AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
Metal Morph raises $944k to recover aluminium chemicals from wastewater
London-based water technology company Metal Morph has raised USD 944,000 in pre-seed funding to develop technology that recovers aluminium- and iron-based treatment chemicals from municipal and industrial wastewater. The round, announced on August 13, 2026, was co-led by Sustainable Ventures and Green Angel Ventures, with participation from Aqcelerator and Found Capital. Metal Morph will use the funding to advance its resource-recovery technology, support industry pilots and expand into European markets. The company’s process is designed to capture treatment chemicals that would otherwise be discharged into sewers, sent to landfill or spread on land, and return them to water-treatment operations. Recovering aluminium-based treatment chemicals Metal Morph’s technology is not recycling...
Fraunhofer IWU develops aluminium foam panels to keep cargo ships moving in low water
Fraunhofer IWU is developing lightweight aluminium foam sandwich panels that could help inland cargo vessels continue operating when low water levels force conventional ships to reduce their loads or risk running aground. The proposed shipbuilding structure could reduce vessel weight by approximately 30 per cent compared with conventional shipbuilding steel. During low-water periods, this could allow vessels to carry up to 30 per cent more cargo relative to their net weight, or transport the same cargo while navigating in shallower water. The approach could offer an alternative to two difficult choices facing European freight networks: deepening river channels, which can raise environmental concerns, or shifting heavy cargo to roads, which would increase pressure on already busy routes...
Hindalco’s 8.5Mt Baphlimali mine secures India’s first ASI certification
Hindalco Industries’ Baphlimali bauxite mine in Odisha has become the first bauxite mining operation in India to secure certification under the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s (ASI) Performance Standard V3.1 (2023). The certification was awarded to Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL), a Hindalco subsidiary that operates the mine in Rayagada district. It covers the planning, mining, processing, onsite crushing and conveyor transportation of bauxite from the Baphlimali operation. The mine has an annual production capacity of 8.5 million tonnes and supplies bauxite to Utkal Alumina’s refinery operations. Baphlimali is therefore a key link between Hindalco’s upstream mining activities and its alumina production. Utkal Alumina produces approximately 2.67 million tonnes of alumina...
Norsk Hydro's Alunorte production cut lifts aluminium shares in Asia
Chinese and Japanese aluminium stocks gained on Wednesday after Norsk Hydro announced that its Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil had reduced production to 50 per cent of capacity because of disruptions to its natural gas supply. The move added to concerns over raw material availability in an already tight aluminium market. The announcement lifted aluminium prices and supported shares of major producers. In Hong Kong, China Aluminum Corp. rose 2.46 per cent, while its Shanghai-listed shares gained 1.02 per cent. Tianshan Aluminum climbed 3.33 per cent, Yunnan Aluminum added 1.06 per cent, Shandong Nanshan increased 1.64 per cent, and China Hongqiao gained 1.58 per cent. In Japan, UACJ rose 3.35 per cent, while Daiki Aluminium gained 0.38 per cent. To know the futuristic market and value...
EU PPWR brings aluminium coffee capsules under packaging rules from August 2026
The European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) has entered into application, bringing an important regulatory change for coffee capsule recycling across Europe. Under the new rules, coffee capsules are now classified as packaging. Until now, coffee capsules were treated as products rather than packaging. As a result, they were not required to be included in packaging collection, recycling or Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems across EU Member States. Even in the absence of such an obligation, several coffee capsule producers have worked with Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), municipalities and waste-management operators to establish voluntary collection and recycling programmes in different European markets. From August 12, 2026, single-serve...
Activated alumina key material for industrial gas drying applications- Joozhou among leading manufacturers
Activated alumina continues to play an important role in industrial gas drying as manufacturers across sectors such as petrochemicals, electronics, pharmaceuticals and general manufacturing look for more reliable ways to remove moisture from process gases. Shanghai Joozhou New Materials Co., Ltd. said its activated alumina products are designed for applications where low moisture levels are needed to help reduce equipment corrosion, protect production systems and improve operating efficiency. According to the company, activated alumina is used in compressed air systems, air separation units and natural gas processing, where conventional cooling and mechanical separation alone cannot achieve the low moisture levels required for sensitive industrial operations. The material adsorbs water...
Aluminium prices ease after EGA targets full recovery of Al Taweelah smelter by Q1 2027
Aluminium prices fell after Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) reaffirmed its timeline to restore full production at the Al Taweelah smelter by the first quarter of 2027, easing market concerns over supply from the Gulf. The AL Taweelah smelter is currently operating at 18 per cent capacity. It was damaged on March 28, when strikes on the Khalifa Economic Zone in Abu Dhabi forced an emergency shutdown. The update eased concerns over aluminium supply. Benchmark three-month aluminium on the London Metal Exchange (LME) fell 1.7 per cent to USD 3,308 per tonne after EGA confirmed the smelter remains on track to return to full production by the first quarter of 2027. The company said, “Basic utilities have been restored across the site, with natural gas and electricity availability projected to...
US vs EU: who is leading as Canada’s aluminium trading country in 2026
Canada's aluminium import trends in 2026 point to different trajectories for its two key Western suppliers. The United States remains Canada's main source of imported aluminium, although shipments have continued to fall. At the same time, aluminium exports from the European Union have been moving higher, even if they are still well below US volumes. The latest trade figures show how Canada's sourcing pattern is changing this year. US aluminium trade declines The United States exported 110,166.32 tonnes of aluminium to Canada during January-May 2026, compared with 169,305.50 tonnes in the same period of 2025 and 203,403.73 tonnes a year earlier. The decline follows the broader trend seen in annual exports, which dropped from 449,626.34 tonnes in 2024 to 331,049.36 tonnes in 2025 (fell 26.4...
Chinalco raises Chalco stake to 34.01% with $98m share purchase
Chinalco has increased its stake in Aluminum Corporation of China Limited, known as Chalco, after purchasing shares worth CNY 659 million (USD 97.7 million). According to a Hong Kong filing dated August 11, 2026, Chinalco and parties acting in concert acquired 77.4 million Chalco shares, comprising 47.6 million A-shares and 29.8 million H-shares. Following the purchase, Chinalco and its affiliated parties held approximately 5.83 billion shares, representing 34.01 per cent of Chalco’s total issued share capital. This acquisition strengthens Chinalco’s position as the controlling shareholder of Chalco, one of China’s major producers of bauxite, alumina and aluminium. The transaction included shares listed on both the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges. The A-share purchase accounted for...
EU approves €84m Danish scheme to boost clean-tech and critical raw material production
The European Commission has approved a EUR 84 million Danish state aid scheme to expand clean-tech manufacturing and support the production of new and recovered critical raw materials. The European Union is stepping up efforts to strengthen its domestic clean-tech manufacturing base, with the European Commission approving a EUR 84 million (USD 96.87 million) aid scheme for Denmark. The scheme will provide direct grants to companies investing in additional manufacturing capacity for net-zero technologies and their main components. It will also support investments in the production of new or recovered critical raw materials needed for clean technologies. The funding is approved under the Commission's Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF), which was adopted in June 2025....
Saudi beverage demand drives interest in Packfine's aluminium slim cans
Packfine (Yantai Zhuyuan Environmental Tech Co., Ltd.)'s aluminium slim cans are aimed at Saudi Arabia's growing demand for innovative beverage packaging, particularly for juice and other non-alcoholic drinks. The company supplies 180ml and 250ml slim cans designed to meet both the design and performance needs of beverage producers in the Middle Eastern market. The packaging format is also being considered as brands look for lighter, more distinctive containers for an increasingly competitive market. Slim cans and beverage presentation The appearance of beverage packaging is an important consideration for brands competing in the premium segment. Slim cans have a different shape from conventional beverage cans and offer more vertical space for branding and product information. Packfine...
BMW Car2Car project raises aluminium recovery potential from 23% to 52%
The BMW Group and its consortium partners have demonstrated that a larger share of material recovered from end-of-life vehicles could return to new automotive applications, increasing the project’s “Car2Car rate” from 6 per cent to 51 per cent under expanded processing and sorting conditions. The rate, as defined by the project, measures the percentage of material from an end-of-life vehicle that can potentially be recovered at a quality suitable for reuse in new industrial applications. It does not mean that 51 per cent of every scrapped vehicle can currently be recycled into a new car under standard commercial conditions. The results are based on research and demonstration work conducted under optimised processing conditions. They show the potential of improved material separation,...
Manaksia Aluminium Q1 profit jumps 83% to ₹28.5m as material costs fall
Manaksia Aluminium Company Limited reported a net profit of INR 28.5 million (USD 299,000) for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, up 83 per cent from INR 15.6 million (USD 163,000) a year earlier. Revenue from operations rose 3.9 per cent to INR 1.4 billion (USD 14.6 million) from INR 1.34 billion (USD 14 million). Profit before tax increased to INR 39.4 million (USD 413,000) from INR 20.5 million (USD 215,000) in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Cost of materials consumed declined to INR 1 billion (USD 10.5 million) from INR 1.13 billion (USD 12 million). Basic earnings per share increased to INR 0.43 (USd 0.0045) from INR 0.24 (USD 0.0025) a year earlier. To know the production, demand and consumption forecasts of aluminium casting, explore our report " Global Aluminium...
US bauxite imports fall 15.8% from Q3 2024 to Q1 2026
US imports of bauxite declined to 644,000 tonnes in Q1 2026, down 15.8 per cent from 765,000 tonnes in Q3 2024. The decline reflects longer-term pressure on the US primary aluminium and alumina industries, including reduced refining capacity and weaker demand for imported raw materials. Trade uncertainty and the increasing use of recycled aluminium have added to the changes reshaping the country’s bauxite supply chain. Despite remaining below the level recorded in Q3 2024, Q1 2026 imports increased 7.9 per cent from 597,000 tonnes in Q4 2025. On a year-on-year basis, however, imports were down 17.9 per cent from 784,000 tonnes in Q1 2025. The value of US bauxite imports stood at USD 38 million in Q1 2026, compared with USD 50 million in Q3 2024 and USD 46 million in Q1 2025. This...
UK aluminium recycling growth depends on access to global markets
The UK will struggle to build a resilient circular aluminium economy if protectionist trade measures restrict access to recycled metal markets and overseas processing capacity, according to Tom Bird, executive chairman at Enicor. Bird argues that free and fair trade in recycled aluminium is essential at a time when demand is rising, energy prices are increasing and geopolitical tensions are disrupting global supply chains. Although more countries are seeking to retain recycled metal within their domestic markets, he says restricting cross-border flows could undermine the investment needed to expand recycling capacity. Demand is set to rise sharply The UK’s aluminium demand is projected to increase from approximately 1.8 million tonnes currently to around 8 million tonnes annually by 2035....
Oceania's H1 2026 alumina production falls 3.2% as refinery capacity and weather disruptions weigh
Oceania produced 8.194 million tonnes of alumina in H1 2026, down 3.23 per cent from 8.467 million tonnes in H1 2025. The region’s average daily production also declined to 45.27 thousand tonnes, from 46.78 thousand tonnes a year earlier, a decrease of 3.23 per cent. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, production declined from 4.142 million tonnes in Q1 2026 to 4.052 million tonnes in Q2, a decrease of 90,000 tonnes, or 2.17 per cent. The daily average fell from 46 to 44.5 thousand tonnes, down 3.26 per cent. Compared with Q1 2025, production in Q1 2026 was 4.142 million tonnes, down 170,000 tonnes, or 3.94 per cent, from 4.312 million tonnes. The daily average also fell from 47.9 to 46 thousand tonnes, a decline of 3.97 per cent. In Q2, production stood at 4.052 million tonnes, compared with...
US aluminium trade shifts as China loses ground and Asian suppliers gain share
US steel and aluminium imports fell 8.5 per cent from August 2025 to May 2026, as Chinese imports dropped sharply while Thailand and other Asian suppliers gained ground. US imports of steel and aluminium declined 8.5 per cent between August 2025 and May 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to data from the German Economic Institute (IW). China saw one of the sharpest declines, with imports falling 34 per cent, equivalent to roughly USD 7.9 billion. Germany also recorded a 10.5 per cent decline, or nearly USD 1.2 billion. The shift comes as exporters face different tariff burdens in the US. China faced an effective tariff of 48 per cent, compared with 21 per cent for Germany, making Chinese metal significantly more expensive to bring into the US market. To know the...
Aluminium rises above $3,300 as Hormuz impasse puts supply under pressure
Aluminium prices have climbed to their highest level since June as stalled US-Iran talks over the Strait of Hormuz raise fresh concerns about supply, while global inventories remain near their lowest level in decades. Aluminium is climbing again, and this time the market's attention is firmly back on the Strait of Hormuz. The latest rise comes as negotiations between the US and Iran over reopening the key shipping route appear to have stalled, raising concerns that disruptions to aluminium supplies from the Middle East could last longer than previously expected. LME aluminium futures rose 1 per cent on Monday, August 10, reaching their highest level since June 23. The metal was trading at around USD 3,337 per tonne on Tuesday, August 11, up 0.6 per cent at 13:15 Shanghai time. The move...
