA14-I31-A58Y and SFA14-I31-A52Y - differ in specifications, including processor and memory configurations. The range offers Intel Core 3 Processor 304 and Intel Core 5 Processor 320 options, both equipped with integrated Intel AI Boost technology. Aluminium construction and display specifications The Swift Air 14 features an all-metal aluminium chassis designed to combine a slim profile with a...
ABx Group’s 37Mt Sunrise bauxite project opens for public comment in Queensland
ABx Group’s proposed Sunrise bauxite project in Queensland, Australia, has reached a milestone in the federal environmental approval process. Its referral under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act is open for public comment until October 26. The greenfield mine is proposed for Binjour, about 115 km southwest of the Port of Bundaberg and 25 km west of Gayndah. Project documents indicate annual production of 600,000 to 800,000 tonnes of run-of-mine (ROM) and product bauxite, with an upper limit of approximately 1.2 million tonnes per annum. The mine is expected to operate for 20–25 years. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows...
Vietnam’s proposed aluminium export tax cuts draw VCCI support, with call for wider 0% rates
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has welcomed Vietnam’s proposed cuts to aluminium export taxes but urged the Ministry of Finance to go further by reducing rates to 0 per cent for additional products. The move could help domestic producers clear excess inventory, ease cash flow pressures and improve competitiveness. The proposal comes as Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance prepares amendments to Decree 26/2023/ND-CP, which governs export and import tax rates. The changes aim to address difficulties businesses face amid volatile international markets, including aluminium producers seeking sales contracts for 2027. The draft decree proposes reducing the export tax floor from 5 per cent to 0 per cent for six groups of aluminium and wood products (76.01, 76.03, 76.04, 44.02,...
