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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Alcoa leader named as one of Australia’s Top 100 Most Influential Engineers
Alan Cransberg, President of Alcoa Refining and Chairman and Managing Director of Alcoa of Australia, has been named by Engineers Australia for the eighth time in Australia’s Top 100 Most Influential Engineers. Mr Cransberg manages the company’s global alumina refining assets, based in Australia, Brazil, Spain, the US and Suriname. He is also accountable for Alcoa’s Global Refining Centre of Excellence and provides oversight and management support for all Australian operations. In the past year he has overseen the transformation of Alcoa’s refining portfolio, delivering lower cost of production in Alcoa’s global upstream business. “Surround yourself with people who accept and navigate change well. Successful businesses are very aware of the global marketplace and are able to rapidly...
Altech commences permitting for Meckering
Altech Chemicals Limited is pleased to announce that it has submitted a project application with the Western Australian Department of Environment Regulation (DER) as part of the permitting requirements for its proposed aluminous clay (kaolin) mine and associated beneficiation plant, at Meckering, Western Australia (the Project). Highlights • Altech has commenced permitting for its proposed kaolin mining operation and beneficiation plant at Meckering, Western Australia: 1. Project application accepted by Department of Environment Regulation (DER) 2. DER confirms the next and final stage of permitting prior to construction is Works Approval • Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) approval also underway: 1. Mining lease application submitted 2. A mining proposal and a mine closure plan are...
Chinese smelting industry to contribute over 40% of new smelting capacity by 2020: Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank’s downside risk case for aluminum has come to pass. Sharply falling premiums have not been offset by a rising LME price, which has also fallen. The all in aluminum price has fallen by 21% year to date, exacerbated by less than inspiring Chinese macro data and the uncertainty of a Grexit weighing on sentiment. Industry deflation via lower coal prices and technology gains mean that the only 11% of global smelters and 10% of Chinese smelters are loss-making. Given the propensity for China to continue exporting, a managed supply cut by some of the producers ex- China may only result in encouraging further exports as regional premiums rise once more. As highlighted in the case of European stainless steel, it is only through anti-dumping measures that Chinese exports are likely to...
Alba’s Q2 2015 production surges by 3.1% YoY
On the back of a strong operational performance, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C (Alba) increased its production figures in the second quarter of 2015 by 3.1% Year- on-Year (YoY) to reach 238,904 metric tonnes (mt) (versus 231,713 mt in Q2 2014), while its sales figures touched 232,193 mt for the same period in 2015, an increase of 2,383 mt versus 229,810 mt in Q2 2014. In addition, Alba was able to increase its Value-Added (VA) sales for the same period to 66% versus an average of 65% in Q2 2014. Commenting on Alba’s sales and production figures for Q2 2015, Alba’s Chief Executive Officer, Tim Murray said: “Despite challenging market conditions and the dramatic drop in worldwide physical premiums, Alba continues to exceed its performance targets.” Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C (Alba) will release its...
China aluminum costs continue falling in June
The average cash cost at Chinese aluminum smelters fell another 2.55% month-on-month in June , driven by lower alumina and power costs, SMM survey showed. Some smelters have received preferential power tariffs due to China’s power reform, cutting the average power cost by 4.55%. Alumina cost fell 1.59%. Prebaked anode cost held largely stable, while fluoride salt cost rose 4.97% from a month ago.
Flood of Chinese exports sinks aluminium prices
The outlook for aluminium is looking severely pressured for the next few years as excess capacity in China shows no sign of easing, resulting in a more downbeat outlook for Australian-listed miners Rio Tinto, South32 and Alumina. Last week, Macquarie took the knife to its aluminium price forecasts to the end of the decade, while Macquarie and UBS cut their forecasts for alumina, the main ingredient in aluminium. “Unlike most commodities, aluminium supply continues to grow at a rapid pace,” Macquarie said in a note to clients. “With Chinese exports now likely to play a sustained and growing role in the global market in future years, the whole market has been radically altered.” Macquarie slashed its 2016 to 2020 forecasts by 10 to 20 per cent and is not expecting prices (now at near...
LME aluminum to rebound to $ 1,710-1,750 next week
LME aluminum will rebound to $ 1,710-1,750 per tonne next week, Shanghai Metals Market foresees. KDJ and MACD indicators have sent positive signals. Greek debt crisis has eased. A poll before the referendum showed that there is a good chance for Greece to stay in the euro zone. These will offer rising impetus to LME aluminum. Spot discounts in China’s spot aluminum market should narrow to 50-100 yuan per tonne over SHFE front-month contract. This is because nearing delivery date of SHFE 1507 aluminum contract will allow sellers to hold back goods at lows.
Hindalco exports huge quantity of ingots and sow ingots as break bulk cargo to the United States.
Aluminium ingots and sow ingots are being sent in a huge quantity as break bulk cargo to the United States. The ingots so far were being sent to various destinations through containers by all the aluminium manufacturers. Hindalco Industries Ltd, the metal’s flagship company of Aditya Birla Group, the world’s largest aluminium rolling company, became the first aluminium manufacturer to export from Visakhapatnam Port 15,034 tons of ingots as break bulk cargo or general cargo by engaging Orissa Stevedores Ltd (OSL). The loading of the cargo into bulk carrier CS Crystal berthed at WQ-6 of Multiport Pvt. Ltd. terminal was completed on Sunday. The ship is scheduled to leave for the discharge port at New Orleans in the US on Monday. The cargo was brought here from Hindalco plants at Mahan,...
Microsoft Lumia 940 and 940 XL to feature aluminium frame
After Microsoft has acquired Nokia, things are shifting gears regularly for the company as the software giant is trying to combine its technology with Nokia's usability and affordability. Another change is expected in this September, when Microsoft will announce two of its new phones in their Lumia range – the Microsoft Lumia 940 and the Microsoft Lumia 940 XL. Looking at the expected design and cost, it looks like Microsoft is taking a shot at Apple and these two phones will pave the way for their primary strategy. The Microsoft Lumia 940 and Lumia 940 XL will be available in 5.2 inched screen and 5.7 inched screens respectively. The phones will feature a 20 MP camera and a 5 MP front camera. The battery life for the XL is slightly greater at 3,300mAh while the smaller; Lumia 940 will...
Press Metal's capacity expansion likely to translate into superior earnings growth for FY16
Press Metal Bhd’s (Press Metal) capacity expansion of its Samalaju plant in Bintulu has been viewed positively by analysts as the expansion will likely translate into superior earnings growth in the financial year 2016 (FY16). Following a visit to the plant, Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd’s research team (Kenanga Research) was positive on the progress of the expansion and it believed that Phase 2 of the Samalaju plant would be fully operational by end of the third quarter of 2015 (3Q15), while Phase 3 is expected commence operations by end-4Q15. While its Phase 2 Samalaju smelting plant was shut down temporarily earlier this year due to a fire incident, the research team noted that about 15 per cent of the smelting pots are already up and running. “Although the remaining pots are still under...
European Union imposes anti-dumping duties on Russian aluminium foil
The European Union will impose anti-dumping duties on imports of Russian aluminium foil after an initial investigation showed the product was sold in the 28-nation EU at below normal market prices, the EU's Official Journal said on Saturday. It said a provisional anti-dumping duty of 12.2 per cent will be levied from Sunday on imports of aluminium foil from Russia, which is all made by the Rusal group, the world's largest aluminium producer. "On the basis of the conclusions reached by the (European) Commission ... provisional measures should be imposed to prevent further injury being caused to the Union industry by the dumped imports," the notice in the journal said. The provisional duties last for six months, by which time the EU's executive Commission will have completed its...
Aluminum remelt and casting plant faces zoning hurdle in Lenwood
A zoning ordinance that includes approval of an industrial designation for properties located in the Lenwood area to allow for a proposed aluminium casting facility will go before the City Council during a 7 p.m. Monday meeting. The zoning ordinance amendment is required as part of an effort by Barstow to revise the zoning map to bring it into conformity with the 2015-20 General Plan. Mojave Aluminum Company President Eric Shen said he plans to construct a 500,000-square-foot aluminum remelt and casting plant on a 173-acre site at the southeast corner of Gazana Street and Amarylis Avenue. During a public coping meeting on the project, held in April, Economic Development and Planning Manager Gaither Loewenstein said the site will be developed with an aluminum direct chill billet casting...
US demand for beverage containers to reach 283 billion units in 2019
Demand for beverage containers in the US is expected to increase 1.9 percent a year to 283 billion units in 2019, with a value of 31.5 billion USD. Freedonia’s latest Beverage Containers report has cited the proliferation of different package sizes, new product introductions, and increased consumption of healthier beverages such as bottled water, ready-to-drink tea, and non-dairy milk alternatives as factors driving increases. This will be despite weakness in critical markets such as carbonated soft drinks and beer. Plastic bottles and metal cans will continue to dominate demand, with over 80 percent of the total. However, faster growth is expected in newer formats such as aluminum bottles, bag-in-box products, aseptic cartons and pouches. Plastic containers will remain both the largest...
Chinese aluminum producers will have to cut production: Rusal
Chinese aluminium smelters will be forced to reduce production levels because they cannot continue to operate with such low global market prices, according to the world's largest aluminium producer. Chinese smelters "expected the price to recover but it's already [been] more than six months. The price is very low and these producers are suffering from losses, so they have to start shutting down," said Oleg Mukhamedshin, deputy chief executive of United Rusal Co., in an interview this week. Chinese producers of aluminium have been criticised for pumping out vast quantities of the metal even though prices have plunged 6 per cent since the beginning of the year, and have been hovering near six-year lows in recent weeks. Critics such as Rusal say a range of government subsidies keep...
Japan Q3 aluminium premiums mostly set at 6-year low -sources
Japan's aluminium premiums for July-September shipments were mostly set at a six-year low of $100 as swelling Chinese exports piled more pressure on an already swamped market, five sources directly involved in the talks said. The nearly $300 quarterly drop in premiums, the sharpest such decline ever, is in line with a global slump triggered by higher aluminium supply after the London Metal Exchange (LME) forced warehousing companies to shorten delivery times. "Japan has been particularly hit by the global collapse in premiums as China's export of aluminium products to elsewhere in Asia pushed ingots to Japan," a trader said. Japan is Asia's top importer of the metal and the premiums for primary metal shipments it agrees to pay each quarter over the LME cash price set the benchmark for the...
UC RUSAL to switch Achinsk production to increase supply of alumina to KrAZ
UC RUSAL, a leading global aluminium producer, announces its plans to fully switch production at its Achinsk alumina refinery (AAR) to support the consumption requirements of the Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter (KrAZ). This decision will allow RUSAL to reduce its logistics costs and also to ensure that 45% of KrAZ’s annual consumption of alumina, which amounts to 2mn tonnes per year, will be supplied by AAR. In 2015, AAR is planning to supply 745kt of alumina to KrAZ, which amounts to 32% of the smelter’s alumina consumption. In 2016, the supplies will increase to 752kt, and further growth is expected. In order to increase KrAZ’s consumption of alumina from AAR, the refinery has started works to alter the physical properties of alumina produced. At present, alumina from AAR is only used at...
ALRO Slatina continues investment in aluminium
The Slatina-based plant was built 50 years ago and, all this time, has produced over 9.5 M tons of aluminium. The highest production was recorded in 2008 - 265,000 tons of primary aluminium. The crisis caused a notable decrease of production, but, in the last 2-3 years, the company has managed to stabilise its production at a rate of almost 200,000 tons. According to Gheorghe Dobra, CEO of the company, Alro will continue the modernisation of operations, with a budget of USD 59 M for 2015. The effort is aimed at growing the cost-effectiveness of the unit and its recycling capacities, while also expanding the range of products. In the last ten years, as a result of investment worth over USD 500 M, of which 100 M in environment protection features, the company ahs upgraded its equipment...
Falls in LME Aluminum, Copper put pressure on Middle East scrap prices
Falls in LME aluminum and copper put pressure on Middle East scrap prices during the holy month of Ramadan which began on June 18 and generally brings a slower period for business. According to Bureau of International Recycling, activity levels are also lower in South Africa where raw material availability is sufficient and prices paid for scrap are close to what is achievable for export business. Copper and brass scrap are still being exported with or without export permits and under different tariff headings, fuelling the argument that 'no-one is benefiting' from the current International Trade Administration Commission system structure. Elsewhere, aluminum scrap prices in Japan have dropped by 3-5% over the last month or so in response to a weaker LME. Scrap availability remains...
