AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
LME aluminium cash offer declines 0.50% to $3,154/t; alumina Platts price rises 0.54%
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices eased on July 17, as cash prices, futures contracts and longer-dated contracts all moved lower from the previous session. LME aluminium inventories also continued to fall, while the Platts alumina price recorded an increase. On July 17, the LME aluminium cash bid price fell from USD 3,169 per tonne to USD 3,152 per tonne, down 0.54 per cent. The cash offer price also declined from USD 3,170 per tonne to USD 3,154 per tonne, a decrease of 0.50 per cent. The LME aluminium three-month contract also weakened. The bid price dropped from USD 3,166 per tonne to USD 3,146 per tonne , while the offer price fell from USD 3,166.5 per tonne to USD 3,146 per tonne, representing declines of 0.63 per cent and 0.65 per cent, respectively. The December 2027...
LME aluminium prices slip as December 27 contracts drop 0.74%; alumina Platts price rises 0.54%
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices eased on July 17, as cash prices, futures contracts and longer-dated contracts all moved lower from the previous session. LME aluminium inventories also continued to fall, while the Platts alumina price recorded an increase. On July 17, the LME aluminium cash bid price fell from USD 3,169 per tonne to USD 3,152 per tonne, down 0.54 per cent. The cash offer price also declined from USD 3,170 per tonne to USD 3,154 per tonne, a decrease of 0.50 per cent. The LME aluminium three-month contract also weakened. The bid price dropped from USD 3,166 per tonne to USD 3,146 per tonne , while the offer price fell from USD 3,166.5 per tonne to USD 3,146.5 per tonne, representing declines of 0.63 per cent in both cases. The December 2027 bid price...
Coventry University partners with Alucast to advance high-grade aluminium production from recycled material
Coventry University has partnered with aluminium foundry Alucast to investigate how recycled aluminium can be processed into high-grade materials suitable for use in critical industries. The initiative is part of the Clean Futures Programme and aims to help reduce the UK's reliance on imported primary-grade aluminium alloys, which are widely used across sectors including automotive and defence. According to the university, the UK currently imports up to 1.25 million tonnes of primary-grade aluminium each year because domestic production is insufficient to meet demand. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report – World Recycled ALuminium Market Analysis Industry forecast to 2032 As part of the project, researchers from Coventry University's Institute for...
CRISIL upgrades Vedanta, Vedanta Aluminium and Vedanta Oil & Gas ratings after demerger
CRISIL Ratings has upgraded the credit ratings of Vedanta Ltd, Vedanta Aluminium Metal Ltd and Vedanta Oil and Gas Ltd following the group's demerger, citing stronger business and financial risk profiles across the three companies. Vedanta Ltd's long-term rating was upgraded to CRISIL AA+/Stable from CRISIL AA/Watch Developing, while its short-term rating was reaffirmed at CRISIL A1+. The rating agency also assigned a CRISIL AA+/Stable rating to the company's non-convertible debentures. According to CRISIL, Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) will continue to be fully consolidated with Vedanta because of the strong strategic, operational and financial integration between the two companies. HZL contributed more than 95 per cent of Vedanta's earnings in fiscal 2026 on a post-demerger basis, supported...
Arrow Minerals secures three-year bauxite exploration permit for Niagara project in Guinea
Arrow Minerals Limited has been granted a new three-year Industrial Exploration Permit for its Niagara Bauxite Project in Guinea following a government review of the company's historical work and operational capabilities. The permit, issued by Guinea's Ministry of Mines and Geology on July 15, 2026, covers 499.61 square kilometres and is identical in area and boundaries to the company's previous exploration licence. It was awarded to Arrow's wholly owned subsidiary, Mineralfields Bauxite SARLU. The company said the permit followed the Guinean government's review of its exploration activities, operational capacity and ability to advance the project in line with the country's Mining Code. Managing Director David Flanagan said the new licence covers the mineralised plateaux hosting the...
Laser Power & Infra bags $436,100 HTLS conductor order for Himachal project
Laser Power & Infra Limited announced its first commercial order of advanced transmission conductors from Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL). The order, amounting to USD 436,100, is for a turnkey reconductoring project in the Nalagarh Electrical Division of Himachal Pradesh to improve the reliability of the state’s power supply. The project will utilize Aluminium Encapsulated Carbon Core Conductors (AECC) manufactured by Laser Power & Infra under a licensing agreement signed with TS Conductor Corp., USA, in March 2025. This project will replace traditional conductors with High Temperature Low Sag (HTLS) conductors, enabling increased transmission capacity without the need for new transmission towers or additional right of way. The company noted that this solution is...
Hatch and Maaden expand partnership for aluminium and mining project delivery
Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) has signed a strategic delivery agreement with Canadian engineering firm Hatch to support the development and execution of its future mining and metals projects. Under the agreement, Hatch will serve as Maaden's delivery partner for its project pipeline, providing engineering and project delivery support across upcoming developments. The agreement was signed in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Investment Fahad bin Abduljalil Al-Saif, Hatch Vice-chair Joe Lombard, Maaden Senior Vice President of Project Development and Engineering Abdulrahman As-Sadlan, along with senior government officials from both Canada and Saudi Arabia. Hatch has worked with Maaden in Saudi Arabia for more than 30 years, delivering...
Aluminum Dynamics plans $200M recycled aluminium slab facility in Mississippi
Recycled aluminium producer Aluminum Dynamics LLC will invest more than USD 200 million to build a recycled aluminium slab centre in Lowndes County, Mississippi, creating 100 new jobs. The facility, to be located in the Golden Triangle Industrial Park, will recycle aluminium-bearing materials, mainly used beverage cans, into 180,000 tonnes of aluminium slabs for the aluminium products industry. Operations are expected to begin in the first half of 2027. The Mississippi Development Authority is supporting the project through road and rail infrastructure improvements, while the facility will also qualify for tax incentives under the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority programme. Lowndes County is also providing support for the development. Aluminum Dynamics Operations Manager Devin...
Pacific alumina market expected to strengthen in Q3 amid Guinea bauxite uncertainty
The Pacific alumina market is expected to find stronger support in the third quarter of 2026 as uncertainty over Guinea's proposed bauxite export controls, rising aluminium demand in Indonesia and the gradual recovery of Middle Eastern smelting operations begin to ease the surplus seen in the previous quarter. Although the market remains well supplied, participants expect supply and demand conditions to tighten compared with Q2, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights' CERA analysis. Supply concerns have centred on Guinea, where possible export restrictions have raised questions over future bauxite availability. China, which relies heavily on Guinean bauxite, imported a record 23 million tonnes of bauxite in May, up 31.9 per cent year on year, with Guinea accounting for 85.1 per cent...
Alcoa posts record $4 billion Q2 revenue as South32 deal strengthens upstream portfolio
Alcoa Corporation reported record second-quarter 2026 revenue of USD 4 billion (24 per cent increase sequentially), supported by higher aluminium prices, improved operational performance and progress on key strategic projects. During the quarter, the company also signed an agreement to acquire South32’s interests in bauxite, alumina and aluminium assets, further strengthening its upstream portfolio. Alcoa president and CEO William F. Oplinger said, “During the second quarter, in addition to delivering strong financial results that captured favourable aluminium prices, our team executed on strategic initiatives, most notably the announced agreement with South32.” Bauxite Bauxite production declined to 8.3 million tonnes in the second quarter from 9.1 million tonnes in the previous quarter....
Rare earth minerals become strategic resources for clean energy, defence and advanced manufacturing
Rare earth minerals have moved from a niche group of metals to a strategically important resource that is vital to sectors from clean energy to consumer electronics, defence and advanced manufacturing. As demand rises and supply chains are dominated by a few countries, rare earths are being labelled critical minerals by governments around the world. Rare earths demand ties aluminium downstream industries more and more The downstream aluminium industry is also increasingly impacted by the rising use of rare earth magnets, particularly as aluminium continues to replace heavier materials in transportation, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing applications. The rare earths are a set of 17 chemically similar elements. Neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb)...
Novelis Korea executive to lead KONMA's new Aluminium Committee
Novelis Korea has announced that Choi Min-young, the company's Director of Government Affairs, has been appointed the inaugural chair of the Aluminium Committee of the Korea Nonferrous Metals Association (KONMA). KONMA is an industry association that supports the development of South Korea's nonferrous metals industry and works to improve the competitiveness of its member companies. The Aluminium Committee was established this year to promote the sustainable development of the aluminium industry and address common priorities across the sector. According to Novelis, the committee will focus on developing policy recommendations, supporting supply chain stability and responding to evolving global trade and environmental regulations. It also aims to strengthen the competitiveness of South...
Canadian aluminium extruders seek trade protection amid tariffs and import pressure
Canada's aluminium extrusion industry is calling on the federal government to introduce trade protection measures, arguing that rising imports and US tariffs are placing increasing pressure on domestic manufacturers even as aluminium prices remain strong. Although aluminium has been one of the best-performing base metals over the past year, extrusion companies—which process aluminium billets into products used in construction, automotive, industrial equipment and other applications—say business conditions have deteriorated. Mike Flynn, President of Apel Extrusions Ltd., said the sector has already lost around 500 jobs since March 2025, representing about 12.5 per cent of its estimated 4,000-person workforce. He warned that another 800 jobs could be lost by the end of the year without...
Norsk Hydro maintains integrated aluminium and renewable energy operations
Norsk Hydro operates an integrated aluminium business that spans the full value chain, from bauxite mining and alumina refining to primary aluminium production, extrusion, rolled products and recycling. The company also has a significant presence in renewable power generation, supporting the energy requirements of its aluminium operations. Its business model combines upstream and downstream operations, with mining and refining supplying raw materials for smelters, while finished aluminium products serve industries including construction, automotive, packaging and industrial engineering. This integrated structure enables the company to participate across multiple stages of the aluminium value chain. Norsk Hydro operates in the global aluminium and mining industry, where market conditions...
Shyam Metalics begins commercial production at Odisha aluminium foil facility
SMEL Steel Structural Pvt. Ltd., a step-down subsidiary of Shyam Metalics and Energy Ltd., has commenced commercial production at its aluminium foil facility in Sambalpur, Odisha. The facility has an installed production capacity of 18,000 tonnes per annum (TPA) and is designed to manufacture premium-grade aluminium foil in thicknesses ranging from 6 to 40 microns. The company is investing around INR 800 crore (USD 8.30 million) in its downstream aluminium operations at Sambalpur as it expands its value-added product portfolio. Shyam Metalics also confirmed that its aluminium flat rolled products (FRP) facility remains on track for commercial production by September 2026. The plant will have an annual capacity of 60,000 TPA and will produce flat rolled products in thicknesses ranging from...
Canyon Resources receives first locomotives, targets 35kt monthly bauxite transport for Minim Martap project
Canyon Resources has taken delivery of the first locomotives for its Minim Martap bauxite project in Cameroon. The mine is being developed by its subsidiary, Camalco Cameroon, which expects an initial fleet of seven locomotives and 160 wagons to transport 35,000 tonnes of bauxite a month. The company is targeting its first shipment in Q4 2026. The initial rail fleet will comprise seven locomotives and 160 wagons, providing a transport capacity of 35,000 tonnes per month. The first 60 wagons are expected to arrive from China in mid-August, while the remaining 100 wagons are scheduled for delivery later this year. Commenting on the development, Canyon Resources Managing Director Peter Secker said, “We are pleased to be making continual and rapid progress at Minim Martap as we work toward...
Hydro to shut down Delhi, Louisiana extrusion facility in 2027
Hydro Extrusion USA will close its aluminium extrusion facility in Delhi, Louisiana, next year, with operations scheduled to end on April 1, 2027. The closure will result in the loss of 226 jobs, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filed with the Louisiana Workforce Commission in June. The layoffs are expected to take effect on March 31, 2027. The Delhi facility is one of two extrusion plants in the United States that Hydro plans to shut down. The second plant is located in the City of Industry, California. Together, the closures will affect around 350 employees. Hydro said, “Both sites face low capacity utilisation and require significant capital investment to meet operational standards.” As part of the restructuring, production from the two plants will be...
Postle Aluminum expands production with new extrusion press installation at Indiana facility
Postle Aluminum Co. has announced plans to install two new aluminium extrusion presses at its new 230,000-square-foot facility in Howe, Indiana. The expansion will increase the company's extrusion capacity and support existing customers, new business opportunities and OEM partners. The expansion includes a 10-inch extrusion press and a 7-inch extrusion press, both of which will be installed at a new 230,000-square-foot facility in Howe, Indiana. According to the company, the project is intended to support existing customers, expand into new markets and strengthen supply for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners. Mark Smith, president of the company, said, “We’re making this investment now to ensure we have the capacity, capabilities and reliability to support their growth without...
