AL Circle Analysis: Bauxite developments, alumina trade & primary aluminium market dynamics across Australia, Guinea, US & India
The aluminium industry is entering another phase of supply-chain repositioning. Across bauxite, alumina and primary aluminium, companies are investing in new resources, consolidating strategic assets and expanding processing capacity, while governments are increasingly treating domestic supply as a strategic priority. The latest developments from Australia, Guyana, Guinea, Indonesia, the US and India point to a market where resource security, processing location and control over supply chains are becoming as important as production growth. At the same time, new trading mechanisms and changing investment patterns are beginning to influence how aluminium and its raw materials reach the market. Bauxite supply expands, but securing the right tonnes is becoming harder In Western Australia, VBX...
China's 22.87 Mt extrusion market faces a structural shift as 317 GW solar growth counters weak construction demand
The global aluminium extrusion landscape is undergoing a structural transition driven by industrial decarbonisation, global electrification, and the rapid deployment of clean energy infrastructure. Historically anchored by civil engineering and residential real estate, demand for extruded aluminium profiles in China, the world’s dominant manufacturing hub, is decoupling from traditional property sectors. Persistent structural weakness in China’s domestic construction market has slowed the consumption of conventional architectural profiles such as window frames, door sections, and curtain walls. Conversely, advanced industrial applications, specifically solar photovoltaic (PV) racking, battery energy storage systems (BESS), power grid modernisation, and electric vehicles (EVs), have...
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India starts probe into dumping of Chinese aluminium radiators
India has initiated a probe into alleged dumping of aluminium radiators by China in the domestic market. The move is aimed at protecting domestic players in the sector against cheap imports. The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), an arm of the Commerce Ministry, has begun investigations into the imports of 'Aluminium Radiators, Aluminium Radiator Sub- Assemblies and Aluminium Radiator Core' from China. In a notification, the DGAD has said it has found a sufficient prima facie evidence of dumping of the product from China. "The authority hereby initiates an investigation into the alleged dumping, and consequent injury to the domestic industry...To determine the existence, degree and effect of any alleged dumping and to recommend the amount of antidumping duty,...
International Aluminium Die-casting Competition winners awarded at EUROGUSS 2016
German Aluminium Association, Düsseldorf, has awarded the winners of the International Aluminium Die Casting Competition 2016 as part of the EUROGUSS 2016 in Nuremberg. Prizes were awarded by a jury of experts from research and practice to three castings from renowned manufacturers with a further three castings receiving special commendations. GDA has organised a competition for aluminium die-castings for the second time. It was partnered by the Association of the German Foundry Industry. The Austrian Economic Chambers and the Swiss Aluminium Association alu.ch also supported the competition. For many years, the Aluminium Die-casting Award has proven to be a successful platform for demonstrating the high quality standards of aluminium die-castings. The aim of the competition is to boost...
Aluminium market under long liquidation, open interest drops 2.28%
Aluminium settled down -0.61% at 97.75 logging small losses while LME aluminium, which has been the best LME performer this year, finished down 0.8 percent at $1,450 a tonne, the lowest since Dec. 1 last year. Prices may see support today as profits ahead of key trade data from China, but the recent onslaught of selling was expected to resume given struggling demand-growth in the world's top user of metals. Meanwhile, metals company Alcoa Inc on Monday reported a quarterly net loss after charges related to shuttering parts of its traditional smelting business. CME Group has logged the first trades in its Japan aluminium premium contract, data from the exchange showed on Monday, just days after the industry hammered out the first quarter premiums for Asia's biggest importer of the metal....
Noranda announces cost-reduction and other strategic measures for its upstream business
Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation has announced actions principally designed to reduce costs in the company's integrated upstream aluminium business, which comprises its bauxite mining operation in Jamaica, its alumina refinery in Gramercy, Louisiana, and its primary aluminium smelter in New Madrid, Missouri. These actions are in response to continued low aluminium prices, the previously announced idling of two pot lines at the company's aluminium smelter in New Madrid, Missouri, and other business issues affecting the company's upstream operations. "These actions reflect our intense focus on managing cash and available liquidity in an especially challenging business environment for our integrated upstream business," said Layle K. "Kip" Smith, Noranda's President and Chief Executive...
Bauxite miners race to clear stockpiles at Kuantan Port
A substantial bauxite built-up is being apprehended on Kuantan Port’s land when a three-month mining ban kicks in at midnight overseeing January 15. Kuantan Port Consortium general manager Datuk Azahari Muhammad Yusof said lorries were now speeding in bauxite here at an average of 80,000 tonnes a day. With the deadline to stop all bauxite-related work fast approaching, those involved are that have accumulated near the Kuantan Port. Miners and lorry drivers are being pushed to their limits as they claimed they were unaware of how the moratorium would be implemented. “We have more or less 2.8 million tonnes of bauxite in Kuantan Port. We will have roughly three million tonnes by January 15,” Azahari said. He added that this took into account the thousands of tonnes of bauxite being loaded...
US shredded scrap prices and aluminium scrap prices continue to remain flat
United States shredded scrap prices continued to remain flat during the week ended January 01, while major US aluminium scrap commodities weekly average prices on Scrap Register Price Index also showed a flat trend. According to TSI, US Midwest weekly shredded index remained flat during the week at $170 a long ton (delivered mill). The outlook for January is still uncertain with some bullish participants seeing an uptick of as much as $20 a long ton. However, others foresee the market remaining subdued with no significant movements expected due to the lack of export activity. The major aluminium scrap commodities on the Scrap Register Price Index showed flat trend during the week. The weekly average scrap prices of Auto Wheels, 5052 Alum Clip, 6061 Alum Extrusion, 6063 Extrusion, Al/Cu...
Taiwan’s metal sector spurred towards growth with return of iMT Taiwan 2016
After the resounding success of the inaugural International Metal Technology Taiwan Exhibition and Conference (iMT Taiwan) in 2015, preparations are in full gear to bring back the event this year. Scheduled to be held from 6 to 8 December 2016 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre, the second edition of iMT Taiwan will spring further from the remarkable achievements recorded last year as the event stands stronger as Taiwan’s first and only exhibition dedicated to the metal industry. Rave reviews and positive endorsements from delighted exhibitors and visitors on the impressive top-grade products and wide range displayed at the first staging provided the quality mark for iMT Taiwan’s organizer – Kaigo Co., Ltd to continue featuring 13 product categories namely - Material Science and...
China Zhongwang introduces new equipment at its aluminium train compartment production mill
To address the growing production demand, China Zhongwang’s production mill for aluminium train compartment products introduced a batch of advanced processing equipment recently. The new equipment has been installed with trial run finished, and most of the machine tools have commenced production. The three different types of numerically controlled production center (“NCPC”) machines introduced are with advanced functions such as high cutting precision, good processing quality and high production efficiency. Besides, the NCPC machines are able to process large cross-sections, up to a maximum of 1020mm, 1600mm and 3060mm respectively, which can meet most processing requirements of different work pieces. The newly introduced three-dimensional NCPC stretch bending machine for extrusion...
Aluminium stands out among metals over Malaysian ecologiocal concerns and Alcoa
Aluminium prices are unlikely to face the sort of erosion that has hit other base metals. Experts said prices are unlikely to drop below INR 93 per kg, having recovered to Rs 98.55 on Wednesday for January contracts after declining to INR 97.60 on January 7 on MCX from INR 99.90 on December 31, 2015. A variety of factors have contributed to arresting a steep drop in aluminium prices, said Himanshu Gupta, senior market strategist at Karvy Commodities Broking. "Malaysia is pushing to suspend bauxite mining due to concerns about its impact on the environment, which could interrupt supply of the aluminiummaking ingredient to China," said Gupta. Besides, Alcoa has plans to close its 2,69,000 tonneper-year Warrick smelter in Evansville, Indiana, by the end of the first quarter of 2016 which...
"Adoption of carbon tax has to be a global response," says Rusal’s Deripaska
Oleg Deripaska, president of the world’s biggest aluminium manufacturing group Rusal, says the outcome of the Paris Climate Summit late last year was nothing more than an agreement for 196 countries to “kick the can down the road a few decades’’. He writes that for a summit notionally about emission reductions, none were meaningfully agreed to in Paris. “Indeed, even the applauding atmospheric chemistry scientists at MIT’s (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Global Change Program calculated that if all the unenforceable, non-binding pledges made in Paris were implemented, the improvement by 2100 would total only 0.2 degrees Celsius.’’ A harsh critic of Australia’s previous carbon tax forays, Mr Deripaska emphasises that the adoption of a carbon tax has to be a global response....
Altech Chemicals in key high purity alumina initiative for Chinese market
Altech Chemicals is stepping up the pace of marketing and sales for future high purity alumina (HPA) product to be produced from Altech's HPA plant with a key initiative for the Chinese market. Martin Ma has been appointed as the company's sales and marketing manager for China and tasked with establishing offtake agreements. Ma has experience in sales management of high purity feedstock materials to Chinese industries such as the lithium battery and electrical vehicle industries. Altech has completed a Bankable Feasibility Study for the construction and operation of a 4,000 tonnes per annum HPA processing plant at Tanjung Langsat in Malaysia. The company clinched support of an export credit insurance scheme which could cover most of the total capital cost of the company’s proposed...
Alumina shares peak on global production cuts
Alumina shares rose the most in almost seven years after Citigroup upgraded the stock, citing expectations that global production cuts can drive a recovery in prices. The Melbourne-based producer, partner of Alcoa in the world's largest alumina producer, rose as much as 13 per cent in Sydney, the most since March 2009, and closed 11 per cent higher at A$US1.095, trimming its decline in the past 12 months to 44 per cent. Alcoa, the largest US aluminium producer, forecasts an alumina deficit of 2.8 million tonnes in 2016 as a result of global production curbs, including at the Point Comfort refinery in Texas. The Alcoa World Alumina & Chemicals venture has taken about 3 million tons of capacity out of the market, Citigroup analysts including Sydney-based Clarke Wilkins wrote in a note dated...
Alcoa's downstream segments show productivity gains though offset by cost headwinds
Lightweight metals leader Alcoa reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2015 results, ending the year on solid operational footing. Fourth quarter 2015 revenue was $5.2 billion, down 18 percent from $6.4 billion in fourth quarter 2014. Organic growth in aerospace and acquisitions increased revenue 7 percent, which was more than offset by a 25 percent revenue decline from lower alumina and aluminum prices, the impact of divested, curtailed or closed facilities, and unfavorable currency. Segment Information: Global Rolled Products ATOI in the fourth quarter was $52 million, flat as compared to the year-ago quarter. Strong productivity and automotive shipment growth of 18 percent were offset by cost increases, volume declines in aerospace from fewer spot opportunities and packaging, portfolio...
“We must eliminate aluminium smelter byproducts sustainably to move up the hierarchy of waste management,” Phil Black, Vice President, Aluminium Industry Development, Regain Materials
Regain Materials is a new-age green technology and mineral trading enterprise. It provides aluminum smelters with a proprietary safe, sustainable and secure solution for Spent Pot Lining by eliminating the cyanide and dangerous gas hazards related to aluminium smelting - with no residual material. At a time when industrial ecology is gaining significance worldwide, especially after COP 21 acknowledged the importance of sustainable development in aluminium industry, Regain's endeavour to remain committed to environmental sustainability definitely deserves to be applauded. Phil Black has 22 years of working experience in the aluminium industry in the field of cast house, refractories, potrooms, carbon bake, dry scrubbing, anode delivery, pot delining, smelter construction, smelter technical...
RM180 mln loss after Malaysia govt failed to tax bauxite miners, says Rafizi
Putrajaya, the third and latest Federal Territory of Malaysia, failed to impose any export duties on bauxite mined in Kuantan, losing at least RM180 million in 2015 that could have been channelled back to the people to address pollution concerns caused by the industry, PKR’s Rafizi Ramli said today. The PKR secretary-general said the Assignment of Export Duty (Mineral Ores) Act 1964? stated that the federal government must impose export duty on mineral ores (other than iron and tin), and that the state government could not impose royalty or similar charges. But the Royal Customs Department’s website showed that no export duty was imposed on bauxite by the government, said Rafizi. “Putrajaya decided to forego taxing such a lucrative industry?, even though the bauxite companies reportedly...
Logistic firm says Pahang's temporary bauxite mining ban has no impact on them
Information technology and logistics firm Asdion Bhd says that the three-month moratorium effective this Friday on bauxite mining activities in Pahang has no impact on its business. In a filing with the stock exchange, the company said it had not begun the supply of bauxite to commodities trader Hong Kong International Mining Exchange Ltd (HKIM) to date. Although Asdion received shareholders’ approval to start sourcing and supply of commodities business via its EGM on Nov 2, 2015, this was disrupted due to the monsoon season, which affected the quality of bauxite commodity required by HKIM. It is reported that the three-month moratorium on all bauxite mining activities in Pahang was beneficial for producers in the longer term as greater regularisation would help increase efficiency and...
Aluminium is the future for big screen technology
Aluminium is being hailed as the ideal material for manufacturing the largest outdoor high-resolution LED screen supporting structure, following a series of projects completed by systems manufacturer Boldman. Works have been concluded on the 13.9m x 7.8m Printworks outdoor screen in Manchester; and on the two identical 11.5m by 4.8m screens at Heathrow Terminal 2, both screens are to be used as high-profile advertising space. The Printworks screen was manufactured using an Oblik spaceframe structure framework designed by Alan White Design, it was constructed from 156 individual fabricated aluminium sections and is the largest of its kind weighing 5.5 tonnes. Aluminium was chosen over steel because a lightweight support structure was needed to attach the entire assembly to the grade 2...
SEDCO presents Kaiser Aluminum with incentive for local facility expansion
The Sherman Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) presented Kaiser Aluminum with a $232,000 cash grant to help offset the cost of a $5.8 million expansion. Kaiser Aluminum Corporation maintains 12 focused production facilities in North America and is a leading provider of automotive aluminum extrusions. Kaiser's facility in Sherman's Progress Park, which has operated since 1964, is an integral part of the company's strategy to support continued growth in automotive applications in the city of Sherman. The SEDCO grant facilitates the facility's expansion plans which further benefit the community and create approximately 7 new jobs. The growth in demand for aluminum extrusions used in automotive applications presents a significant opportunity for Kaiser and its Sherman facility as...
