AL Circle Analysis: US scrap imports hit 580kt as China slips 3.2%, who drives aluminium recycling?
Aluminium scrap is no longer a side story in the metal’s market. Rather, aluminium’s next standoff is over scrap. As US imports surge 37 per cent while China’s purchases decline, manufacturers in Europe and India are confronting a common challenge of securing affordable, reliable raw materials. With recycling rates, trade barriers and low-carbon production reshaping market, the global industry faces a critical question: who will control the metal that powers its circular future? Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. A 1.1-billion-tonne stockpile: US stocks up, China steps back, India asks for access The US imported 580,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap worth USD 2.07 billion in H1 2026 , with Canada accounting for 63.62...
A should-cost analysis of an aluminium tower furnace in India: Comparing the economics of LPG, PNG, and electric energy sources
In precision non-ferrous casting and high-volume die-casting operations, thermal energy conversion represents one of the largest controllable operating expenses. In modern aluminium foundries, where margins are squeezed by primary metal price fluctuations and stringent customer cost breakdowns, even a modest INR 1–2/kg variance in liquid metal melting cost can translate into tens of lakhs of rupees in annual cost differences. A rigorous, transparent should-cost benchmark is therefore essential for procurement teams, foundry managers and strategic sourcing leaders. This analysis examines a baseline should-cost model for a 1,000 kg/hour aluminium shaft or tower furnace in an industrial foundry. It compares liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), piped natural gas (PNG) and electric energy across...
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Century reports Q1 2016 financial results: Sales decline but liquidity improves
Century Aluminum Company reported a net loss of $16.2 million ($0.19 per share) for the first quarter of 2016. Results were favourably impacted by a $5.8 million ($0.06 per share) lower of cost or market inventory adjustment. After consideration of this item, the company reported an adjusted net loss of $22.0 million and an adjusted loss per share of $0.23 for the first quarter. For the first quarter of 2015, Century reported net income of $73.8 million. Results included $6.5 million for an unrealized gain on fair value of contingent consideration related to the Mt. Holly acquisition and were negatively impacted by $1.6 million for signing bonuses related to a new labor agreement in Iceland and $1.0 million related to the separation of a former senior executive. Sales for the first...
Bald Hill ships first cement-grade bauxite
ASX-listed Australian Bauxite (ABx) has shipped its first 5,557 tons of cement-grade bauxite from the Bald Hill mine, in Tasmania. The company told shareholders on Thursday that the customer sought a second, larger shipment of between 30 000 t and 40 000 t once the large stockpile warehouse at the receiving port was approved and ready to receive bauxite. The next shipment would occur within the next two months, said ABx, adding that the sales price of the cement-grade bauxite was profitable, but remained commercial-in-confidence. ABx CEO Leon Hawker pointed out that, during 2014, the company had developed three marketing plans for the bauxite produced at the Bald Hill mine, with the first two plans focused on selling metallurgical bauxite to alumina refineries in China and India. However,...
UC RUSAL, Guinea agree on partnership development terms for Friguia bauxite complex
UC RUSAL, a leading global aluminium producer, and the Republic of Guinea have signed an annex to the Dian-Dian concession agreement and also reached an agreement on resuming operations at the Friguia bauxite and alumina complex. The newly signed annex to the Dian-Dian concession agreement splits the development of the Dian-Dian bauxite mine into 3 stages. The first stage shall be completed by the end of 2017 and foresees the construction of a mine with the annual bauxite capacity of 3 mln tonnes. The second stage is expected to be completed by late 2021 and foresees an increase in mining capacity by up to 6 mln tonnes per year as well as the development of a project to increase the mine’s annual capacity to 9 mln tonnes with a further possibility to make this amount reach 12 mln tonnes....
Jaguar XE's recycled aluminium body saves 500,000 tons of pollution
A recent auto industry study revelaed that Jaguar has saved 500,000 tons of greenhouse gas pollution through the use of recycled aluminium in its XE. The Coventry-based car maker has been using a closed-loop aluminium recycling process to construct the XE’s bodyshell, and says that after 12 months of production it has reclaimed more than 50,000 tons of the metal – about the same weight as 200,000 XE bodyshells or six Eiffel Towers. The production process involves 11 press shops that segregate waste aluminium to be sent back into production, and is said to be 95 per cent more efficient than the sourcing of primary aluminium. These figures illustrate how beneficial using reclaimed materials can be in car production, and come after the car maker has invested a total of £7 million into the...
Malaysia's Tan Chong to sell aluminium casting assets for RM5.7 mil
Tan Chong Motor Holdings Bhd (TCM) has proposed to sell off assets of loss-making subsidiary TC Aluminium Castings Sdn Bhd to sister company APM Automotive Holdings Bhd for RM5.701 million cash. TCM and APM has a common shareholder, namely Tan Chong Consolidated Sdn Bhd (TCC). TCC owns 43.88% of TCM and 37.53 per cent of APM, according to Bloomberg data. TCM said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia that it will pocket in gains of RM640,000, which will be used for repayment of borrowings. The filing said TC Aluminium Castings’ parent, TC Manufacturing Holdings Sdn Bhd, which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TCM, has proposed to enter into a related party transaction with APM Thermal Systems Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of APM Automotive, to dispose of TC Aluminium Castings’ assets...
Sapa delivers record results in first quarter
Sapa has delivered the strongest first quarter since the company was established in 2013. The demand for lighter cars in both North America and Europe, resulting in aluminium substitution in the automotive industry, is contributing positively. Owners Orkla and Hydro reported to the financial markets Sapa's results for the first quarter of 2016. Sapa continues to deliver strong results. Underlying EBIT improved with 46 per cent compared to the same quarter previous year to NOK 571 million. Performance improved across all business areas mainly due to the effects of the improvement programmes, increased share of higher margin business, positive currency effects from the weakening Norwegian krone against the US dollar and Euro and seasonally stronger demand. Total revenue for Q1 was NOK...
Researchers develop process for inexpensive solar desalinization using aluminium
Solar desalinization, once considered to be too costly to implement in an economic manner, may be achievable in the near future thanks to a process that utilizes aluminium. Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Nanjing University have developed a process for solar desalinization using self-assembling nanoparticle membranes that are based upon aluminium and other inexpensive materials. The materials used in the described process remain stable even after several uses as well. “Our plasmon-enhanced solar desalination device can significantly increase the energy transfer efficiency with not only enhanced light absorption, but also more localized heating,” explain the researchers. “To enable efficient solar desalination, broadband and efficient light absorption is the critical...
NALCO to go for toll-smelting of aluminium in Iran
Taking advantage of availability of cheap gas based power in the Gulf region, National Aluminium Company (Nalco) plans to go for toll-smelting arrangement soon with three Iranian companies to produce aluminium. Nalco CMD, T K Chand, who was in Iran recently as part of an Indian business delegation, has already held preliminary discussion in this regard with top officials of the government there and state-owned Iranian Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation Organization (IMIDRO). "Nalco is exploring the possibilities of toll-smelting in Iran through IRALCO (Iranian Aluminium Company), Al-Mahadi, and SALCO. If things work out, the toll-smelting can be done in next 3 to 4 months", Chand said. This arrangement, he said, will be a precursor to the proposal to set up an 0.5 million...
Norsk Hydro puts up a 'stronger' performance in primary aluminium JVs for Q1 2016
Norsk Hydro has announced its financial results for the first quarter ended on March 31, 2016. The underlying earnings before financial items and tax of the Norway based energy and aluminium producer declined to NOK 1,501 million in the first quarter, down from NOK 1,566 million in the fourth quarter of 2015. The decline mainly reflected lower realized aluminium and alumina prices, partly offset by positive currency effects, lower raw material costs and seasonally stronger downstream results. • Underlying EBIT of NOK 1 501 million for Q1 • Lower realized alumina and all-in aluminium prices • BNOK 2.9 Better improvement ambition progressing according to plan • 2016 global primary metal market largely balanced Underlying EBIT for Bauxite & Alumina decreased compared to fourth quarter mainly...
Pahang ministry hopes bauxite SOPs ready before moratorium ends
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry of Pahang, Malaysia, is hoping that improvements to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for bauxite mining can be finalised before the expiry of the moratorium on the activity. Its Deputy Minister Hamim Samuri said, however, the new SOPs would only be enforced after the expiry of the moratorium, and that it was currently being discussed with the related agencies and parties. "The SOPs include the gazetting of special routes for lorries carrying bauxite from all mining sites to the port, so that they do not pass through residential areas, public places, crowded routes, and comply with the load limit. "In addition, (it includes) the specification of a centralised stockpile location by the Pahang state government, to improve the stockpile...
Baosteel to put online 700 mln aluminium can project
Baosteel will put online its aluminium can project in Heilongjiang province next month and plans to more than double the capacity in the future, cnmn.com reported. The project will produce 700 million aluminium zip-top cans in the first phase. The company plans to expand total capacity of the project to 2 billion zip-top cans in the second and third phase. The project will target not only northeast China, but also Russia and Mongolia markets.
Henan begins building large-scale aluminium alloy wheel project
Henan Energy Sanmenxia Dicastal Wheel Manufacturing Co. broke ground on its aluminium alloy wheel rim project several days ago, industry sources reported. The project is designed to produce 4 million aluminium alloy wheel rims each year. Planned investment for the first phase of the project totals 1.33 billion yuan ($205 million). Construction will take about one year.
SHFE aluminium to face possible short selling
SHFE 1606 aluminium will face possible short selling and move at RMB 12,600-12,800/mt Today, SMM observed in an early morning forecast. Despite hawkish tone during the US Fed’s policy meeting, chance remains small for a rate hike in June. LME aluminium will move at USD 1,630-1,650/mt. In China’s spot aluminium market, spot discounts of RMB 0-30/mt and spot premiums of RMB 0-10/mt are expected over SHFE 1605 aluminium contract. Key macroeconomic indicators for base metal prices Diverging trend among base metals should intensify on Thursday. Attention is turning to US annualized Q1 GDP today and market will continue digest news form US Fed April rate meeting. US Q1 GDP growth is expected to slow down, which can be reflected by US soft labour market, weak inflation, consumption and property...
Orbite announces a $15 mln financing from the govt
Orbite Technologies Inc. announced yesterday that it has entered into a letter of intent with Investissement Quebec, acting as mandatory of the Government of Quebec, whereby Investissement Quebec has agreed to provide the company with an aggregate financing of $15 million. The Financing is expected to be comprised of the purchase of 10 per cent convertible non-secured debentures in the principal amount of $5 million, the purchase of class A shares of the company in the amount of $5 million, together with the grant of a $4.9 million bridge loan secured by the company's 2016 refundable investment tax credits. "These funds, as we receive them, will allow us to reaccelerate our activities at Cap-Chat towards completion of our high purity alumina (HPA) plant," stated Glenn Kelly, CEO of...
Altech signs off take sales agreement with Mitsubishi for all HPA production
Altech Chemicals Limited has announced the execution of a 10 year off take sales arrangement (Agreement) with Mitsubishi Corporation’s Australian subsidiary, Mitsubishi Australia Ltd (Mitsubishi) for 100 per cent of the high purity alumina (HPA) production from the company’s proposed Malaysian HPA plant. The Agreement appoints Mitsubishi as the exclusive buyer of the full 4,000tpa production capacity and will commence on the date of first shipment of final HPA product. The contracted sale quantities will mirror Altech’s proposed HPA plants’ production ramp up and account for 100 per cent of planned production. Under the Agreement both parties have set specific off take sales target quantities, which will be at prevailing market prices. Altech managing director, Mr Iggy Tan said that...
Bauxite Resources' current cash burn rate reduces in quarter ended March 2016
Bauxite Resources Limited has published its production report for the quarter ended on March 2016. During the review period, Bauxite Resources completed sale of the company’s interest in the BAJV. Key changes made as a consequence of this were as follows: • BRL received net cash funds of $6m from the sale of its interest in the BAJV for $7.15m and the buy-back by BRL of Yankuang’s shares for $1.15m; • BRL will receive a royalty from the sale of all bauxite mined from the BAJV tenements and the Fortuna tenement (equivalent to 50c/tonne up to 100 million tonnes); • BRL completed the buy-back and cancelled 19.7m shares held by Yankuang; and • Yankuang’s representative Mr Cunliang Lai resigned from the BRL Board. Exploration activities were minimal for the quarter in its remaining joint...
NZ Supreme Court rejects aluminium smelter's bid to challenge $20 mln lieu days decision
The Supreme Court of New Zealand has rejected an application by the operator of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter to challenge a High Court decision requiring it to stump up some $20 million in back-pay after a complaint from the smelter workers' union that they were underpaid for days in lieu. The Court of Appeal had already rejected the arguments put forward by New Zealand Aluminium Smelters, a company majority-controlled by Anglo-Australian metals giant Rio Tinto against the 2013 High Court decision. In essence, the case boiled down to workers being paid out for lieu days as if they normally worked eight hour days when their shifts were routinely 12 hours. "I welcome the certainty the Supreme Court's decision has given us," said NZAS chief executive Gretta Stephens. "Right now we are...
Satechi launches Aluminum Mini Docking Station for Windows and Mac
Popular peripheral maker Satechi is launching a new compact hub for Macs called Aluminum Mini Docking Station. The new hub expands one USB 3 port into four USB 3 ports plus adds access other networking and audio/video ports. Like a lot of other Satechi hardware, Aluminum Mini Docking Station is color-matched in silver to fit in with an iMac or Mac mini too. Specifically, Aluminum Mini Docking Station includes two front-facing USB 3 ports and a front-facing 3.5mm audio port plus two more USB 3 ports on the back next to a gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI port, and DVI video port. Satechi says the HDMI port supports 4K output or multiple monitors simultaneously with the DVI out. The specifications do not list the refresh rate but typical for Displaylink USB 3 is 30Hz at 4K or 60-120 at 1080P. In...
