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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Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc. announces commissioning phase at first of three Aluminum Corporation of China Industrial Syngas Gasification Plants
Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc., a global energy and gasification technology company enabling clean, high-value energy and chemical products from multiple feedstocks, announced that the first of three previously announced industrial syngas gasification plants from its Tianwo-SES Joint Venture has entered the commissioning phase. The plant, in Zibo City, Shandong Province, China, is owned and operated by Aluminum Corporation of China Limited, and utilizes two SES Gasification Technology systems supplied by Tianwo-SES. These gasification systems are uniquely suited to generate clean and economical syngas from local, low-grade lignite coal which will replace the purchase of more expensive natural gas. The Shandong facility is projected to enter commercial operation this year. The two...
Chinese aluminum smelting costs fall in May on lower alumina, power costs
The average cost at Chinese aluminum smelters slid 1.0% from a month ago in May, driven by lower alumina and power costs, SMM survey showed. The average weighted alumina price in China's four major regions slipped 2.2% or 57 yuan per tonne month-on-month, and the Bohai-Rim Steam-Coal Price Index fell 7.9% from April to 416.25 yuan per tonne. This allowed alumina and power costs to drop 1.1% and 1.4%, respectively.
London Metal Exchange to launch new range of aluminum contracts
The London Metal Exchange on Monday said it is launching a new range of aluminum contracts to allow users to protect themselves against rising regional charges that occur in addition to the cost of the metal. The decision is part of a broader strategy by the LME to keep a handle on costs for market participants and follows a rule change in April to increase the rate at which metal is moved out of its warehouses. "The premium contract provides a straightforward mechanism for buyers to source readily accessible material in a given region, and for sellers to receive fair value for selling such material," the LME said in a statement. Warehouses will opt-in to the system to issue these premium contracts and only warehouses without any queues will be eligible. If a queue develops at...
Growing oversupply hurts alumina prices in China Guizhou
Alumina prices in China's Guizhou province lost 50 yuan per tonne to 2,400 yuan ($387) per tonne last week as local supply glut escalated, SMM data showed. Only 630,000-tpy of aluminum capacity is running in the province, overshadowed by 3.7 million tonnes of alumina capacity, highlighting the overhang of alumina, according to SMM statistics. Guizhou Huajin Aluminum's phase one 800,000-tpy alumina project has started mass production, and is slated to put its phase two 800,000-tpy alumina project on trial August 29, SMM has learned.
Technical seminar on aluminium tubing in Düsseldorf
Sapa will be co-hosting a technical seminar on pre-lubricated aluminium tubing and new bullet designs prior to the 4th International Congress on Aluminium Heat Exchanger Technologies for HVAC&R in Düsseldorf, Germany. The four-hour seminar, co-hosted by Sapa and U.S.-based pretreatment products company Circle-Prosco, will take on the topic pre-lubricated aluminium tubing and new bullet designs. The seminar will cover: • High-performance aluminium tube alloys • Pre-lubrication • Hairpin bending • Mechanical expansion • Automatic and manual brazing • Aluminium fin and tube coil manufacturing • Individual consulting is also part of the program The International Congress takes place on June 10-11 at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel in Düsseldorf. The event addresses users and manufacturers...
Garmco launches safety campaign
Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill Company (Garmco) yesterday announced the launch of a safety awareness campaign 2015 "You can make this, the safest place". The campaign will be held under a 'Superheroes' theme, and will include a series of safety awareness activities conducted by external senior lecturers and doctors. Garmco's staff will be attending a series of sessions, including workers' responsibility against health and safety legislations, general traffic rules, precautions for your health in Ramadan, vital role of vitamin-D in your health and health risks of smoking. The company said, in a statement, that the safety awareness campaign will be reinforcing the health and safety rules and guidelines, related key performance indicators, job safe practice training, and preventive campaigns...
China's aluminum exports slide in May
China's aluminum exports dropped from a four-month high as ample supplies this year depressed premiums paid by buyers in Asia. Shipments of unwrought aluminum and products in May slid 5.7 percent from the previous month to 410,000 metric tons, according to data published by China's General Administration of Customs on Monday. Exports from January to May are up more than 35 percent from the same period last year to 2.06 million tons, according to the data. "The export surge is still quite strong, but if you look month-on-month it's coming down a bit and that's probably because of weaker aluminum prices and premiums outside China," said Helen Lau, analyst at Argonaut Securities (Asia) Ltd. in Hong Kong. "The international price is much cheaper now." The potential profit for Chinese...
Aluminium drops after data shows high Chinese exports
Aluminium prices fell on Monday after data showed Chinese exports of the metal remained strong, highlighting worries about a glut of supply on the global market. Copper was steady and some other metals were firmer after a bigger than expected slide in overall Chinese imports boosted hopes for more stimulus in the world's top metals consumer. Three-month aluminium on the London Metal Exchange declined 0.5 percent to $1,741.50 a tonne by 1025 GMT after hitting a 14-month low of $1,726 on Friday. Data on Monday showed Chinese exports of unwrought aluminium and products jumped 21 percent year-on-year to 410,000 tonnes, dipping only 5 percent from the previous month. "The exports of aluminium and aluminium products were strong again in May, which was no huge surprise," said Nic Brown, head of...
India's Nalco gets access to Pottangi reserves for refinery project
After over two decades of waiting, India's largest integrated aluminium producer National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco) will commence mining operations at the Pottangi project, in the eastern province of Odisha, where bauxite reserves have been estimated at 70-million tonnes. According to a company official, access was critical to Nalco's expansion project to construct a one-million-tonne-a-year greenfield alumina refinery at Damanjodi in proximity to the virgin Potttangi reserves, at an estimated capital outlay of $880-million. The grant of the Pottangi bauxite reserves had been caught up in administrative and regulatory wrangling between the provincial government of Odisha and Nalco, and the company's third phase expansion plan was delayed by several years owing to the absence of...
Odisha wants Sasubohumali bauxite mines for OMC
After securing the Karlapat bauxite mine in favour of Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), the state government has moved the Union mines ministry to reserve yet another bauxite deposit - Sasubohumali mine in the name of the state-owned PSU. "The government has already written to the central mines ministry to reserve the Sasubohumali bauxite mine in OMC's favour. We are awaiting the approval from the ministry," said a top official source. The Sasubohumali bauxite mine in Rayagada district has an estimated reserve of 81 million tonne bauxite. The ministry had recently allocated the Karlapat bauxite mine to OMC. Karlapat, spread over 3,002.49 hectares, has estimated reserves of 207 million tonne which includes 153 tonne proven reserve and 54 million tonne probable reserve. The state government...
Sapa in Sweden wins European safety prize
European Aluminium has honored Sapa’s extrusion plant in Sweden for coming up with one of the best and most innovative safety solutions of the year. One of the highlights of European Aluminium’s Safety Workshop, held this year on June 2 in Brussels, is the naming of the most innovative solutions for safe manufacturing. Sapa Profiles in Vetlanda (pictured) won third prize for developing and bringing into use a new type of hook to ensure safe lifting of dies. The winners of the top two prizes – Real Alloy Germany and Intals S.p.A. Italy – work in the recycling and refining industries, respectively. All three were chosen anonymously by a group of peers from among 46 applicants – a record number. “Today’s safety solutions prove that the aluminium industry is leading the way in safe...
Speculation over substituting aluminum for copper in wire & cable overdone
Speculation is running high that aluminum will replace copper in wire & cable now that China’s new standards for aluminum alloy cable will take effect September 1. However, the new standards will do little in boosting aluminum applications in wire & cable, Shanghai Metals Market believes. State Grid and Southern Power Grid, the country’s major wire & cable consumers, largely use high-voltage aluminum alloy power transmission lines. But the new standards mainly target low-voltage aluminum cable. Moreover, it might be difficult for users to accept low-voltage aluminum cable, out of concerns in costs, installation and maintenance.
High Purity Alumina demand to grow markedly in Li-ion battery, ceramics sectors
Institutions see robust demand for high purity alumina, defined as at least 99.99% Al2O3, in high-end markets, namely Li-ion battery and ceramics sectors, a local source reported. China mainly relies on imports in high purity alumina. China’s high purity alumina market is dominated by Sumitomo Chemical, France’s Baikowski and Japan’S Taimei Chemicals. The number of high purity alumina producers in China has increased to several dozens. However, products produced by Chinese companies are largely used in low-end markets, such as fluorescent powder, the media added.
Altech partners with SGL Group for its HPA Project
Highlights • Memorandum of Understanding with SGL Group as HCl system supplier • Leading global expertise in materials and equipment for extreme environments • Strengthens the Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) team Altech Chemicals Limited is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SGL Group (SGL) as its partner for the supply and installation of the Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) gas generation, absorption, recovery and scrubbing plants for it's high purity alumina (HPA) project. The recovery, regeneration and concentration of hydrochloric acid are important steps in numerous processes in the Company's HPA plant. SGL is one of the world's leading manufacturers of carbon-based products and materials. It has a comprehensive portfolio ranging from carbon and...
Queensland Bauxite identifies new regional areas of bauxite mineralisation
Queensland Bauxite’s recently concluded regional drilling program at the South Johnstone Bauxite Project in northern Queensland has identified 19 additional regional areas of mineralisation. The company is now carrying out infill drilling of the currently identified bauxite areas to report quality, quantity and grades of resources to JORC compliant standard. It has deployed a second drilling team this week to further accelerate the drilling program - with a particular focus on the high priority target areas that the company’s geologists believe to have the potential to host additional significant resources. This fast-tracked exploration of the high priority target areas will potentially enable the company to materially increase the level of JORC Indicated Resources throughout the current...
Auction method for coal linkages to be introduced
Aiming to bring transparency in allotment of coal linkages and their prices, the Ministry of Coal is working on the process to auction them to unregulated sectors like steel, cement or aluminium plants. The Ministry has accepted the high level panel report on auctioning of coal linkages to unregulated sectors and has put the draft policy in public domain for comments. A Coal Ministry official said the final auction policy will be ready in a month. Coal linkages are commitments by state-run Coal India to provide a particular amount of the fuel to a plant. These linkages are currently provided on recommendations of an official committee. The process to auction coal linkages will be different from that of coal blocks. After determining the available coal, bids will be invited at a price...
Alba welcomes Ambassadors of US and Tunisian Republic
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), one of the world’s leading aluminium smelters, today, June 07, 2015 received H.E. Mr. William V. Roebuck, Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of Bahrain and H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Yousuf Ambassador of the Tunisian Republic to the Kingdom of Bahrain in two separate visits to Alba. The visits focussed on highlighting Alba’s production processes and various safety, health and environment systems, as well as seeking ways to strengthen business and cultural ties. Speaking about the visits, Chairman of Alba’s Board of Directors, Shaikh Daij bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa said: “We thank H.E. Mr. William V. Roebuck, Ambassador of the United States and H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Yousuf Ambassador of the Tunisian Republic for visiting Alba. We appreciate...
NALCO plans 3.5 lakh tonne aluminium output this fiscal
State run aluminium major, the National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO) has set a target to produce 3.5 lakh tonne of aluminium in the current financial year as per the MoU signed with the Ministry of Mines. The navaratna firm also aims to produce 21.50 lakh of alumina during the reporting period. These entire production targets have been set under the very good criteria of the agreement. Similarly, the company has been given a target of around INR 8,200 crore of sales turnover this fiscal with INR 1,800 crore of gross operating margin during this period. As per the MoU, the aluminium company has a capital expenditure target of INR 900 crore in FY16. On the required assistance from central government, NALCO has sought re-allotment of Utkal-E coal block under PSU quota. It has also sought...
