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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LME aluminium to extend gains
The US plans to levy petroleum tax, boding well for crude oil prices. The US dollar index took a hit following dovish speech by US Fed official. Risk aversion will prevail on the last trading day before the holiday. LME aluminium is expected to rise to USD 1,520-1,560/mt today. SHFE 1604 aluminium should range RMB 10,750-10,900/mt. In China’s spot aluminium market, spot discounts of RMB 80-50/mt are expected over SHFE 1602 contract.
MCX aluminium up by 0.4% on strong demand
Aluminium prices edged up 0.44% to INR 103.35 per kg in the futures trading today as participants enlarged positions, supported by strong demand in the spot markets and base metals strengthened overseas. Aluminium for delivery in current month inched up 45 paise, or 0.44%, to INR 103.35 per kg in a business turnover of 141 lots in futures trade at the Multi Commodity Exchange. Likewise, the metal for delivery in March was trading higher 45 paise, or 0.43%, to INR 104.10 per kg in one lot. Marketmen said besides increased domestic demand, strength in base metals pack at the London Metal Exchange as China's central bank sought to support the property market with steps that may spur investment in the country and demand from the construction industry, helped aluminium futures to rise.
SNC-Lavalin awarded engineering contract by Emirates Global Aluminium
SNC-Lavalin has been awarded an engineering services contract by Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) to provide operations support services to EGA’s two aluminium smelters in the United Arab Emirates - namely Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) and Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL). SNC-Lavalin will provide engineering packages and manpower services to DUBAL and engineering and project management services to EMAL Engineering to ensure optimal delivery of a portfolio of projects and operations support. The mandate covers a period of three years, ending in July 2018. The stock is up 4.22% or $1.65 after the news, hitting $40.76 per share. About 233,403 shares traded hands. SNC-Lavalin Group Inc has declined 8.32% since June 29, 2015 and is downtrending. It has underperformed by 1.02% the S&P500. SNC-Lavalin Group...
Hindalco Industries Ltd hits 52-week low
The stock of Hindalco Industries Ltd hit a new 52-week low and has INR 63.37 target or 5.00 per cent below today’s INR 66.70 share price. The 9 months bearish chart indicates high risk for the INR 143.28 billion company. The 1-year low was reported on February 4. If the INR 63.37 price target is reached, the company will be worth INR 7.16 billion less. The 52-week low event is an important milestone for every stock because it shows very negative momentum and is time when sellers come in. During such technical setups, fundamental investors usually stay away and are careful buying the stock. The stock decreased 2.70 per cent or INR 1.85 on February 3, hitting INR 66.7. Hindalco Industries Ltd has declined 36.02 per cent since July 7, 2015 and is downtrending. It has underperformed by 28.51...
PPG launches innovative internal powder liner for aluminium aerosol cans
PPG Industries' packaging coatings business has announced that it will feature HOBA™ PURAIR™ coating, an innovative Bisphenol A non-intent (BPA-NI, or with no BPA intentionally added) powder liner for the internal protection of aluminium aerosol cans, during the Aerosol and Dispensing Forum in Paris, February 3-4. The product from PPG’s brand HOBA Purair contains no solvent. It helps canmakers meet environmental and sustainable technology goals such as reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and providing high utilization and recycling capability. Powder coatings are just emerging into limited use for monobloc aerosol packaging, according to Robyn McMillan, PPG global segment manager for monobloc aerosol and tube coatings. “Powder coatings can play a key role in aerosol...
China names ex-Chalco Chairman to lead State Assets Regulator
A former aluminum executive who oversaw China’s biggest mining acquisition was named head of the country’s state-owned assets regulator as Beijing overhauls its bloated industrial sector. Former Aluminum Corp. of China President Xiao Yaqing was appointed chairman and Communist Party deputy secretary of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, according to the agency’s website Wednesday. Xiao replaced Zhang Yi, who remains the party chief of SASAC, which manages non-banking state-owned assets and reports to the State Council, China’s cabinet. Xiao led Aluminum Corp. of China, also known as Chalco, and was chairman of its listed unit until 2009, when he was appointed vice secretary general of the State Council. He managed the aluminum producer’s 2008 joint purchase...
Metro Mining extends takeover offer period for Gulf Alumina
Metro Mining has extended the takeover offer period for Gulf Alumina Limited by one month to the 15th March 2016. Metro’s offer opened on Christmas Eve 2015, and is progressing in parallel as the company rapidly advancing its own project. The details of the offer include: 3.3 Metro shares for every 1 Gulf share; Ownership Outcome Under Offer 56 per cent Metro / 44 per cent Gulf; Minimum 50.1 per cent acceptance. The merger would create a much larger independent Cape York bauxite company with enhanced market relevance, and would effectively double the reserve base of circa 96 million tonnes. The new entity would also realise significant operational synergies, such as economies of scale and enhanced financing capability given improved economics and enhanced investor appeal.
South32 warns of job cuts at its Worsley alumina refinery
South32 has warned of job losses at its Worsley alumina operation in the South West after announcing big staffing cuts at its South African manganese operation and flagging a writedown of $US1.7 billion. The BHP spin-off employs about 1800 workers at its bauxite mine near Boddington, its alumina refinery near Collie and port operations at Bunbury. The Perth-headquartered company's Worsley operation is one of the largest and lowest-cost alumina refineries in the world. But sagging commodity prices have forced the company to review its activities worldwide. “Our teams are currently finalising plans that will deliver a meaningful reduction in costs at Illawarra Metallurgical Coal (NSW), Cerro Matoso (Colombia), Worsley Alumina (WA) and Australia Manganese (NT and Tas),” South32 said in a...
Hindalco said to face threat of Baphlimali mine closing
Hindalco Industries Ltd., India’s second- largest producer of aluminum, may have to halt mining at its biggest bauxite reserve after part of the land was recently deemed forest, requiring a new permit, people with knowledge of the matter said. The company needs to obtain approvals by 9 March and is running out of time, one of the people said. Hindalco has already filed the papers and the eastern state of Odisha, where the mine is located, needs to decide whether to extend the deadline, another person said. When Hindalco won the lease more than a decade ago, the area wasn’t marked as forest land, both said, asking not to be identified as they aren’t authorized to speak on the subject. Failure to get the license in time may either force Hindalco to cut aluminum production or import ore,...
Long-term impact of Kuantan's unregulated bauxite mining a cause of concern
Rampant, unregulated bauxite mining in Malaysia’s Kuantan and its impact on the region’s environment and economy have revealed loopholes more than one in the country’s industrial regulatory system. Why only Malaysia’s? - The setback has unearthed many gaps existing within the mining industry’s value chain across economies. These include issues relating to ethical mining and sustainability which have long been overlooked by the mineral development companies. It is high time the industry addressed these issues; otherwise it could experience bigger setbacks in the days to come, opine industry experts and scientists. Environmentalists are concerned over the long-term impact on Kuantan’s environment, ecosystem and economy due to the damage done by unbridled bauxite mining activities....
CRL-U.S. Aluminum partners with ARCOM to integrate its architectural glazing systems into MasterSpec
CRL-U.S. Aluminum, the leading manufacturer and supplier of architectural glazing systems in North America, and ARCOM, the leader in building specification services and tools, has announced a partnership that will incorporate CRL-U.S. Aluminum products into MasterSpec. As the most trusted and widely used specification software in the construction industry, MasterSpec allows architects, engineers, and design professionals to write customized specifications for clients. With the addition of CRL-U.S. Aluminum products, it will make the product selection process easier, improving project efficiencies. CSI product categories from CRL-U.S. Aluminum that will be added to MasterSpec include: 08 41 13, Aluminum Framed Entrances and Storefronts; 08 44 13, Glazed Aluminum Curtain Walls; and 10 22...
Jaguar Land Rover makes £36m emissions reduction pledge
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will invest £36m over the next three years in renewable energy, energy efficiency and process improvements, according to the British carmaker's latest sustainability report. In its latest responsible business performance update, released yesterday, 2 February, JLR said an increased investment in energy efficiency is needed to reduce manufacturing emissions, which have increased by 12 per cent in absolute terms due to ‘rapid business expansion’. “As we invest in new and existing manufacturing facilities around the world, we’re drawing on our expertise in environmental innovation to reduce the energy and natural resources we use to build our vehicles,” reads the report . “We’re also investigating significant opportunities to reduce emissions through low carbon...
US grants aid to Alcoa smelter workers after China complaint ruling
The US government has granted aid to workers at Alcoa's Intalco aluminium smelter in Washington state, after they complained that Chinese dumping threatened their jobs, according to a federal ruling. The US Department of Labour (DOL) granted Trade Adjustment Assistance to the 500 workers at the 279 000 t/y facility, which is slated to suspend production at the end of the second quarter, in a letter signed late last week and published on Tuesday. The programme provides payments and job training to workers who lose their jobs because of competition from abroad. The ruling in favor of the Alcoa workers could serve as evidence in a potential trade case as tensions with China's aluminum industry build. The approval also comes as low aluminum prices have forced U.S. smelters to stop or slow...
LME aluminium to rise on positive news
Crude oil production cuts will continue cheering commodities market up. Expectations for US rate hike will weaken on poor US economic data. The ECB is expected to maintain loose monetary policy. LME aluminium is expected to rise to USD 1,510-1,540/mt on Thursday. SHFE 1604 aluminium should follow LME aluminium up to RMB 10,700-10,820/mt. In China’s spot aluminium market, spot discounts of RMB 80-50/mt are expected over SHFE 1602 contract.
Nalco sets all-weather business model to face global slowdown
In view of the slump in the world aluminium market, the National Aluminium Company (Nalco) has developed an all-weather business model to maintain profitability. "Given the tough going in the market, Nalco, a leading foreign exchange earner for the country amongst the central public sector enterprises (CPSEs), has developed a new corporate plan with a new business model that will withstand market onslaughts and keep the company afloat with profitability. The new business model shall insulate Nalco from the vagaries of market," said Tapan Kumar Chand, chairman and managing director, Nalco. The new model is based on reducing the cost of making aluminium making and increasing the volume of production through modernization and brownfield expansion and upstream and downstream integration....
AMD Supply aims to be the largest aluminium supplier in Miami
Continuously expanding its aluminium product offerings, AMD Supply LLC is, “Delivering On its Promise of Low Cost, Better Quality, and Exceptional Customer Service”. AMD is a leading wholesale aluminium supplier in Miami, recently added a whole new array of products to their lineup, stepping closer to their goal of becoming the biggest supplier of aluminium products in the South Florida (Palm Beach, Broward, & Miami-Dade) region. The company works with a wide range of partners and aluminium suppliers to offer their customer with a diverse assortment of aluminium products and the freedom to shop according to their budget and requirement. Recent additions include the SuperNova accordion hurricane shutter and the patented Hi-tech accordion hurricane shutter as well as a line of roll shutter...
More effort needed to boost aluminium can recycling
Although the overall recycling rate for aluminium beverage cans in Europe is on the increase, more effort is necessary to reach the 80% recycling target set for 2020, insists Maarten Labberton, director of the European Aluminium Packaging Group. There is a need, he says, for more efficient collection, sorting and recycling schemes in countries with a less developed recycling infrastructure. ‘These member states can learn from best practices in the most advanced countries and should adapt these to their specific needs,’ he states. ‘In addition, countries should improve existing producer responsibility schemes and move towards modern collection tools based on the scrap value of aluminium cans.’ Europe’s aluminium can recycling rate increased by 1.8 percentage points to a new record of 71.3%...
Better sorting means better recycling- Hydro
Perfect recycling management means the complete recycling of a product at the end of its use phase, with the creation of a new product from the individual components. In order to turn this vision into reality, it is necessary to separate products as finely as possible into their single components. Then the resulting materials can be reused by type, observed spokesperson of the Hydro Aluminium Recycling Deutschland GmbH. As far as the recycling of aluminium window frames is concerned, the Hydro Aluminium Recycling Deutschland GmbH has taken another step closer to the perfect materials cycle, as the VDI Center for Resource Efficiency shows in its new film: Following a precise analysis of the shredded aluminium parts, a new shredding plant separates the individual alloys so accurately that...
