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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2017 Aston Martin Vantage gets a new bonded and riveted aluminium architecture
Aston Martin will follow its recently unveiled DB11 with a minimum of five all-new models in the next four years. They will span three distinct model lines and form part of a plan to build 7000 cars per year by 2020. The DB11, a GT, was revealed at the recent Geneva motor show and will be on sale in the summer. It will be joined next year by an all-new Vantage sports car heavily inspired by the DB10 created for the James Bond film Spectre and by a replacement for the Vanquish in 2018. Both models will be built on versions of the DB11’s all-new aluminium architecture in Aston’s core sports and GT model line. By the end of the decade, Aston will also have on sale two models with no direct predecessors in new, separate model lines: the DBX crossover and an all-new Lagonda saloon. The model...
Tech start-up Trestor's "Swachh Machine" to dispense drinking water in exchange for used aluminium cans and bottles
Chandigarh-based start-up Trestor is building a machine that can provide clean drinking water to people, especially the urban poor. However, to get 300 ml of water, a person has to put an used plastic bottle or an aluminium beverage can or aerosol can into the machine. Developed in just 95 days by two final year students of IIT-Bombay — Anurag Meena and Satyendra Meena — the machine, built to capitalise on Government of India's Swachh Bharat campaign, is being marketed by Trestor. Trestor was founded by serial entrepreneur Kunal Dixit in the year 2014. Leveraging technology to help create healthy, responsible communities, Trestor has developed this machine to involve people in keeping public places clean and provide them with ready access to clean drinking water. “Through our ‘Swachh...
Meizu m3 Note with 6000 series aluminium unibody launched
Meizu M3 Note has been unveiled in China with 6000 series aluminium unibody and mTouch 2.1 fingerprint scanner starting at CNY 799 and will be available for purchase from April 11. Dubbed as the budget friendly smartphone similar to that of critically acclaimed m1 note and m3 note, the latest release of aluminium unibody-m3 note also packs in a wide range of latest technological innovations widely found in competing smartphones. While the 2GB RAM variant, priced at CNY 799 ($125) is equipped with 16GB internal storage, the 3GB RAM is equipped with 32GB storage space with a price tag of CNY 999 ($155). Both models offer eMMC 5.1 solid state chip storage and come with microSD expansion slots, which also serve as a second SIM card slot. The aluminium uni-body, integrated with Meizu m3 Note...
Alcoa’s Micromill Technology for future cars
The Micromill is Alcoa’s proprietary technology that manufactures the most advanced aluminium sheet on the market, according to Alcoa. Since being introduced in December 2014, Alcoa has achieved some significant breakthroughs, producing more formable aluminium sheet, with greater strength, lighter weight and higher formability. The Micromill process, according to Alcoa, changes the microstructure of the metal, producing an aluminium alloy sheet with unique microstructure that has 40 per cent greater formability and 30 per cent greater strength than the incumbent automotive aluminium sheet produced in rolling mills, all while at the same time meeting stringent automotive surface quality requirements. Moreover, automotive parts made with Micromill made material will be twice as formable and...
TPM outcome to provide NZ Aluminium Smelters with $30 mln p.a. transmission cost relief
The outcome of the transmission pricing methodology (TPM) review was becoming increasingly important to the future of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, Forsyth Barr broker Damian Foster said yesterday. Smelter owner New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS) was undertaking work to determine the level of maintenance capital expenditure it had to undertake. It was expected the company would have to make a decision soon on its deferred maintenance spend. "Committing to capex is a good indication NZAS is likely to stay open for longer. However, it is clear the outcome of the transmission pricing methodology review is becoming increasingly important,'' Mr Foster said. In March, the NZAS contact with Meridian Energy was amended to allow the smelter to defer its decision on contract volumes, which...
Chalco cuts aluminium prices after three consecutive weeks of hike
China Aluminum International Trading Co. (Chalco Trading) cut aluminium prices in major markets this past week after three weeks hike, it said online. The table below shows the aluminium price corrections made by Chalco Trading:
SHFE Aluminium to face technical correction
SHFE 1606 aluminium will face technical correction after falling below the 10-day moving average, and should move at RMB 11,600-11,750/mt on Friday, SMM forecasts. According to SMM, LME aluminium will trade in a range of USD 1,490-1,510/mt, In China’s spot aluminium market, spot discounts of RMB 0-20/mt and spot premiums of RMB 0-20/mt are expected over SHFE 1604 aluminium contract. SHFE Aluminium ended with declines SHFE 1606 aluminium opened at RMB 11,795/mt on Thursday. The most active contract climbed to RMB 11,810/mt on long buying, but then retreated to RMB 11,750/mt as longs took profit at highs. Finally, SHFE 1606 aluminium ended down RMB 50/mt at RMB 11,780/mt. Trading volumes were down 28,244 lots to 121,118 lots, and positions were up 5,270 to 256,784. SHFE 1606 aluminium is...
Metallica finds port solution for Urquhart bauxite project
ASX-listed Metallica Minerals has struck a heads of agreement (HoA) with the operator of the nearby Hey Point bauxite mine to provide logistical services for the Urquhart bauxite project, in Cape York. The agreement would see direct shipping bauxite from the Urquhart mine delivered to export vessels through the approved Hey Point load-out facility, some 15 km away. The HoA included capped contracting rates over the projected life of the project, as well as access to the Hey Point load-out facility for transshipping bauxite. The agreement would form the basis of a full binding service contract and a binding access agreement, which was targeted for August this year. “As a bulk commodity operation, the economics of the Urquhart bauxite project are closely tied to the logistics of delivering...
'Kuantan MP wants moratorium on bauxite mining extended
Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh wants the three-month moratorium on bauxite mining in the state be extended until a more comprehensive standard operating procedure (SOP) is put into place. Fuziah also urged that existing licences for bauxite mining activities be cancelled and new applications be made compulsory. This way, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) must also be made mandatory as one of the requirements for a successful application, she said. Citing the moratorium, which will end come April 15, Fuziah said Kuantan residents were still unsure of their fates. “The SOP previously mentioned by various quarters, including the Pahang state government, is still hazy – it doesn't include solutions to all aspects of pollution,” she said. Recalling bauxite activities which took place before...
Mozambique Government concerned at lack of market for bauxite
The Mozambican government is concerned at the lack of a market for the bauxite mined in the central province of Manica.Last year, Manica produced 4,985 tonnes of bauxite, a 47 per cent increase on the 3,386 tonnes produced in 2014. But much of this production remains unsold because of the difficulties in finding a market, inside or outside the country. The Manica Provincial Director of Economy and Finance, Virgulino Nhate, speaking at a meeting of the provincial Development Observatory said that the main potential buyer is Zambia - but for reasons that Nhate did not know, Zambian interest in Manica bauxite has declined sharply. “We have a lot of bauxite in the province”, said Nhate. “Zambia used to buy much of this product. But in recent years it has been buying in very small quantities,...
Benetti launches new 45 metre steel and aluminium superyacht Domani
Benetti has launched the new 45 metre custom superyacht Domani this week for an Owner with a passion for cruising the world. The Owner’s fourth Benetti, Domani was built for an expert sailor who loves cruising with his family across the globe. His extensive experience, along with Benetti’s construction expertise, resulted in a superyacht suitable for intensive use. The external design of this four deck steel and aluminium yacht is the result of Benetti’s in-house design team while her interior styling was created by Carlo Galeazzi with considerable input from the owner and builder. The efficient use of space is one of the peculiarities of this below 500GT full displacement yacht, offering a deceptive amount of room for a 45 metre thanks to the use of established Benetti platforms. The sky...
Vivocom’s Neata bags projects totalling RM37.5 million
Vivocom Intl Holdings Bhd’s (Vivocom) subsidiary, Neata Aluminium (M) Sdn Bhd (Neata), was awarded RM37.5 million worth of contracts yesterday, with the latest projects being Third Avenue Cyberjaya for an amount of RM22.5 million, and Kemensah Development for an amount of RM15 million for the supply and installation of aluminium works. This announcement to Bursa Malaysia yesterday is the latest in a series of solid wins for Neata, a subsidiary of Vivocom, a leading conglomerate in the sectors of construction, telecommunications and now manufacturing. “Since the acquisition by Vivocom last year, our business has grown by leaps and bounds, in particular our aluminium manufacturing and installation business. “We have secured almost RM80 million worth of contracts during the past nine months...
Mazda CX-3 hits the road with16-inch aluminium wheels
The recently launched Mazda CX-3, a taller version of the Mazda 2, certainly looks the part with chunkier appearance and immaculate exterior complemented by a simple yet modern interior. What impresses most with Mazda cars is the company’s KODO design language. On the CX-3, the language is expressed externally through short overhangs, powerful lines and striking proportions. The CX-3’s bold face centres on the grille and extends through the chromed signature wings into the headlamps. The rear combination lamps stretch from the body into the liftgate with a shape echoing the headlamps. The Mazda CX-3 features a 16-inch aluminium wheels on the Active and Dynamic models and 18-inch aluminium wheels which feature five sets of double spokes with a machined outer finish that contrasts with the...
Constellium inaugurates its dedicated University Technology Center to develop aluminium alloys and automotive structural components
Constellium N.V. announced today the opening of the Constellium University Technology Center (UTC) at Brunel University London, a dedicated center of excellence for the design, development and prototyping of aluminium alloys and automotive structural components. Featuring industrial size aluminium casting and extrusion equipment in the first phase, the Constellium UTC will provide rapid prototyping capability that is expected to reduce development times by at least 50% for advanced aluminium alloys required for the continued lightweighting of automotive structural components. The newly developed alloy and process technologies are expected to be transferred to Constellium’s extrusion and automotive structures plants worldwide, thereby closing the gap between fundamental R&D and series...
Aluminum Association applauds International Trade Commission on launching investigation on global aluminum industry
The Aluminum Association applauds the International Trade Commission for beginning its investigation into the global aluminum industry and the competitiveness of U.S. producers. The federal trade agency announced yesterday it has officially launched its investigation, “Aluminum: Competitive Conditions Affecting the U.S. Industry”. For U.S. producers, overcapacity, particularly in China, is of paramount concern to the aluminum industry. While the demand for aluminum is growing globally, and is particularly strong in North America, the Aluminum Association is concerned about growing overcapacity in China and questionable trading practices. Aluminum producers in the United States have been hurt by these practices, and have urged the U.S. government to investigate these issues. USITC will...
US aluminum recovered from scrap falls in January 2016
According to USGS Mineral Industry Survey for Aluminum in January 2016, total aluminum recovered from scrap in January 2016 was 296,000 t, 2% more than that recovered in December 2015 but 9% less than that in January 2015. Of this, 173,000 t of aluminum was recovered from new scrap, 6% more than the amount in the preceding month and slightly more than the amount recovered in January 2015. The amount of aluminum recovered from old scrap was 123,000 t, 4% less than the amount recovered in the preceding month and 21% less than that in January 2015. About 89,100 tons of aluminum alloys were produced at secondary smelters in the united States in January 2016. Average buying prices for UBC aluminum scrap was about 1212 dollars per ton.
BIR updates on non-ferrous scrap markets and aluminium recycling in major geographies
Labour costs have increased ‘very rapidly’ in China and some lower-end projects have moved to other developing countries in the region with wage and logistics advantages as well as lower environmental standards, according to Ma Hongchang, BIR’s advisor on local policy and regulatory developments. ‘Some capacity has already been transferred there,’ he points out. In 2015, China imported 3.658 million tons of scrap copper, 2.087 million tons of scrap aluminium More recently, many Chinese scrap traders and processors have been encouraged by the commodity price rebound and copper imports soared 50% year on year in February to 420 000 tonnes. Dubbed ‘unexpected’ in some quarters, this improvement in LME aluminium values helped to trade some of the ‘frozen’ tonnages which had remained unsold...
Alba backs Bahrain International CSR Award 2016
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), a leading aluminium smelter in the world, demonstrated its commitment as a frontrunner in corporate citizenship by backing the Bahrain International Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award 2016, organized by Bahrain CSR Society at the Regency Hotel over the course of two days starting April 6th 2016. The opening ceremony, held under the patronage of the Minister of Energy His Excellency Dr. Abdul Hussain Ali Mirza, was attended by Alba Chief Financial Officer Ali Al Baqali and Chief Marketing Officer Khalid A. Latif along with other Alba officials. On this occasion, Alba’s Chief Financial Officer, Ali Al Baqali said: “Alba believes in its responsibility towards the community in which its operates and as an active corporate citizen, we believe that it...
