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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Aluminium stockpiling fund gives glimpse of China metals reforms
China's plans to set up funds to manage coal and ferrous metal capacity closures and stockpiling schemes offer nervous markets some clarity on the likely future make-up of the country's sprawling and predominantly state-run metals and mining industries. As the world's largest producer of aluminium, steel and other metals, and the biggest consumer of copper and iron ore, China is crucial to global metals markets which have slumped in the past year as Chinese industrial demand growth slowed. China's slowdown has hit revenue at global miners such as BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, and the market is keen to know what China plans for its own state-run mining and metals giants - many of which have kept producing even as prices drop below the cost of production. After weeks of talks between...
South32 puts focus on balance sheet
BHP spin-off South32 has slashed its debt and sharply cut costs as it races to stay ahead of weaker earnings amid a slump in commodities prices. The company on Thursday posted drops in production across most of its businesses for the December quarter. South32 has already cut or suspended production at high-cost manganese ore mines in South Africa, as well as several aluminium smelters, but said it was ready to do more if needed to ride out the volatile market conditions. "Further decisive action will be taken as we seek to maximise short-term cash flow while preserving longer-term value," chief executive Graham Kerr said. The company said its net debt by the end of December stood at $US115 million ($A166.79 million), down from $US196 million three months earlier, and $US402 million at the...
Groundbreaking for Garmco’s $50m aluminium remelt plant held in Bahrain
Groundbreaking for Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mills Company's (Garmco) $55 million aluminium remelt plant was held on Thursday near the company’s main production facilities in Bahrain. The project, which is part of a three-year programme aiming to increase profitability and explore opportunities for the company in the regional as well international markets, is due for completion by November 2017. On completition, the remelt plant will produce 120,000 tonnes of aluminium slabs and create around 50 new jobs while generating significant cost savings. France’s Fives has EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract with Garmco for this project. The event was attended by Bahrain’s Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Zayed Al Zayani, and the French Minister of Foreign Trade,...
Vizag aluminium alloy wheels unit invests $140 million in Bahrain
Shekhar Movva of Synergies Castings Ltd (SCL) will invest $140 million in a world-class aluminium alloy wheels firm in Bahrain. The SCL will invest the amount in two phases with the majority being held by Synergies. The joint venture with the Sovereign Wealth Fund ‘Mumtalakat,’ an investment arm of Kingdom of Bahrain, was signed in December last. The world-class plant with a capacity of 2.2 million wheels or equivalent of 30,000 tonne per year will be located within the precincts of ALBA. It will deploy state-of-art technology and service the global OEM market with particular emphasis on the US and Europe, Mr. Shekhar, president of the SCL, told The Hindu, adding that their first overseas unit would be operational in 24 months. SCL is the leading manufacturer of aluminium alloy wheels in...
Sapa sees aluminium sales `bump' in bid to make cars lighter
Sapa AS, the maker of aluminium products, expects a “significant bump” in sales to automotive companies in North America as more of the metal is used in passenger cars and commercial vehicles. With all-aluminium-bodied products such as new electric car lines and increased adoption of aluminium by Ford Motor Co. in its F-Series pickup trucks, “auto is a huge growth market for us,” Charlie Straface, the Oslo-based company’s North American business area president, said in an interview. Car and truck makers are turning to aluminium to reduce vehicle weights and boost fuel efficiency ahead of stricter U.S. emissions rules. Sales to automotive customers represent 10 to 15 percent of Sapa’s North American portfolio, according to Straface. Light-vehicle output in the region is projected to grow...
India to host mega mining conference-cum-exhibition in Kolkata in Feb
India’s mining industry set to reach $36 billion to open up commercial coal mining to private companies with the aim of shifting the world’s third largest coal importer towards energy self-sufficiency. A mega conference, the 6th International Mining, Exploration, Mineral Processing Technology, Metals & Machinery Exhibition, is scheduled from February 24 –27 at the Eco Park, New Town, Rajarhat, Kolkata, with this aim. The event is being organized by TAFCON – a professionally managed company with over six decades of experience and expertise in organizing international a trade fairs and conferences in India and overseas, along with the Mining, Geological & Metallurgical Institute of India (MGMI), the oldest institute of its kind in Asia, which has been promoting the cause of the mineral...
Gramercy's Noranda alumina plant could close; 444 jobs at stake
A foreign tax dispute and sagging commodity prices could lead a St. James Parish manufacturing plant to close, leading to the loss of 444 jobs. Noranda ships bauxite that it mines in Jamaica to its plant in Gramercy, where alumina is extracted. That material then goes to the company's smelter facility in Missouri and is turned into aluminum. Noranda is attempting to reach an agreement with the Jamaican government over the production fee the company pays the country for exporting bauxite. A previous deal expired at the end of 2014, and the parties have been in arbitration since then trying to reach new terms. John Parker, Noranda's vice president for investor relations, said Jamaica is seeking fees that established in its original production agreement with the company, which he likened to...
Alumina price rally on the upward curve, SMM Says
Alumina prices in China are building up upward momentum after a slump in December, SMM sees. The price rally will be driven by alumina production cuts, stocking before the 2016 Chinese New Year holiday due in early February, SMM aluminium analyst explained. China’s alumina output fell 1.17% month-on-month to 4.66 million tonnes in December, SMM data statistics showed. Production cuts have allowed stocks to drop at Chinese alumina producers, SMM has learned. It should be noted, though, that a pileup of cheap imported alumina will limit the upside of domestic alumina prices. Imported alumina traded around 1,700 yuan per tonne (including VAT, self pickup) at the Port of Lianyungang in mid-January.
Aluminium futures weaken, hurt by weak global cues
Aluminium prices were down 0.55 per cent to INR 100.30 per kg in futures trade today as participants trimmed exposures amid weak global cues and sluggish demand in the domestic spot markets. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, aluminium for delivery in the current month eased by 55 paise, or 0.55 per cent, to INR 100.30 per kg in a business turnover of 363 lots. Similarly, the metal for delivery in February was trading lower by 50 paise, or 0.49 per cent, at INR 100.90 per kg in 22 lots. Marketmen said the weakness in aluminium at futures trade was mostly in tune with a weak trend at London Metal Exchange (LME) on renewed worries over global growth and muted demand at domestic spot markets.
Alcoa expands Investor Relations team
Alcoa announced today that it is expanding its Investor Relations capability in preparation for the previously announced separation of the Company during the second half of 2016. Matt Garth, Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, will take on the additional leadership of Alcoa's Investor Relations group. Garth will be the primary point of contact for investors and analysts. Vice President Investor Relations Nahla Azmy, and Patricia Figueroa, Director Investor Relations, will report to Garth. Garth led Alcoa’s investor relations function from May 2009 to November 2010 before being promoted to Chief Financial Officer of Alcoa’s $3 billion global packaging business. He assumed his current role as head of Financial Planning and Analysis in September 2015.
Tiwai Point aluminium smelter could run at half capacity
New predictions pick the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter in Southland is likely to stay open, but possibly in a scaled-down form.The predictions come from utilities analyst Nevill Gluyas at research and broking firm First New Zealand Capital. There have been suggestions for years that the smelter would shut down because of low aluminium prices. It faced closure in 2013 but stayed on after winning a $30 million bailout from the government, and getting an undisclosed cut in the price it paid for its electricity from Meridian Energy. Then last year the smelter negotiated a new agreement until 2030.But this was open to early termination if needed, with 2018 being the possible shut-down date if conditions deteriorated. That left New Zealand's electricity industry with a huge headache, since the...
Novel molten metals (aluminium)-based battery offers low-cost, long-lasting storage for the grid
A novel rechargeable battery developed at MIT could one day play a critical role in the massive expansion of solar generation needed to mitigate climate change by midcentury. Designed to store energy on the electric grid, the high-capacity battery consists of molten metals (including molten aluminium) that naturally separate to form two electrodes in layers on either side of the molten salt electrolyte between them. Tests with cells made of low-cost, Earth-abundant materials confirm that the liquid battery operates efficiently without losing significant capacity or mechanically degrading-common problems in today's batteries with solid electrodes. The MIT researchers have already demonstrated a simple, low-cost process for manufacturing prototypes of their battery, and future plans call...
Micro minimalist wallet constructed from aluminium and PVD finished
London based KKMC Limited has introduced a brand new model of its popular minimalist wallet. Branded as Micro, the cutting-edge functional wallet is constructed from premium grade aluminium and finished with a PVD coating. While taking about the wallet’s sleek design and unique in-built features, Micro creators said: "This is not just another wallet in an overflowing market. We came together to design a pure and beautiful minimalist product that truly reflects our design ideals. With our lives getting faster and more cluttered by the day, it seems we always have to get somewhere that bit faster, grab food that bit quicker and forget to appreciate the small things. So we decided to make your transactions that bit easier and put the small things in your pocket!" Each aluminium-built Micro...
Aluminium rolling costs keep on falling
Costs are falling in the rolled products industry, due to both lower LME prices and weak energy prices. Using CRU's Aluminium Rolling Cost (ARC) model, we have shown that costs fell in 2014 and 2015, with 2016 costs likely to continue their downward movement. However, from 2017 onwards we expect costs to start recovering. The profitability of an aluminium rolling mill depends greatly on the plant's raw material allocation strategy. Mills typically source a range of raw materials including primary remelt ingot or liquid, rolling slab, hot rolled coil and a variety of different forms of scrap. The scrap generated in-house, termed run-around scrap, is also utilised to minimize costs. Typically, run-around scrap will make up approximately 30-35% of the total raw material mix. Raw material...
US Shredded Scrap prices rise sharply; US Aluminum Scrap prices show up trend
United States shredded scrap prices rose sharply during the week ended January 15, while major US aluminum scrap commodities weekly average prices on Scrap Register Price Index also showed an up trend. According to TSI, US Midwest weekly shredded index increased by $14 a long ton during the week to $184 a long ton (delivered mill). The slight upward movements seen from mid-December, which were as a result of mills securing early tonnage ahead of expected January price increases, have continued into the new year with mills looking to buy and dealers looking to sell. Although the market retains a bullish outlook for now, some participants feel the upswing in prices may be short lived with mills continuing to operate at near 60% utilization rates. The weekly average scrap prices of Auto...
AluSolutions 2016 announces ASI Executive Director Dr Fiona Solomon as keynote speaker
AluSolutions 2016, the only free exhibition and conference addressing sustainability challenges in aluminium production and processing, has announced Dr Fiona Solomon, Executive Director of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), as a keynote speaker. Dr Solomon brings nearly 20 years of experience in sustainability and corporate social responsibility to her role at the ASI and will present on how the industry can address the environmental, social and governance aspects of the aluminium value chain. Other speakers announced so far, include a representative from European Aluminium, Sustainability Consultant Melanie Williams, Graham Bruce from Taha International Corporation, as well as a representative from the Bureau for Middle East Recycling. The two-day exhibition, being held on...
Ameren in talks with state lawmakers to save Noranda's Missouri aluminium smelter
St. Louis based energy utility service provider Ameren Missouri is in talks with the state lawmakers to help its largest customer, Noranda Aluminum find some way out to evade possible closure of its Southeast Missouri aluminum smelter, reported sources close to both the companies. The smelting facility buys roughly 10 percent of Ameren Missouri‘s power; hence, its closure would mean huge loss for the power utility as well. No wonder, the company has stepped in to find a solution to the situation despite the fact that they have never got along with Noranda Aluminum in Jefferson City. Sources say, Ameren is seeking changes in Missouri utility law that would give it more certainty when it files for rate increases. While no bill has been filed yet, it is reported that Ameren Missouri wants a...
NALCO revives $2 billion Iran smelter plan as sanctions end
National Aluminium Company NALCO will soon send an official team to Iran to explore setting up a smelter complex worth about $2 billion, its boss said, as world powers lift sanctions on Iran that had made negotiations difficult. NALCO Chairman Tapan Kumar Chand told Reuters on Monday that the ending of sanctions on Iran in return for the country's curbs on its nuclear programme could help the company finally move ahead with its long-held goal to set up a smelter there to make use of cheap gas resources. "It's a major bottleneck which has been cleared," Chand said. "As far as Iran is concerned they have already informed us that they are ready to receive the team." Cash-rich NALCO will also visit Oman and Qatar in the next two months to work out the best place to set up a...
