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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Aluminium futures fall on global cues
Aluminium prices fell 0.35 per cent to INR 99.60 per kg in futures trading today, tracking weak cues from global markets. Subdued demand in the domestic spot markets also weighed on the metal prices. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, aluminium for delivery in November shed 35 paise, or 0.35 per cent, to INR 99.60 per kg in business turnover of 69 lots. Similarly, the metal for delivery in current month contracts traded lower by 30 paise, or 0.31 per cent, to INR 97.85 per kg in 338 lots. Market analysts said the weakness in aluminium at futures trade was mostly in tune with a downtrend in select base metals at the London Metal Exchange (LME) on concern that demand was weakening in China, the biggest consumer. The light metal used in everything from aircraft to window frames dropped 0.5 per...
Hydro CEO says no recovery in sight for aluminium price
Norway's Norsk Hydro, one of the world's largest makers of aluminium, does not expect the price of the metal to rebound in the short term, Chief Executive Svein Richard Brandtzaeg told Reuters on Wednesday. "When you evaluate the development in the market I think one of the most important factors in all commodities markets is the supply-demand balance. And as we now have a one million tonnes surplus in the world, we are not expecting short-terms improvements in prices," Brandtzaeg said. "I think we will still face challenging markets in the coming quarter, but at the same time we should not forget that aluminium is the fastest-growing metal in the world. The world will need much more aluminium than what we see today," he added.
South32 lifts coal, alumina production
South32 has delivered modest lifts in first-quarter alumina and coal production, and says it’s progressing well with plans to strip further costs out of its business as the resources sector continues to grapple with downbeat operating conditions. The mining group (S32), which was spun off from BHP Billiton this year, produced 1.364 million tonnes of alumina, a 10 per cent increase on the previous corresponding period. Aluminium production fell 7 per cent, year-on-year, to 244,000 tonnes. Energy coal production came to 8.698 million tonnes, a 2 per cent increase on the 8.523 million tonnes produced in the September quarter a year earlier. Metallurgical coal production rose 13 per cent year-on-year to 2.079 million tonnes, while lead and zinc production was largely flat. The miner said...
House approves CDF withdrawal for bauxite projects in Jamaica
The House of Representatives, Kingston, Jamaica, approved the withdrawal of $406.5 million from the Capital Development Fund (CDF) to finance the bauxite development programmes. Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Peter Phillips, informed that $200 million will go to the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) to deal with pollution control, red mud disposal and water treatment. The institute will also undertake work to identify and protect Jamaica’s mining resources and to support sustainable development. The Bauxite Community Development Programme has been provided $200 million for greenhouse projects at eight sites, and water harvesting and crop production technologies in drought-prone bauxite areas. Disbursements have also been made to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)...
Bauxite Resources Limited signs MOU with Yankuang
Representatives of Bauxite Resources Limited, Yankuang Resources Pty Ltd (Yankuang), and Yankuang Group Company Ltd ('YGL')'), on 21 October 2015, signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) recording that they have negotiated a number of proposed transaction documents which, if approved by the respective Boards of Directors of BRL, Yankuang and YGL will see, subject to satisfaction of conditions precedent referred to below: - The existing Joint Ventures between the parties terminated; - BRL sell its interests in the Joint Ventures and its 100% owned Fortuna bauxite rights to Yankuang for cash consideration and a royalty right; and - BRL buy back Yankuang's shares in BRL and cease to be represented on the BRL Board. Background: Since BRL's announcement on 19 June 2015, BRL and...
Aluminum hits eight-week low as metals drop on China demand woes
Aluminum dropped to the lowest in almost eight weeks as other industrial metals retreated amid mounting concerns about demand in China, the world’s biggest raw-materials consumer. China Electricity Council cut its estimate on power-consumption growth this year after third-quarter usage failed to meet expectations, the Shanghai Securities News reported Tuesday. A looming bond default by Sinosteel Co., a Chinese state-owned steel trader, is highlighting the nation’s worsening corporate finances as an economic slowdown deepens. The country reported Monday the slowest quarterly growth since 2009, while its industrial output last month climbed less than the gain in August and the market consensus. “It certainly paints a picture of weaker demand,” Mike Dragosits, a senior commodity strategist...
CRU Group sees China aluminum surplus falling to 1.8 mt in 2016
China's primary aluminum surplus will fall in 2016 as some higher-cost smelters shut down, though new additions of lower-cost capacity will result in growing production and capacity, CRU Group's aluminum manager Paul Williams said on Tuesday. China will produce 1.8 million more tonnes of aluminum than it will consume in 2016, down from a surplus of 2.4 million tonnes in 2015, Williams said in a presentation at the Aluminum Association's annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bauxite Resources to reveal corporate transaction
Bauxite Resources has lifted the anticipation factor requesting a trading halt in relation to a proposed corporate transaction. The company requested the halt in trading of its shares until 23 October. Bauxite Resources is involved in bauxite exploration in the Darling Range which is the largest bauxite and alumina producing region in the world. In tandem with its Joint Venture partners including Yankuang Resources and with the Shandong Bureau of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Bauxite Resources has identified 396.5 million tonnes of refinery grade bauxite.
Constellium launches Aeral™, a new aluminium solution designed for the aerosol market
Constellium N. V. launches Aeral™, a new aluminium solution designed for the production of aerosol containers using the Drawn and Ironed (D&I) technology which is currently used to produce beverage cans. Constellium's Aeral™ allows a minimum of 30% weight savings compared to traditional impact extruded containers, all while maintaining the same level of performance in terms of resistance to pressure and great ductility. "Aeral™ is a new aluminium solution which, combined with the D&I technology, we expect will radically change the niche aerosol market. Yielding significant weight savings, this combination will dramatically reduce the environmental footprint of aerosol containers," said Raphael Thevenin, Sales & Marketing Director, Beverage Food and Personal Care at Constellium....
Global aluminum FRP market to grow at a CAGR of 3.64% during 2014-2019
According to a recently published market research report the global aluminum FRP market is likely to reach a CAGR of approximately 3.64% until 2019. The demand for aluminium FRP from the automobiles industry is driving the market. This is because aluminium FRP is replacing steel in automobiles and transport. It is preferred over other metals due to its light weight leading to reduced fuel consumption and reduced greenhouse gas emission. The report emphasizes on the involvement of industries such as food and beverages, automobile and construction, and defence and aerospace. With an increase in the aluminium production especially in China, the aluminium FRP industry is expected to gain significant traction during the forecast period. Report highlights: - Plates and sheet accounted for more...
Hydro agrees to sell aluminium rolling mill in Italy
Hydro has entered into a binding agreement to sell its aluminium rolling mill in Cisterna di Latina, Italy, to Rolling Mills International GmbH. Hydro's rolling mill in Cisterna di Latina produces aluminium rolled products, mainly standard strip and sheet, as well as plain foil. Through the agreement, Rolling Mills International GmbH will acquire 100 percent of the shares in Hydro Aluminium Slim S.p.A. Rolling Mills International GmbH is controlled by Quantum Capital Partners AG, a Munich-based investment company. The transaction is expected to close by end 2015. Hydro Aluminium Slim S.p.A has around 430 employees and a production capacity of around 92,000 metric tonnes rolled products per year. The plant was established in 1964, and Hydro took over the plant in 2002 as part of the...
Vedanta: Tom Albanese to continue as the group CEO
Vedanta has described recent media speculation about senior management changes as completely baseless. It says that Tom Albanese will continue to drive the Vedanta business and serve as the group CEO. Cynthia Carroll, who joined the group in September this year, will advise the chairman's office on matters of strategic importance to the company. Metal stocks decline from a two-month high Indian stocks declined after a three-day rally pushed the benchmark gauge to a two-month high. Metalmakers were among the worst performers. Vedanta Ltd. plunged the most in two months as the company refuted a report that Chief Executive Officer Tom Albanese would stand down. Hindalco Industries Ltd tumbled at least 2.7 percent, while Coal India Ltd., the world’s top producer of the fuel, fell for a third...
Altech Chemicals seals investment ahead of high purity alumina demand
Altech Chemicals has completed a placement for A$1 million in proceeds with a cornerstone Asian investor as high-purity alumina (HPA) operations develop. The company has received the second tranche of an investment by diversified Malaysian industrial firm Melewar International investment Company Limited, with the completion of a placement of about 17 million Altech shares. The $1 million investment represents the majority of a $1.13 million fundraiser announced by Altech in August aimed at progressing a detailed design phase of the company’s HPA project. This operation encompasses mining properties 130 kilometres from Fremantle port in Western Australia and a proposed HPA plant in Malaysia with a throughout capacity of 4,000 tonnes per annum. HPA is a high-value, high-margin and highly...
CMDC to offer bauxite deposit at Narmadapur, India
The Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) has started looking for contractors for mining and marketing of bauxite deposit at Village Narmadapur village at Mainpat in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh. Notably, CMDC had been sanctioned mining lease for mineral bauxite in village Narmadapur, area 47.812 hectares. The environment clearance for modified mining plan for the lease has been obtained and land acquisition for private land of the lease area is complete, officials stated. CMDC will allow the contractor to operate the mine for mining and marketing of bauxite as per the bid conditions under the prevailing mining laws, officials stated. The mineral concession will be in the name of CMDC throughout the life of mine. The selected contractor will be responsible for execution...
Aurum Exploration Fiji delays shipment as global demand of bauxite falls
The 70,000 tonnes of bauxite worth $1.4 million remains stockpiled in Nawailevu, Bua. Aurum Exploration (Fiji) Ltd executive Derek Qiu confirmed there were no plans to ship the ore as global demand for it was still low. "The stockpile remains there and is still 70,000 tonnes as work progress slows down at this stage," he said. "We don't have any plans of when the next shipment will leave because the situation has not changed. But most probably by next month we should know of when our next shipment will be." Mr Qiu said even though work had slowed down at the sites in Bua, they had ensured to keep their workers busy with other tasks. In an earlier report, Mr Qiu had said 50 per cent of mining operations around the world would close down if the slump persisted. He had also said so far this...
Inalum, Antam encouraged to buy Freeport shares
State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Minister Rini Soemarno is set to encourage state-owned aluminum maker PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) and state-owned diversified miner PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) to purchase shares as part of PT Freeport Indonesia's upcoming share divestment. “The ministry is currently conducting detailed calculations and analysis to see how Inalum should join in Freeport’s share divestment," said Rini in Jakarta on Monday as quoted by Antara news agency. According to Rini, the BUMNs were financially ready to increase the government's shares in Freeport thanks to the full support of state-owned banks such as Bank Mandiri, BRI and BNI. "We feel that Inalum should join in since it doesn’t yet own any mines and thus can hopefully serve as an effective Freeport...
Xiaomi unveils 60-inch, aluminium bodied Mi TV 3
Xiaomi has announced successor to its Mi TV 2. The next-gen Mi TV 3 boasts of a 60-inch display with LG’s true 4K technology. The Mi TV 3 is based on Android 5.1 Lollipop, features an ultra-thin 11.6mm aluminium frame with a metal backplate. The display comes with MEMC motion compression for super clear motion images. It comes with a main board that is built into the TV's independent speakers and conveniently connects the TV's main display with other add-ons. The easy-to-reach ports are located above the speaker, making the home entertainment setup appear neat. The third-generation smart TV by Xiaomi has been priced at RMB 4,999 (approximately $786).
CHOETECH introduces sleeker and more efficient aluminium wireless charger
Multiple coils make wireless charging of batteries of electronic devices much easier, because more the coils, the wider the charging area. To make battery charging even faster, CHOETECH, the leading brand in manufacturing chargers for Android as well as iOS based smartphones, tablets and phablets, has introduced the brand new aluminium CHOETECH charger. The CHOETECH charger is a sharp looking device constructed out of aluminium, giving it a more premium feel than similarly priced devices. It also features grippy rubber pads at the base to keep the charger from sliding and an LED indicator light. Included with the stand is a USB cable and a 2A power adaptor.
