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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Chinese aluminium scrap prices stay stable; SHFE aluminium settles slightly higher
Chinese aluminium scrap prices stayed stable on Scrap Register Price Index as on Friday, while zinc futures prices at Shanghai Futures Exchange settled higher amid weakness in other base metals counters as news on aluminium stockpiling by six large smelters has been digested. According to the Scrap Register Price Index, the major Chinese aluminium scrap commodities like 6063 extrusion, aluminium scrap, aluminium can and EC Wire (Al >99%) stayed flat on Friday. However, the most active 1603 aluminium contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled slightly higher by 0.4% to 10,700 yuan per ton on Friday from the previous close of 10,660 yuan per ton. The SHFE aluminium prices touched an intra-day high of 10,750 yuan per ton and an intra-day low of 10,645 yuan per ton during Friday. The...
Alba Chairman receives Ambassador of India to Bahrain
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C (Alba), a prominent industrial company in Bahrain and one of the world’s leading aluminium smelters, received H.E. Mr. Alok Kumar Sinha, Ambassador of India to Bahrain today, January 18, 2016. Alba’s Chairman of Board of Directors, Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa met with H.E. Mr. Alok Kumar Sinha, who was appointed in mid-2015 to his post in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The meeting was held to familiarise H.E. Mr. Alok Kumar Sinha with Alba’s pioneering role as the first smelter in the Middle East and its position as an industrial leader and an economic pillar of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Shaikh Daij thanked H.E. Mr. Alok Kumar Sinha for his visit and hailed the historic and outstanding relations shared between the two countries. He also expressed his keenness...
Hydro's fourth quarter results 2015 to be released on Feb 17
Norsk Hydro ASA, the Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company announced yesterday that its fourth quarter results 2015 will be released at 07:00 CET (01:00 AM EST, 06:00 UK time), on Wednesday February 17, 2016. The quarterly report and presentation slides will be available on Hydro’s website at the same time. Presentation in Oslo According to the company sources, Hydro will host a combined analyst and press conference, in English, at its corporate headquarters at Drammensveien 260, Oslo at 08:30 CET the same day. The presentation will be held by President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg and CFO Eivind Kallevik and can also be seen on web TV. Q&A / Conference Call There will be a conference call at 15:15 UK Time (16:15 CET, 10:15 AM EST,) the same day. The Q&A will be held by...
About 32% of Chinese aluminium smelters bearish toward prices this week
About 32% of the 25 Chinese aluminium smelters surveyed by SMM paint a dismal picture of aluminium prices this week. They are bearish that LME aluminium will fall below USD 1,465/mt and that SHFE 1603 aluminium will drop below RMB 10,600/mt, citing a series of negative factors: 1. Major Chinese aluminium smelters have announced plans to hoard aluminium from the market, but no action has been taken yet; 2. Downstream producers will begin closing early for the 2016 Chinese New Year holiday due in early February; 3. Global stock market remains weak. Chinese A-share market fell to 2847.54, a one-year low; 4. Crude oil prices will fall as sanctions on Iran are to be lifted soon; 5. US industrial output fell 0.4% MoM in December, triggering pessimism over US Q4 GDP. Another 48% expect SHFE 1603...
The 4th Iran International Aluminium Conference to be held on May 11-12, 2016
The 4th Iran International Aluminium conference (IIAC2016) with the motto "Aluminium, key to a sustainable industry" will take place on the 11-12 of May 2016. In this conference apart from promoting the aluminium industry, the upgrading of aluminium knowledge is also considered of vital importance. With these critical facts in mind, the deadline for full text entry has been set for the 30th of January. According to the scientific committee, about 220 abstracts have been received up to this point. Among the well-known names sponsoring this conference, "Fives" is one of the first to show interest. Also due to the importance of media relations in this conference, Aluminium International Today, Aluminium Times, Metals Market, Iran Mavad, and AlCircle along with a few other renowned media...
China alumina refineries slash 9.1 mt/y capacity since Nov 2015
Large alumina refineries in China have begun to slash output due to rock bottom prices of aluminium, which has 80% of the country's domestic alumina industry operating with negative cashflow, state-backed research house Antaike said on Friday. "Domestic alumina refineries have halted 9.10-million tonnes per year capacity... around 2.30-million tonnes per year alumina capacity will be closed in the near term," Antaike said in a release. Most of the product cut happened in the high-cost regions of Shandong and Henan, it said. China is the world's biggest producer of glut-stricken aluminium.
Rio Tinto posts production growth despite alumina price slump
Global mining behemoth Rio Tinto reported growth in production in its alumina operations in FY 2015. Alumina production from the company's QAL and Yarwun plants in 2015 totalled 6.61 million tonnes (mt), an increase of 355,000 tonnes from the 2014 total of 6.256 mt. The QAL plant produced 3.747 mt, up from the 2014 total of 3.568 mt, and the Yarwun plant produced 2.864 mt, up from the previous year's 2.688 mt. Total global production of alumina including the company's alumina plants in Brazil and Canada in 2015 was 11.837 mt. The 2014 total was 1.212 mt, but that included the company's Gove plant in the Northern territory which was closed down in May 2014.
Hydro remains committed towards environmentally sustainable bauxite mining
The Research Council of Norway and the state of Pará in Brazil has agreed on a new research collaboration. The agreement is important for Hydro's research on biodiversity and forest rehabilitation after bauxite mining. In 2013, Hydro joined an extensive research collaboration (Biodiversity Research Consortium (BRC)) with the University of Oslo and three Brazilian research institutions to provide a research-based approach to replanting after Hydro's bauxite mining in the state of Pará in Brazil. In connection with a recent BRC seminar in Pará, which Crown Prince Haakon also attended, a new letter of intent on academic collaboration and exchange was signed between Pará and the Research Council of Norway. Important for replanting efforts Hydro's vice president responsible for environmental...
Rio Tinto releases solid fourth quarter production results
Rio Tinto released solid fourth quarter production results despite the challenging market conditions. Rio Tinto chief executive Sam Walsh said Rio Tinto remained focused on operating and commercial excellence against the industry's "challenging market backdrop". "In 2015, we delivered efficient production, meeting our targets across all of our major products, while rigorously controlling our cost base," he said. "We will continue to focus on disciplined management of costs and capital to maximise cash flow generation throughout 2016." Highlights for Aluminium Business • Continued strong performance in bauxite exceeded full year guidance of 43 million tonnes, with record third party shipments of 26.6 million tonnes. • Aluminium production was in line with 2014, with record annual...
Price pattern of stronger Shanghai Aluminium prices to change
Base metal prices on the SHFE are expected to be vulnerable to losses this week, Shanghai Metals Market foresees. “China will release a bag of 2015 economic data, and this, coupled with narrower volatility of Chinese yuan in offshore market, will pressure the Shanghai prices, and the condition of SHFE stronger than LME will likely be changed,” SMM says. Overseas investors now also eye on European Central Bank’s rate decision on its January meeting. SMM forecast for most actively-traded contracts in aluminium spot market is 10,580-10,750 yuan per tonne.
LME Aluminium to meet strong resistance
LME aluminium is expected to meet resistance at the 40-day moving average and move at USD 1,458-1,483/mt on Monday. SHFE 1603 aluminium should consolidate at RMB 10,580-10,750/mt. In China’s spot market, spot discounts of RMB 0-10/mt and premiums of RMB 0-30/mt are expected over SHFE 1601 contract.
Yulian Group puts huge aluminium processing project online
According to the industry sources, Henan Yulian Energy Group put online its huge precision aluminium processing project on January 11. The project has an annual capacity of 600,000 tonnes. The project, equipped with melting & casting lines, cold rolling and hot rolling lines, is scheduled to reach full capacity this year, the source added.
Aluminium foil project goes on stream in China Guizhou
Guizhou Xintianli Aluminum Foil Co. brought into service its precision aluminium foil project in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, on January 8, as per a recent report. The aluminium foil manufacturing plant, with total investment at 1.2 billion yuan ($ 185 million), has an annual capacity of 50,000 tonnes, the industry source added. Once fully operational, the project will yield 1.2 billion yuan in annual revenues. Globally, aluminium downstream industry, driven by the packaging industry growth, has been charting heights with every passing year. Despite Chinese economy slowdown, the country's downstream aluminium sector too has shown significant growth prospects. In recent times, the domestic aluminium demand in China has declined, but once the economy is back on track it will pick up. Till...
Tribogenics introduces portable aluminium grade identifier for use in the scrap metal industry
Los Angeles-based Tribogenics, a manufacturer of portable XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analyzers for metal alloy identification, has added high-speed, high-precision aluminium alloy identification to the software library for its Watson analyzer. The company says in field tests with scrap recycling customers, Watson cuts XRF test times for aluminium alloy identification in half with almost 100 percent accuracy. At $9,999 Watson is four times cheaper than LIBS (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) units typically priced at $40,000 and 2.5 times cheaper than competing hand-held XRF devices typically priced north of $25,000, Tribogenics says, making the technology well-suited to small and midsized recyclers. “Improved light element ID, better software and improved usability have been identified...
Global metal recycling market size to grow to reach USD 406 bn by 2020
The global metal recycling market size will grow from USD 277.12 billion in 2015 to reach USD 406.16 billion by 2020, at a projected CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 7.95%, revealed data released in a recently published market research report. The metal recycling market is driven by strict laws pertaining to waste management, the report said. The metal recycling market can be segmented by metal type (ferrous and non-ferrous- aluminium, aluminium alloy, copper etc.), scrap type (old scrap, new scrap), end-use sector (construction, automotive, equipment manufacturing, shipbuilding, others), equipment (shredders, granulating machines, others) category. According to the report, “Increasing awareness of the efficient use of natural resources is going to drive the metal recycling market....
Heidi Brock begins term as Chair of the NAM's Council of Manufacturing Associations
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) announced today that Heidi Brock, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association, has been elected chair of the NAM’s Council of Manufacturing Associations (CMA) to serve a one-year term. The CMA, made up of nearly 260 industry-specific manufacturing associations, is a vital component of the NAM, providing resources and networks to members to broaden the reach of the NAM’s advocacy efforts. “No executive is better equipped than Heidi to lead manufacturing association executives in this critical time in history,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “Her ability to transcend Washington rhetoric and advocate on behalf of her members is inspirational. She is a true leader in the business advocacy community. Heidi continues to forge new life...
EGA sponsors World Future Energy Summit 2016
As Associate Sponsor for the seventh consecutive year, UAE aluminium giant Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") will again play a pivotal role at the World Future Energy Summit ("WFES") 2016, hosted by Masdar at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 18 to 21 January. Jointly owned by Mubadala Development Company and Investment Corporation of Dubai , EGA has supported the event since 2009. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces), WFES is a key part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2016. The annual event is widely considered the world's foremost summit dedicated to advancing future energy, energy efficiency and clean technology. As in prior years, the 2016 summit will...
The CBIX index remains flat during January third week
The CBIX index remained flat leading into the Malaysian mining ban, which takes effect this week. CBIX was down 1.8% (US$0.9/dmt) to US$47.6/dmt as non-Malaysian cargos continued to display variable (and mostly lower) ViU pricing. Both panamax and capesize freight rates fell further, on the back of lower oil prices and lower vessel charter rates. Malaysian bauxite prices were unchanged, with unwashed bauxite fetching US$26.0/dmt FOB and the corresponding CFR price (ViU adjusted) down 1.1% (US$0.4/dmt) to US$35.4/dmt, due to adjustments in freight rates. The current bauxite price lows are starting to be felt across the industry, with ASX bauxite junior Australian Bauxite Ltd suspending operations to conserve cash after failing to find a buyer for its maiden shipment. Other non-Malaysian...
