Indonesian Aluminium: The shift from mining to smelting
Indonesia is pitched as the next big Asian aluminium hub as the country has released an expansive alumina and aluminium expansion plan, based on the abundant bauxite resource in the country. China has exhausted its aluminium capacity cap and is unlikely to raise installed capacity significantly in the coming years. Additionally, geopolitical conflicts, sanctions, and tariffs have made much of global aluminium capacity inaccessible and vulnerable. This includes Russian aluminium and the Gulf output, along with restricted and costly access to Canadian aluminium for the US smelters. The already tight supply conditions have been made worse after the Iran-Israel-US war that disrupted the Gulf aluminium capacity. Under current supply conditions, India and Indonesia will play a critical role in...
Germany’s automotive industry drives 32.8% of aluminium consumption as EV production rises 23%, led by Volkswagen, BMW & Mercedes-Benz
Germany’s automobile industry is a major part of the country’s aluminium story, with the metal used in everything from vehicle body panels and chassis components to battery enclosures and electric-drive systems. As automakers develop lighter vehicles and expand their electric models, aluminium has become an important material across the manufacturing process. Germany’s automotive industry consumes around 950,000 tonnes of aluminium annually, accounting for a substantial share of the wider transport sector’s demand. In 2025, Germany’s total aluminium consumption stood at approximately 2.9 million tonnes, with the transport sector accounting for 1.35 million tonnes, representing 46 per cent of the total. This extensive use of aluminium in transport mirrors its importance to the global...
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High-grade bauxite deposit unearthed in Queensland
AIM listed IronRidge Resources has discovered a high-grade Direct Shipping Ore bauxite deposit in Queensland, Australia. IronRidge said its 16 sq km licence at its Monogorilby project where the deposit has been unearthed had the potential of becoming a new mineral hub with significant scale potential. Bauxite, the principal ore of aluminium, is first refined to produce alumina which is then smelted to produce the primary metal. According to the company sources, an initial 48-hole drilling program has already been started to define a maiden resource by first quarter 2016. Excavations so far had indicated an average 5 metre thick bauxite mineralisation, with highest indications up to 7 metre. The location of the ore deposit also indicated low stripping ratios. Vincent Mascolo, chief...
Orbite provides HPA construction update
Orbite Technologies Inc. announced today that a dispute, now resolved, with one of its contractors will push the end of construction of its HPA production facility and start of commercial production into Q1 2016. An Orbite contractor, in breach of the contract between the parties, withheld from release to Orbite certain parts and equipment in its possession, which are critical to the completion of the calcination system assembly. However, a settlement has now been reached; the equipment was released on December 14th and has arrived in Cap-Chat. In spite of this, construction in Cap-Chat progressed well, albeit the installation of certain systems and piping is possible only subsequent to installation of the released equipment. Following the dispute settlement, it was determined that...
Brazil aluminium can recycling rate grew 12.5% in 2014
The recent report published jointly by the Brazilian Aluminium Association (ABAL) and the Brazilian Association of Highly Recyclable Cans Manufacturers (Abralatas) suggests significant rise in aluminium can recycling rates in the country during 2014. According to the report, Brazil recycled 289,500 tons of aluminium beverage cans out of the 294,200 tons available in the market during the year. The recycling rate witnessed a growth of 12.5% over the previous year. The aluminium can recycling rate of the country stood at 98.4%. The recycling rates have sustained above 90% levels for more than ten years in a row. The country has once again emerged as the top recycler of alumiinum cans, a position it maintains for over a decade now. The data suggests that the country recycled 22.9 billion...
Novelis supplies aluminium solutions for all-new Ford F-series super duty truck
Novelis, the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, today announced it is supplying high-strength, military-grade, aluminum for the upcoming Ford F-Series Super Duty lineup of trucks, the toughest, smartest, most capable Super Duty ever. Following the launch of the 2015 Ford F-150, the aluminum-intensive F-Series Super Duty trucks also feature high-strength, military-grade, Novelis aluminum alloys in the body and bed, reducing overall vehicle weight by up to 350 pounds. This weight reduction enables the use of tougher underbody components such as an all-new, fully boxed high-strength frame, stronger axles and springs, larger brakes and driveline parts for superior performance. The truck series will represent the second-highest volume aluminum application in automotive to date,...
Berkeley County lawmakers meet with Santee Cooper CEO over aluminum plant jobs
Berkeley County lawmakers are scheduled to meet Monday afternoon with Santee Cooper’s chief executive officer over the fate of the Century Aluminum plant in Mount Holly. The informational meeting between the legislative delegation and CEO Lonnie Carter starts at 5 p.m. at the state-owned utility headquarters in Moncks Corner. It is open to the public. It is not a board of directors meeting, so Santee Cooper cannot take any action. The discussion with lawmakers is part of an effort to avoid a complete Dec. 31 shutdown over electricity service at the Century smelter, which employs 600 workers and has an estimated annual economic impact of nearly $1 billion on the Charleston region. It is being hold the same day the company began shutting down one of it two main production lines in the...
Analysis: What will China’s bauxite mining deal mean for Guinea’s environment?
“The cooperation project not only created jobs for young people but brings business opportunities to Guineans,” chirped Kassory Fofana, Minister of State at the Chinese President’s office, as the first cargo ship containing 170,000 tons of bauxite arrived at China’s Yantai Port from Boke Port, Guinea. In March 2015, China’s second largest aluminum producer, China Hongqiao Group announced that it had secured a mining and port investment deal in Guinea to develop and ship the nation’s bauxite, the raw component of aluminum. Working in a joint consortium with Singapore-based Winning Shipping Co Ltd, Yantai Port and Boke Mining Co, China Hongqiao Group underscored that investment would equal less than $200 million with expected capacity set to reach 10 million tons of bauxite a year. Indeed,...
Chalco makes substantial progress in energy use reduction
Chalco has made substantial progress in its energy use reduction efforts, hexun.com reported. The Chinese aluminum giant has saved 3.65 million tonnes of coal equivalent (TCE) since 2011, the media added. So far, Chalco has reported a 28.35% decline in total energy consumption per tonne of alumina produced, and a 2.77% decline in AC power consumption per tonne of aluminum produced, the media said. These figures well beat the State Council’s requirements of a 2.5% cut and a 1.65% and reduction, respectively.
Inner Mongolia Liansheng puts online over $1.5 billion aluminum flat rolling project
Inner Mongolia Liansheng Light Alloy Co. put online first two casting & rolling lines of its 10 billion yuan ($1.55 billion) aluminum plate, strip and foil project several days ago, local media reported. Another two casting & rolling lines are scheduled to enter operations on December 15, 2015 and all cold-rolling lines will come on stream by January 10, 2016, the media added. The project will put into use the world’s leading Hazelett continuous casting line in June 2016. Once fully operational, the project will produce 2 million tonnes of aluminum plate, strip and foil annually, according to the media.
SHFE aluminum to continue outperforming LME aluminum on massive output cut plan
SHFE aluminum will continue faring better than LME aluminum next week on huge scale output cut plans in China, SMM expects. The announcement by 14 major Chinese aluminum smelters that aluminum capacity cuts in China will expand to 4.91 million-tpy in 2015 cheered market up. This will push SHFE aluminum up to 11,000 yuan per tonne. LME aluminum will find support from SHFE aluminum while facing selling pressure at highs from a firm dollar. LME aluminum should test resistance at $1,530/mt next week. In China’s spot market, supply will tighten further as no large arrivals are expected for the near future. Spot discounts should narrow to less than 100 yuan per tonne over SHFE front-month contract since delivery date is nearing.
The German aluminium packaging market: Beverage can industry grows in 2015
Suppliers of aluminium packaging can look back on a positive business year for 2015. In interviews conducted by EUWID at the end of November / beginning of December almost all packaging producers emphasised the positive development of the overall market. With a very few exceptions, where company-specific anomalies had had a negative impact, the aluminium packaging industry is optimistic: In terms of volumes 2015 had been a “very strong” year, order books had largely been more than satisfactory even if there had been the odd lean period here and there.
Ball wins Brazilian approval of proposed $8.2bn Rexam deal
Ball Corporation has won Brazilian approval of its proposed £5.4bn ($8.2bn) acquisition of Rexam. The tribunal of Brazil’s competition watchdog, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) approved the merger last week on condition it adopts structural and behavioural measures settled in a Merger Control Agreement. Speaking at the Tribunal’s judgment session on December 9, Commissioner for the case, Gilvandro Araújo said the deal would ‘tie-up of the two biggest producers of metal beverage cans in the country’ but certain plants will have to be divested. The ACC also settled the transfer of current contracts related to the unities to be sold to the eventual plants’ buyer. Ball and Rexam will also have to sign contracts for can ends supply with the assets buyer. Last month, Ball...
Amcor receives four WorldStar Awards for packaging design innovations
The World Packaging Organization (WPO) has selected four Amcor packaging solutions as winners of the WorldStar Awards 2016. From extending shelf life to reducing environmental footprint, all four of the winning Amcor solutions use technical advancements to improve packaging for both Amcor's customers and end consumers. Amcor's WorldStar Award winners for 2016 are: Dessiflex® is a desiccant impregnated film used for medical and pharmaceutical products. The film is extremely effective at both removing internal moisture and minimising moisture penetration through sealed edges of the package. It can even remove moisture following high humidity sterilization. The proprietary technology eliminates the need for sachets and other moisture scavengers, reducing the pack's environmental footprint by...
Common Cider expands into cans
Created to pair well with food and encourage family and friends to enjoy time together, Common Cider’s recipes start with fresh-pressed apples and include natural extracts of fruits and botanicals to create layers of flavor. Common Cider varieties are light and crisp, naturally low in sugar and gluten-free. “We don’t just brew ciders, we craft moments,” said Fran Toves, owner, Common Cider Company. “Our goal with our cider is to bring people together, spark conversation, bolster friendships and create memories. I got into the cider business in hopes of combining my passion for flavor experimentation and my love of shared times to create something rare and delicious. So far it seems to be working as more and more consumers embrace our unique blends. Our partnership with Rexam allows us to...
Government allocates Pottangi mines to Nalco, shares gain over 1%
Pottangi mines located in Odhisa has been allocated to state-run aluminium producer Nalco for manufacturing one MTPA alumina refinery by 2020. This was informed by Vishnu Deo Sai, Minister of State for Steel and Mines. The alumina refinery (stream-5) will come up at Damanjodi, Koraput district in Odisha. The total cost of the refnery is estimated at Rs. 5,540 crore. The government of Odisha has taken an in-principle decision in this regard, informed the minister. Regarding Utkal D & E coal blocks in Angul district of Odhisha, the minister stated in Parliament that Utkal D & E blocks has been awarded to NALCO and production from Utkal-D block is expected to commence in April, 2018 and production from Utkal-E block is expected to commence in April, 2019. Shares of Nalco are currently...
Brazil aluminum output slumps through November
Brazil's primary aluminum production fell 20.5% through November to 708,500t, local Aluminum Association Abal reported. Primary aluminum output in November dipped 11.5% year-on-year to 69,300t. Brazilian production of the metal began declining in March 2014 and has yet to bounce back. For full-year 2014, output totaled 962,000t. The latest production statistics reflect plant curtailments and shutdowns in Brazil, as the country shifts from being a leading aluminum exporter to a net importer of the metal. Aluminum's low price on the international market and Brazil's high energy costs are factors behind the trend. Abal comprises CBA, part of local conglomerate Votorantim; Alcoa; BHP Billiton; and aluminum producers Albras, Hindalco and Novelis.
Century Aluminum begins shutting down plant with 600 workers
Century Aluminum began closing its Goose Creek plant Monday, a move expected to put 600 people out of work eventually. The company started to shut down one of the two lines that make aluminum at the plant, Century spokeswoman Samantha Dubay said. The first layoffs will come next week, with about half of the plant's employees affected by the initial line closure, Dubay said. The company announced in October that it would close the plant by year's end unless it was able to reach a new power contract with Santee Cooper, South Carolina's state-owned utility. Century proposed buying all its power from an out-of-state provider and paying Santee Cooper to transmit it. Santee Cooper said it could not agree to a rate that would increase costs for its other industrial customers. Rep. Bill Crosby,...
‘No ambiguity on bauxite mining issue,’ says Tribal Welfare Minister, AP
Minister for Tribal Welfare, Social Welfare and Empowerment Ravela Kishore Babu on Sunday hit out at the opposition party leader for criticising the State government’s stand on bauxite mining and claimed that the government would not do anything against the wishes of the tribal people in the Visakha Agency area. Stating that there was no ambiguity in the government’s stand on bauxite mining in Visakhapatnam district, Mr. Kishore Babu said even on Saturday, the State Cabinet discussed the mining issue. “Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has made it clear that bauxite mining will be allowed only when the tribal people give consent to it,” he said. However, the Minister parried questions on whether the State government supported the mining activity in the Agency area. He was quick to add:...
Mozal Aluminium again considered the largest company in Mozambique
The Mozal Aluminium company was considered the largest company in Mozambique in 2014, according to the 17th edition of the list compiled by consulting firm KPMG Moçambique. KPMG analysed the performance over 2014 of the largest companies in the country through criteria such as turnover, profitability of the company and its financial autonomy, a list intended to choose the biggest and best company. In addition to Mozal Aluminium, re-elected as the largest company, the report points to the Mozambican subsidiary of South African group Grindrod as the best company in the country, with growth of 43.14 percent between 2013 and last year. The highlights of list of the ten largest companies in Mozambique, according to KPMG, are oil company Petróleos de Mozambique (Petromoc) in second place, beer...
