AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
Andromeda to use Great White Kaolin for HPA development, targets 4N alumina samples in 2026
Andromeda Metals has started commissioning its high-purity alumina (HPA) pilot plant. It marks another step towards commercial production using Great White kaolin and its proprietary processing technology. The pilot plant will allow the company to test continuous production rather than batch processing and is to operate through the third quarter of 2026. The company plans to use the program for future feasibility work and project development. Andromeda plans to produce commercial-grade 4N HPA samples in the second half of 2026. These samples will be sent to potential customers for qualification testing, an important stage before commercial supply agreements can be secured. The pilot plant follows earlier laboratory work in which the company produced HPA with a purity level of 99.9985 per...
Why combustion systems are essential to aluminium manufacturing: A look at Bloom Engineering's role
Combustion systems are essential throughout the aluminium value chain, supplying the heat needed for melting, holding, re-heating, homogenising and heat-treatment processes. These systems are an integral part of aluminium operations and their efficiency has a direct impact on fuel consumption, production costs and product quality. Aluminium producers are seeking to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions, which has increased demand for advanced burner technology that provides precise temperature control and minimises environmental impact. The industrial players are also considering alternative fuels, such as hydrogen and biofuels, as part of wider decarbonisation efforts. Companies specialising in combustion engineering are helping manufacturers meet these challenges with better...
Forklifts and the future of aluminium material handling: How Combilift fits into the frame
Forklifts, powered trucks that lift and move heavy items, are essential across the aluminium value chain. They carry raw materials in smelters and move billets, slabs, coils, sheets, extrusions and finished products in downstream plants. Good material handling keeps production flowing smoothly. As aluminium moves further down the value chain into rolling mills, extrusion plants and fabrication facilities, forklifts become even more important. They handle long, heavy and often high-value products that require careful transportation and storage without damage. Combilift, an Irish company founded in 1998, is the world’s largest maker of multi-directional forklifts and straddle carriers. It has sold over 95,000 units in more than 85 countries and is a recognised leader in handling long loads....
GTRI seeks a trade policy shift to keep more aluminium within India
In a recent report, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that India needs to comprehensively overhaul its aluminium trade framework to maximise the value of its natural resources and enhance domestic manufacturing. The policy think tank argues that several changes are needed, including eliminating import duties on unwrought aluminium, fixing the current inverted tariff structure, and introducing a 20 per cent export tax on primary aluminium. These measures, it says, would help shift the focus from exporting raw metal towards expanding higher-value domestic manufacturing. Published on Thursday, the report states that the existing tariff regime has created imbalances throughout the aluminium supply chain. Instead of encouraging industrial development, current policies have...
Aluminium China 2026 to spotlight innovation, recycling and global industry collaboration
The global aluminium industry will turn its attention to Shanghai this July as Aluminium China 2026 returns for its 21st edition. Aluminium China 2026 will bring together aluminium industry stakeholders from around the world in Shanghai, offering a platform to explore market trends, new technologies and business opportunities across the value chain. Scheduled to take place from 8-10 July 2026 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the event is expected to attract producers, processors, technology providers, traders and end-users from across the aluminium value chain. Over the past two decades, Aluminium China has established itself as one of the industry's most important meeting points in Asia, providing a platform for companies to showcase new products, manufacturing...
EU carbon border levy raises competitiveness concerns for New Zealand aluminium exports
New Zealand aluminium and other carbon-intensive exporters to Europe are facing increasing challenges with the full implementation of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Since January 1, 2026, EU importers have been required to purchase CBAM certificates corresponding to the carbon emissions embedded in imported products. Aluminium is one of the first sectors to be covered by the mechanism, together with iron and steel, cement, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. The system is intended to make sure that the carbon cost for imported goods is the same as that paid by manufacturers operating under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Industry observers say New Zealand's carbon price is still much lower than the EU carbon price. It means EU importers of...
Villagers support Kodingamali bauxite mine expansion, seek better infrastructure and jobs
The public hearing on the proposed expansion of Kodingamali Bauxite Mine in Odisha concluded peacefully on June 21 with the residents of nearby villages backing the project but raising concerns over infrastructure and livelihoods. The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)’s regional office conducted the public hearing in Rayagada town for a proposal to increase the mine’s annual bauxite production from 3.6 million tonnes to 6 million tonnes. The hearing was participated by more than 500 residents from villages like Kansariguda, Podapadi, Kindiripadar, Phuljaba, Uparkodinga, Bankamba and Bajragada, officials said. During the course of the proceedings 26 villagers spoke in favour of the expansion and a further 23 submitted written consents in support of the proposal. Explore: The most...
BALCO aluminium wire rods play a key role in India's power infrastructure
Although BALCO, owned by Vedanta, doesn’t get a lot of attention for its aluminium wire rods, they are an important part of the supply chain for power transmission and distribution projects across India. BALCO manufactures the wire rods at its Korba plant in Chhattisgarh and sells them to cable and conductor manufacturers who use the rods to make products used in power lines, electrical infrastructure and industrial applications. The rods are made from electrical grade aluminium and engineered to ensure high conductivity and consistent quality. Usually they are in large coils, which are then drawn out into thinner wires for various uses. The products are available in electrical conductor grades and speciality alloys for applications ranging from building cables to high-voltage...
Mecwin and Fraunhofer IWKS join hands to advance rare earth magnet manufacturing in India
Mecwin Technologies India Pvt. Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Germany-based Fraunhofer IWKS to support development and production of sintered neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets in India. The partnership is meant to augment India’s capabilities in manufacturing rare earth magnets, a segment gaining strategic importance in view of growing demand from electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, industrial equipment and defence applications. Under the terms of the deal, Mecwin will set up a manufacturing facility in India for sintered NdFeB permanent magnets. The facility is anticipated to cater for a range of sectors including electric mobility, aerospace, industrial motors, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing. The partnership will concentrate...
China port bauxite stocks reach 32.4 million tonnes despite higher prices
China’s bauxite inventories continued to increase last week despite higher prices and ongoing concerns over supply from Guinea. Stocks held at Chinese ports reached 32.4 million tonnes, up 24 per cent year-on-year and the highest level recorded since 2022. However, inventories remain around 20 per cent below the five-year peak of 39 million tonnes. At the same time, the price of Guinea’s 45 per cent grade bauxite rose by USD 1 per tonne week-on-week to USD 69.5 per tonne CFR China. Despite the price increase, the rise in inventories indicates that the Chinese market remains well supplied. The growing stockpiles may also point to longer-term changes in China’s aluminium supply chain. The country’s domestic bauxite mining is getting more expensive and less competitive as its workforce ages....
Bridgnorth Aluminium secures five-year battery foil supply deal with Lotte Aluminium Materials USA
Bridgnorth Aluminium (BAL), the UK’s last remaining aluminium rolling mill, has strengthened its position in the growing battery materials market after signing a five-year supply agreement with Lotte Aluminium Materials USA. The agreement was signed at Lotte’s facility in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and will see BAL supply battery-grade aluminium for use in battery foil production. The material will support the manufacture of next-generation batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESS) across North America. The deal follows joint development work, qualification programmes and product testing aimed at meeting the requirements of the rapidly expanding battery sector. Bridgnorth Aluminium employs 368 people at its production facility in Shropshire and has...
Norton Atlas range highlights aluminium’s role in lightweight motorcycle design
Norton Motorcycles has revealed full details of its new Atlas and Atlas GT models, two middleweight motorcycles that combine modern technology with extensive use of aluminium components aimed at reducing weight and improving performance. The launch marks another step in Norton’s revival under TVS ownership, with the company looking to expand its presence in the global motorcycle market. The Atlas is positioned as an adventure-touring motorcycle with light off-road capability, while the Atlas GT is designed primarily for road use. Although both models share the same platform, they differ in their suspension, wheels and tyre setup. Aluminium plays an important role in both motorcycles, particularly in the wheel and chassis components. The Atlas is equipped with a 19-inch front wheel and a...
Hindalco sees e-waste recycling as a source of critical minerals and rare earths
Hindalco Industries has said that recycling electronic waste and printed circuit boards could play an important role in recovering critical minerals and rare earth elements needed for India's future growth. Speaking on the sidelines of the CII GreenCo 15th National Summit, Vaishali Surawar, Chief Sustainability Officer at Hindalco, said the company has commissioned an e-waste recycling facility at Pakhajan near Dahej to process electronic waste and recover valuable materials. According to Surawar, the facility will focus on printed circuit boards and use a seven-stage process to extract metals from discarded electronics. The recovered materials will include copper, rare earth elements and other specialty metals, which are increasingly important for sectors such as clean energy,...
Om Metallogic secures an INR 188 million aluminium alloy ingot supply contract
Om Metallogic Ltd. has recently secured a fresh supply contract valued at INR 18.81 CR (USD from Oswal Castings Pvt. Ltd. According to the agreement, Om Metallogic will deliver 476.35 tonnes of ADC-12 aluminium alloy ingots to the buyer, Oswal Castings, which adds a sizeable commercial order to the former’s account. The company disclosure says the contract is awarded as an open work order. Revenue from the deal will not be recognised upfront but will progressively accrue as supplies are executed under a performance-linked billing arrangement. Most importantly, Om Metallogic clarified that the transaction has been entered into on an arm’s-length basis and does not involve a related party. Such disclosures are closely watched by the investors as they provide reassurance that commercial...
US court upholds Commerce decision on Turkish aluminium sheet exporter
The US Court of International Trade has ruled in favour of the Commerce Department in a dispute involving Turkish aluminium sheet producer Assan, confirming that the company was not eligible for a duty drawback adjustment under an anti-dumping order. The case relates to imports of common alloy aluminium sheet from Turkey and Commerce's review of whether Assan qualified for a reduction in its dumping margin through the duty drawback programme. A duty drawback allows companies to recover duties paid on imported materials that are later exported or used in exported products. According to the court, Assan submitted documents intended to support its eligibility claim after the deadline set by Commerce. As a result, the agency declined to include the information in its review. Explore: The most...
Alcoa secures long-term power supply for Lista aluminium plant through Statkraft agreement
Statkraft and Alcoa have signed two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) to support the continued operation of Alcoa’s aluminium plant at Lista, Norway. The agreements will see Statkraft deliver around 4.8 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity between 2028 and 2031, giving the plant more certainty over its future power costs. The deal follows the successful restart of Electrolysis Hall 3 at the Lista facility, which increased annual production capacity by 31,000 tonnes and brought the total capacity of the plant to 95,000 tonnes per year. Alcoa said the restart is an important step for its Norwegian operations, strengthening the company’s industrial footprint and restoring production capacity at the site. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report –...
Egyptalum pursues a $100m denominated loan for its first aluminium foil plant
Egypt Aluminium Company (Egyptalum) is said to be looking for a USD 100 million loan to help fund the development of Egypt's first aluminium foil plant, which is deemed to play an important part in Egypt's strategy to strengthen its downstream aluminium industry, thereby decreasing the need for imports. According to a report by a renowned news media, the financing will be arranged through a consortium of Egyptian and Gulf-based banks. The National Bank of Egypt is leading the process and managing the dollar-denominated loan, with the final financing agreement expected to be signed during the fourth quarter of 2026. The report cited unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The initial step of the project will require about USD 90 million in investment and will produce 25,000 tonnes of...
Vedanta Aluminium shares rise as Citi and Kotak turn positive on stock
Vedanta Aluminium shares were in focus on Thursday after brokerage firms Citi and Kotak Institutional Equities initiated coverage on the stock with ‘Buy’ ratings. The stock was trading 0.56 per cent higher at 9:40 am and had earlier risen as much as 2.93 per cent to INR 479 (USD 5.08) per share. Despite the gain, Vedanta Aluminium remains more than 10 per cent below its listing price of INR 522 (USD 5.53). Vedanta Aluminium was listed on the stock exchanges on June 15 and was the only one of Vedanta’s four demerged businesses to debut at a premium. Both Citi and Kotak highlighted favourable aluminium market fundamentals, planned capacity expansions and ongoing cost-reduction initiatives as key positives for the company. They also pointed to growing aluminium demand from sectors such as...
