AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
NALCO stock rises 2.07 per cent on day’s trade
National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO) gained market interest by rising 2.07 per cent in the day’s trade to finish at INR 192 (USD 2.23) on July 22, 2025. This indicates NALCO's continuing positive trend, which had clocked a monthly gain of 4.23 per cent, outstripping the BSE Metal index at a gain of 3.94 per cent and the SENSEX, which declined by 0.59 per cent in the same time period. The BSE Metal index had also moved in a positive direction, increasing by 0.44 per cent to INR 31,599.08 (USD 366.29) today, with Vedanta Ltd up 1.1 per cent and Hindalco Industries Ltd up 0.96 per cent in a similar period as NALCO. So, while other indices in the metal sector also gained, NALCO was showing a stronger trend. Recent trading patterns show strong investor interest The current price movement is...
WTO briefing: US says India's retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminium & automobiles are unfounded
In response to India's earlier warning about imposing retaliatory tariffs if the US doubled duties on aluminium, steel, and automobile imports, Washington has pushed back. On July 17, 2025, the US told the World Trade Organization (WTO) that India has "no legal basis" to retaliate using safeguard measures. US dismisses India’s WTO appeal In a notification to the WTO’s Safeguards Committee, India previously conveyed its concerns that the US safeguard tariffs on steel and aluminium revised in February 2025 could impact USD 7.6 billion worth of Indian exports with duties totalling USD 3.82 billion. And tariffs on automobiles and parts could impact USD 2.89 billion worth of trade with duties of USD 723.75 million. However, the US responded strongly in a communication circulated at its...
Green energy surge in India: Reliance gigafactories to be operational within six quarters
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), run by the oligarch Mukesh Ambani, announced that it would operationalise a series of green energy gigafactories in Jamnagar, Gujarat, over the upcoming four to six quarters. These facilities, focusing on the production of solar panels, batteries, and electrolysers, will represent the heart of the USD 10 billion (initially made in 2021) pivot into clean energy, Reliance disclosed. This initiative, aligned with RIL’s commitment to becoming net-zero by 2035, is also expected to lower their internal energy costs by at least 25 per cent, according to a company presentation. Strategic scale and vision The green energy complex spans an astounding 44 million square feet, almost four times the size of Tesla's Nevada gigafactory. Located next to the world's largest...
BatX and Rocklink join hands to establish India's first rare earth magnet recycling facility
With an agreement that expects to reconfigure India’s rare earth supply chain, India’s BatX Energies and Germany’s Rocklink GmbH recently signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to design the first fully integrated rare earth magnet recycling and refining ecosystem in India. Announced on July 18, 2025, the cooperative agreement highlights the more comprehensive objectives of enhancing Indo-European cooperation in critical minerals as part of the EU–India Trade and Technology Council (TTC). Image source: Fortune The project aims to tackle an urgent chokepoint in manufacturing clean tech around the world: rare earth elements (REE). The REEs include neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium. All of these are key materials in electric vehicle motors, generators for...
Vedanta to convert aluminium waste into agricultural resource
Vedanta Aluminium, India's largest producer, has begun a path-breaking project to convert red mud, a big industrial waste from the alumina refining process, into a useful agricultural resource. The company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI) for developing and commercialising this "waste-to-wealth" technology. Red mud to green gold The research partnership seeks to confront the sustainable management of bauxite residue, or red mud. For each tonne of alumina produced, approximately two tonnes of red mud are generated. This extremely alkaline residue is conventionally disposed of in vast engineered ponds, taking up large areas of land. You can read our recent market report on it...
Schabmüller partners with Mapal for high-performance machining
Desiring to master the ins and outs of EV component manufacturing, German automaker supplier Schabmüller is strengthening its partnership with toolmaker Mapal. They are leveraging Mapal's expertise in high-performance machining to improve the manufacturing of electric vehicle chassis and suspension parts. These kinds of partnerships are an emerging trend in German industry. Last year, Sandvik inked a deal to acquire Almü Präzisions-Werkzeug GmbH (Almü) , a renowned cutting tool and solution provider for aluminium machining. Image source: Mapal An old master prepares for the EV era Based in Großmehring, Germany, Schabmüller has been a premium supplier of machined engine and chassis parts to leading manufacturers including Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen for years. With the transition of the...
Aden leads ground-breaking deployment of sustainable bauxite refining technology in Shanxi, China
Aden Group, a global leader in integrated industrial services, has launched a pioneering deployment of sustainable bauxite refining technology at a 15,000 sqm facility in Shanxi, China. In partnership with French technological start-up IB2, this pilot represents a crucial pivot for China’s aluminium supply chain,converting surplus, low-quality domestic bauxite into high-quality inputs, while minimising emissions and increasing resource use efficiency. Image source: LinkedIn Pioneering technology, local impact The key to this approach is IB2's unique refining process, which was developed in collaboration with entrepreneur Romain Girbal and chemist Yves Occello. The t echnology focuses on China's underexploited reserves of low-quality bauxite , which has traditionally been dismissed because...
Trump's 50% aluminium tariff pushes Inalum to focus on the local market
The state-owned aluminium smelting firm, PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum), has reportedly urged the government to revisit the country's import strategy to strengthen the local market , in lieu of anticipated reduction in exports to the United States due to Donald Trump’s decision of doubling aluminium tariffs from 25 per cent to 50 per cent on May 30, 2025. Inalum, in particulr, expects about 30,000 tonnes of it exports to the US to be affected. “Inalum has been producing semi-finished products, which are then purchased by the domestic industry to be made into finished products,” said Melati Sarnita, Inalum’s President Director, during a parliamentary session on July 16, 2025. Domestic market: a lifeline amid global trade shifts Sarnita urged the Indonesian government to increase...
Construction of the inland rail facility & access road marks a major leap for Cameroon’s Minim Martap Project
Canyon Resources Limited (CAY), one of Australia's largest bauxite producers, has officially started construction of its Inland Rail Facility (IRF) at Makor, Cameroon - an important milestone in the delivery of its flagship Minim Martap Bauxite Project into production. The company is also upgrading the ore haulage access road, which will enable the high-grade bauxite to be transported from the mine to the IRF and on to the Port of Douala for export. Image for referential purposes only The commencement of construction is a crucial step forward, and the groundbreaking ceremony attended by senior government officials, community leaders, Executive Chairman Mr Mark Hohnen and investment company Eagle Eye Asset Holdings showed how significant this project is for the future of mining in...
Guinea mandates 50% of bauxite exports to use domestic shipping
Guinea, also referred to as Guinea-Conakry, after its capital, Conakry, and the second-largest bauxite exporter in the world, is redefining its maritime and mining future with new regulations aimed at increasing national control and economic advantages. In July 2025, Bouna Sylla, Minister of Mines and Geology, stated that at least 50 per cent of all bauxite exports will require shipping under the Guinean flag. This is a clear sign of Guinea's drive for more value than just raw mineral sales. Maritime sovereignty with GUITRAM The formation of Guinéenne des Transports Maritimes (GUITRAM), a public shipping company which will be responsible for a lot of outbound logistics for bauxite, is a central part of this reform. Thus, Guinea is not just mining but moving its mineral wealth, reaffirming...
Illegal e-waste operation busted in Malaysia, RM2.1 million worth aluminium seized
In a huge crackdown on illegal waste processing, the Malaysian government has raided an unlicensed e-waste factory in the Bukit Rambai industrial estate, confiscating about 300 tonnes of aluminium ingots worth an estimated RM2.1 million (USD 445,000). The raid spotlights an emerging and lethal trend whereby toxic electronic waste is imported illegally to be processed for precious metals. Details of the raid The raid on July 15 was the culmination of a multi-agency operation between the Royal Malaysia Police, the Department of Environment, and the Inland Revenue Board after a week-long surveillance. Within the unlicensed plant, authorities found stacks of aluminium ingots on pallets, smelted from an enormous collection of waste electronics. It might have been destined for China, where...
Aluminium row heats up: EU resists US tariff threats, extends moratorium
The European Union is treading a tightrope of de-escalation and retaliation, extending its suspension of retaliatory tariffs on American goods until early August while at the same time drawing up a huge new list of countermeasures and seeking worldwide allies in reaction to new tariff threats from Washington. Image generated by AI for representational purpose The transatlantic confrontation, initially sparked over aluminium and steel , now has the potential to expand into a much wider trade war, placing enormous stress on the worldwide aluminium supply chain. Shots fired The most recent flare-up was fuelled when US President Donald Trump sent a letter about a new 30 per cent tariff on everything the EU and Mexico export to the US, effective August 1. This follows the recent doubling of...
India reaches 50% renewable power – Waaree, Adani Green and NTPC Green stock surges
India has crossed an ambitious milestone by achieving 50 per cent of its entire installed energy capacity from renewable sources — five years ahead of its 2030 target for renewable energy under the Paris Agreement. This announcement and massive leap forward, confirmed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, highlight India's increasing energy independence and increasing technological expertise in renewables. Image source: Hydropolis Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi commented on a social media platform: "India’s total installed energy capacity stands at 484.8 GW, of which 242.8 GW comes from non-fossil clean energy sources." Solar’s dominant rise and aluminium solar panels Solar energy has taken centre stage in India's green transition, contributing almost...
EGA accelerates sustainable mobility: solar aluminium powers Brembo's next-gen braking systems
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the UAE's heavyweight industrial player and the biggest 'premium aluminium' producer in the world, has strengthened its commitment to produce innovative and sustainable automotive solutions following an expanded supply agreement for its CelestiAL solar aluminium to Brembo – the Italian global leader in high-performance braking systems. A green metal for the fast lane CelestiAL is EGA’s first aluminium brand made with solar power captured in the UAE desert, a renewable energy source that significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the metal during smelting. Aluminium smelting is known to have accounted for as much as 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions by global industries. The agreement between EGA and Brembo builds on a partnership dating back to...
From rescue boats to luxury sailing: Stem Marine enters leisure market with aluminium Stem 50
Italian boatbuilder Stem Marine, long respected for their robust SAR (search and rescue) and firefighting vessels, is turning the tide with their first-ever sailing yacht, the Stem 50. Measuring an impressive 52 feet (around 16 meters), this aluminium cruiser will make its world premiere at the 2025 Genoa International Boat Show from September 18 to 23, 2025. This marks a bold step into the leisure sailing market, but with a safety-first DNA deeply rooted in Stem Marine’s professional maritime background. Image source: Cruising World Safety meets style Aluminium is not merely a trendy option here, it is a serious one. Because of its longevity and corrosion resistance , aluminium is increasingly a material of choice for serious bluewater cruising yachts. The hull and deck of the Stem 50...
French Duo RTE and Nexans launch aluminium cable recycling drive
In a significant step for Europe’s energy and circular economy ambitions, French transmission system operator RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité) and cable technology giant Nexans have officially initiated the first-ever industrial-scale aluminium recycling project in France for high and extra high-voltage power cables. The project is part of a partnership that began in 2024 and exemplifies how circularity and decarbonisation can work synergistically to reconfigure Europe’s energy infrastructure. Closing the loop: a European first For the first time, aluminium from decommissioned transmission wires will be completely recycled and incorporated back into RTE's grid. This project will recycle around 600 metric tonnes of aluminium a year and will save at least 400 metric tonnes of CO₂...
Mechatherm strengthens Indian investment with third office opening in Kolkata, West Bengal
British furnace and casthouse expert Mechatherm International has announced the opening of its third Indian office, situated here in Kolkata. This expansion into Eastern India reflects the company's strengthening role under the Chairman Chris Emes to the country's rapidly expanding aluminium sector and comes on the back of the successful launch of its earlier offices in Pune and Chennai. The new Kolkata office will function as a key operations hub for Mechatherm in a region where metallurgical industries abound, with large aluminium producers prominent among them. It will better facilitate the company's direct on-site sales, technical assistance, and project management representation to its expanding client base in West Bengal, Odisha, and the adjacent states. “We have recruited seasoned...
Southfield-based aluminium wheel maker Superior Industries to go private after acquisition
Superior Industries International Inc., based in Southfield, Michigan, and one of the leading suppliers of automotive aluminium wheels manufacturers in the world, announced a transformative acquisition deal that will change the company’s future on July 9, 2025. A group of term loan investors led by Oaktree Capital Management entered into definitive agreements to acquire Superior by converting its debt to equity to address the company's increasing liquidity concerns. Turning debt into growth potential As part of the restructuring deal, investors will convert about USD 550 million of term loan claims to 96.5 per cent of new common equity. Superior's funded debt will be reduced from approximately USD 982 million to only USD 125 million, a reduction of almost 90 per cent. The purpose of this...
