AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
7075 aluminium chassis and heatsink support BotBlox’s 40g SwitchCore module
BotBlox has introduced SwitchCore, a compact 40-gram Layer 2 networking module featuring a 7075 aluminium enclosure that serves as both the structural chassis and heatsink. Measuring 27.6 × 27.6 × 10.7 mm, the module provides eight-port Fast Ethernet functionality for space- and power-constrained platforms while using 1 W of power. The 7075 aluminium enclosure eliminates the need for additional cooling hardware and also helps protect the internal electronics from shock, vibration and environmental ingress. The module is designed for applications including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface vessels (USVs), ground robotics, industrial systems and defence payloads. Explore aluminium casting demand forecast in the transporation sector, explore our report " Global Aluminium...
Alcoa-Hillside deal supports South Africa’s aluminium industry growth ambitions
Alcoa’s proposed acquisition of South32’s aluminium assets in Australia, Brazil and South Africa is an important development for the global aluminium industry, particularly for South Africa’s primary aluminium production. Aluminium Federation of South Africa (AFSA) CEO, Muzi Manzi, said, “On July 1, South32 signed a binding conditional agreement to sell its aluminium value chain assets…to US-based Alcoa.” The deal was valued at up to USD 5.6 billion and included the Hillside Aluminium smelter in Richards Bay. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. For South Africa, the key point is Hillside. The smelter is the country’s only primary aluminium smelter. Alcoa has said that its acquisition will keep Hillside operating...
BIS seizes pharmaceutical aluminium foil worth ₹1.4m from Rohtak firm
The Bureau of Indian Standards has seized about three tonnes of aluminium foil intended for pharmaceutical packaging from a Rohtak-based firm over suspected violations of India’s mandatory quality-certification rules. The Haryana office of BIS said it recovered about 250 rolls of foil, with an estimated value of INR 1.4 million (USD 14,695), during an enforcement operation at Jainalco Industries Limited. BIS cites missing licence According to BIS, the foil was covered by Indian Standard IS 16011, which applies to aluminium and aluminium-alloy foil used for pharmaceutical packaging. The agency said the company was found in possession of the material without a valid BIS licence, even though the product is subject to a Quality Control Order. Such orders require notified products to comply...
Canada imposes 50% tariffs on US aluminium and steel, with a $5.4b domestic support package as trade tensions escalate
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced new retaliatory tariffs on US goods after trade talks between the two countries collapsed, with US aluminium and steel products facing tariffs of 50 per cent. Canada said the measures would match the latest US tariffs dollar-for-dollar and also announced a CAD 7.5 billion (USD 5.4 billion) support package for businesses affected by the trade dispute. The move marks a change in Carney’s approach towards the US. A year ago, Canada had removed many of its retaliatory tariffs on US goods in an effort to improve relations and bring both sides back to the negotiating table. Carney had also made other concessions, particularly on digital policies, while trying to reach a trade agreement. However, talks between the two countries broke down on...
India banks propose priority lending for EV charging and e-fleets
India’s public-sector banks have proposed putting electric vehicles, charging networks, battery-swapping infrastructure and climate-transition projects into a clearer priority-sector lending framework. The plan could direct more formal credit toward the systems needed to scale electric mobility, from personal EV purchases to charging projects and commercial fleet deployment. It remains a proposal and would require government and Reserve Bank of India approval before becoming policy. Focus moves to EV infrastructure Under the proposal, loans for personal electric two-wheelers of up to INR 200,000 (USD 2,089) would qualify for priority-sector lending. The proposed limit for personal electric four-wheelers would be INR 2 million (USD 20,892). The larger proposed thresholds focus on the...
Globeflex Capital takes new stake in Kaiser Aluminum
Globeflex Capital L P has acquired a new position in Kaiser Aluminum Corporation, buying 8,903 shares valued at about USD 1.74 million, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The investment gave Globeflex an approximately 0.05 per cent stake in the US aluminium producer at the end of the reporting period. Institutional interest follows strong quarter The new Kaiser Aluminum investment comes after the company reported record second-quarter financial results. Kaiser Aluminum posted revenue of USD 1.26 billion and earnings per share of USD 5.53, exceeding analysts’ consensus expectations for both measures. Kaiser Aluminum produces semi-fabricated aluminium products for industrial markets, including aerospace, automotive and packaging applications. Its recent...
Solomon Islands cannot verify value or payment trail for 33 Rennell bauxite shipments
A Solomon Islands bauxite investigation has found that the government cannot independently verify the quality, quantity, value or payment trail for 33 Rennell Island bauxite shipments. The inquiry has uncovered years of missing, incomplete and unaccounted-for records linked to shipments exported by Asia Pacific Investment Development Ltd and Bintan Mining SI Ltd. Investigators have found gaps in consignment permits, customs files, payment records and approvals that would normally support mineral exports. Missing permits and payment records According to an update from the Attorney General’s Chambers, consignment-permit records for 2019, 2020 and 2021 are either missing or incomplete, despite bauxite exports continuing during that period. Investigators have located about 11 consignment...
Mexico pursues US tariff deal as Canada trade talks collapse
Mexico is seeking a trade agreement with the United States as relations between Washington and Ottawa deteriorate, with President Claudia Sheinbaum keeping her chief trade negotiator in the US capital to press for lower tariffs on Mexican exports. Sheinbaum said she was optimistic that Mexico could reach an agreement with US President Donald Trump, after US-Canada negotiations broke down and prompted a new round of tariffs and planned retaliation. Mexico keeps negotiations open Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard will remain in Washington for several days to seek relief from US tariffs affecting Mexican steel, aluminium and vehicles. Mexico faces US duties of 50 per cent on steel and aluminium, while cars are subject to a 25 per cent tariff. Mexican officials are attempting to secure less...
LME aluminium cash bid falls 0.36% as live warrants decline to 243,450t
LME aluminium prices declined on August 24, while opening stocks remained unchanged. The LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 3,215 per tonne on August 24, down from USD 3,226.5 per tonne on August 21 , marking a decline of USD 11.5 per tonne. The cash offer price followed a similar trend. It fell to USD 3,215.5 per tonne from USD 3,227 per tonne, down 0.36 per cent. Both are down by 0.36 per cent. The LME aluminium 3-month bid price declined to USD 3,233 per tonne on August 24 from USD 3,242 per tonne on August 21, a decrease of 0.28 per cent. The 3-month offer price also fell by USD 9 per tonne, about 0.28 per cent, to USD 3,235 per tonne from USD 3,244 per tonne. Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to...
P.A. Resources Q4 profit jumps 200% to $4.5m on higher extrusion sales
P.A. Resources posted its strongest quarterly revenue and profit in the fourth quarter of FY26, giving the Malaysian aluminium extruder momentum to execute a MYR 100 million (USD 24.8 million) expansion plan and diversify beyond its core solar-sector business. Fourth-quarter revenue rose 25.2 per cent year on year to MYR 204.8 million (USD 50.8 million), from MYR 163.5 million (USD 40.5 million), as sales volumes increased in the group’s extrusion and fabrication segment. Profit before tax increased 140.0 per cent to MYR 22.7 million (USD 5.6 million), while profit after tax rose 200.2 per cent to MYR 18.0 million (USD 4.5 million). Record quarter lifts full-year results For FY26, P.A. Resources’ revenue rose 19.9 per cent to MYR 648.6 million (USD 160.7 million). Profit before tax...
Could kitchen aluminium foil replace costly terahertz polarizers?
A team of Australian researchers has found a surprisingly simple way to make terahertz polarizers: using ordinary aluminium kitchen foil and a precisely controlled laser. The result could cut manufacturing costs dramatically while opening the door to faster production of these tiny optical components. What if a piece of aluminium foil from your kitchen could help solve a problem that normally costs scientists thousands of dollars? That is the question behind a new study from researchers at the ARC Centre for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems (TMOS) at The Australian National University (ANU), who have developed a way to make tiny devices called wire-grid polarizers using ordinary aluminium foil. The team used a nanosecond laser with precisely controlled pulses to carve microscopic metal...
Vedanta goes 1k metres deep in India’s critical-mineral hunt
Before India can mine more nickel, copper or rare earths, it first has to find them. Vedanta has deployed what it describes as India’s first high-speed hydrostatic portable drilling rig in Chhattisgarh, designed to investigate mineral targets as deep as 1,000 metres below ground. The rig is being used at two projects targeting gold and critical minerals, including nickel, chromium and platinum-group elements. Vedanta says conventional drilling equipment typically reaches 300 to 400 metres, leaving deeper geological targets harder to investigate. The search starts before the mine The new machine is not a mine, nor evidence that an economic deposit has been found. It is an exploration tool intended to collect geological information from deeper underground before a project can progress to...
Alcoa breaks ground on gallium plant targeting 10% of global demand
Alcoa and the governments of Australia, Japan and the United States have begun construction of a gallium production plant at Alcoa’s Wagerup alumina refinery in Western Australia, targeting output equivalent to about 10 per cent of global gallium demand. The facility is expected to produce 100 tonnes of gallium annually and will be constructed and operated by Alcoa. It represents a joint effort to establish a new allied source of the critical mineral for semiconductors, advanced electronics and defence applications. From alumina refinery to gallium source The plant will be co-located with Alcoa’s Wagerup refinery, about 120 kilometres southeast of Perth. Rather than requiring a new mine, the operation will recover gallium from bauxite already processed to produce alumina, the feedstock...
Hydro locks in renewable power supply through 2040 with Statkraft to drive low-carbon aluminium growth in Norway
Hydro Energi and Statkraft have signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) securing an annual electricity supply of 876 GWh from 2031 to 2040. The agreement will provide Hydro with around 8.8 TWh of power during the contract period, with deliveries planned in Norway’s electricity price area NO5. The agreement will support Hydro’s aluminium operations in Norway by providing access to renewable electricity at competitive terms. Reliable power supply remains essential for aluminium producers, as electricity accounts for a major share of aluminium production costs and plays a key role in reducing emissions from smelting operations. “Long-term and predictable power at competitive prices is vital for Hydro’s aluminium production in Norway and enables us to continue delivering low-carbon...
Ashapura Minechem Q1 revenue rises 19.22% to ₹16.16bn as Guinea bauxite volumes reach 2.34Mt
Ashapura Minechem reported Q1 FY27 consolidated revenue of INR 16.16 billion (USD 169 million), up 19.22 per cent from a year earlier. Net profit rose 5 per cent to INR 1.15 billion (USD 12 million). Bauxite exports from Guinea increased 14.1 per cent year-on-year to 2.34 million tonnes, compared with 2.05 million tonnes in Q1 FY26. The increase in exports helped drive the higher revenue during the quarter. Ashapura has lowered its FY27 bauxite volume target to 9-11 million tonnes, from the earlier mark of 10-12 million tonnes. However, it has kept its FY28 target at 15 million tonnes, which is expected to translate into around USD 1 billion in sales. To know the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina, explore the report " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market...
VALCO expands beyond primary aluminium with new rolling mill, a step to address Ghana’s import gap
Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO) plans to move further into Ghana’s aluminium value chain with a new continuous casting and rolling mill that will produce aluminium rods for electrical cable manufacturers. The company has already supplied test samples to Nexans Kablemetal and Reroy Cables, with both manufacturers giving positive feedback. VALCO Finance Director, Sepenu Agbetsise, stated, “Hitherto, these companies would have had to import the rod and process it into the various cables that power our homes. Now, VALCO is in a position to supply those directly.” To know the global production, demand and consumption forecasts of aluminium extrusions, explore our report " The World of Aluminium Extrusions to 2035 " The move takes VALCO beyond its traditional focus on primary aluminium....
LME aluminium cash offer price rises 1.4%, while opening stocks remain unchanged at 246,925t
LME aluminium prices increased on August 21 compared with the trading day before, however, opening stocks are still unchanged. The LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 3,226.5 per tonne on August 21, up from USD 3,180 per tonne on August 20 , marking an increase of USD 46.5 per tonne, or 1.5 per cent. The cash offer price rose to USD 3,227 per tonne from USD 3,182 per tonne, up 1.4 per cent. The LME aluminium 3-month bid price increased to USD 3,242 per tonne on August 21 from USD 3,182 per tonne on August 20, rising USD 60 per tonne, to 1.9 per cent. The 3-month offer price rose to USD 3,244 per tonne from USD 3,183 per tonne, an increase of 1.92 per cent. Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036:...
BIS Seizes 2,350 Foil Rolls in Alleged ISI-Mark Compliance Case in Delhi
The Bureau of Indian Standards has seized around 2,350 aluminium foil rolls from a unit in Mandoli, northeast Delhi, in an enforcement operation over alleged non-compliance with mandatory quality-certification rules. The search was carried out by BIS’s Ghaziabad Branch Office under Section 28 of the BIS Act, 2016, after the agency received information about possible violations. Officials seized the products for investigation and examined records linked to their manufacture, storage and certification status. Raid puts foil certification in focus The operation was led by Shailendra Kumar Verma, Scientist-C and Deputy Director, and Raj Kumar, Scientist-B and Assistant Director, along with other officers from the BIS Ghaziabad Branch Office. BIS said the matter remains under examination and...
