AL Circle Analysis: Guinea’s 150Mt bauxite cap, China’s import swings, US tariffs draw aluminium Q4’26
The global aluminium supply chain is facing a series of changes that extend from bauxite mines and alumina refineries to smelters, regional premiums and finished-metal trade. In 2026, the market’s direction is being shaped not only by production volumes but also by freight costs, export restrictions, shifting Chinese demand and tariffs. Developments across Guinea, Australia, China, Europe and North America point to a market where access to supply is increasingly as important as the availability of raw materials. Bauxite supply: Guinea’s cap meets a well-stocked China, but is it stable? Guinea remains central to the seaborne bauxite market, with its shipment connections to China demonstrating the importance of reliable logistics. A new sea-rail route has enabled a Guinea bauxite shipment...
EU approves Germany’s power relief instrument: Could aluminium producers save €459m annually?
Germany’s aluminium industry could receive some relief from persistently high electricity costs after the European Commission, under the European Union (EU) approved the country’s industrial electricity price scheme for 2026–2028. The measure is intended to ease the burden on energy-intensive businesses, strengthen industrial competitiveness and support Germany’s position as a manufacturing hub. The stakes are particularly high for aluminium producers. Electricity can account for 30–40 per cent of primary aluminium production costs, making power prices a critical factor in operating margins and investment decisions. Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook...
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Metro Mining to release pre-feasibility study for Queensland bauxite project
Metro Mining has been granted an ASX trading halt in relation to the release of a Pre-Feasibility Study and Reserve statement for its Bauxite Hills Project in Queensland. Yesterday, the company estimated a JORC2012 Indicated Resource of 30.3 million tonnes of direct shipping ore (48.4% total AI2O3, 15.5% SiO2) for the BH6 deposit at the project. Total DSO resource (Indicated and Inferred) at the Bauxite Hills project is now 61.5 million tonnes at a grade of 49.9% total Al2O3, 12.2% total SiO2. In addition, bauxite quality results confirm the DSO product is suitable for export. The halt will last until the earlier of the announcement being made or the start of trading on Thursday, 19th February 2015.
Alcoa Chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld to present at BMO Capital Markets 24th Global Metals & Mining Conference
Alcoa announced today that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Klaus Kleinfeld will present at the BMO Capital Markets 24th Global Metals & Mining Conference in Hollywood, Florida, on Monday, February 23, at 9:30 a.m. EST. Mr. Kleinfeld will discuss Alcoa's transformation strategy which encompasses growing the Company's innovative, value-add businesses to capture profitable growth, while simultaneously creating a globally competitive commodity business. The presentation and live video webcast will be available at Alcoa's website at 9:30 a.m. on February 23. Following the conference, the archived webcast will be available for replay on the same website.
China authority to tackle overcapacity in aluminum industry
China’s Ministry of Industry & Information Technology (MIIT) is mulling over plans to tackle chronic overcapacity in the country’s aluminum industry, Shanghai Metals Market has learned. Measures under consideration include: greater scrutiny of projects under construction; strict control over capacity expansions; encouraging vertical integration of regional power plants and aluminum smelters; pushing for fair pricing among on-grid power, captive power and local on-grid power networks; enhancing cooperation between upstream smelters and downstream processors; widening the field of possible applications for aluminum in construction, power, transportation and aerospace sectors; and encouraging domestic smelters to build aluminum smelting and processing facilities overseas.
Indian aluminium companies export more as home market slows down
Hindalco Industries and Vedanta Resources, India's two largest aluminium producers, have stepped up exports amid increasing capacity and poor domestic demand. Exports of primary aluminium from the country surged 65% in the first half of the current fiscal, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, as demand slowed down at home due to a sluggish Economy, while overseas markets offered a better opportunity to Indian producers. Hindalco has exported as much as half of its produce during this financial year, compared to less than a fifth last year, while Vedanta Resources exported about 40% of its output in India against about 30% in 2013-14. "If we find it is better, economical and makes sense to export, we will-...better than holding onto the stock," said Hindalco's managing...
Open Energi joins Aluminium Federation
The Aluminium Federation (ALFED), the body that represents the UK aluminium sector, has welcomed Open Energi as a member. UK company Open Energi, which has offices in London and Manchester, has developed an energy demand response management product, which enables heavy electricity users, including many in the metals sector, to match use to availability. In addition to delivering new revenues to users, demand response management promises to lower the UK’s risk of blackouts, at the same time as reducing the overall cost of energy. It achieves this by avoiding the need to build new power capacity, making it easier to manage intermittent renewable energy supplies, and enabling significant emissions reductions. “Open Energi’s technology automatically responds to fluctuations in demand within...
Indian scrap prices may fall in line with global trend in February
It would seem foolish to predict anything but a fall in Indian scrap prices in line with the global trend in February. According to TSI, market participants are predicting a downward movement of around $10-15 a ton in the immediate future as the scrap industry cannot continue to play second fiddle to semi-finished material from Russia and China. If this correction occurs it seems likely that the market will remain depressed with only the Indian budget and its potential increase in duties for semi-finished products, to be unveiled this month, offering a potential catalyst for recovery.
New technology being devised to recycle multilayer packaging material
A new technology is being developed by Saperatec Industries of Czech Republic and Saperatec of Germany, a recycling technology supplier that will allow the separation of multi-layer packaging material. The two entities together is planning to build and operate facilities across Europe that will enable recycling of the multilayer packaging materials like plastics and aluminium laminates used in beverage cartons breaking them down to reusable raw materials. Both the companies together are making a double-digit million Euro investment but it is understood that this venture is expected to be beneficial as it will help them secure the international market entry, Tomáš Sysel, chairman of the board of directors at Saperatec Industries is optimistic about the partnership saying that this venture...
Hiring begins for Constellium-UACJ’s Kentucky plant
Constellium- UACJ is slated to begin hiring over the next two months for its Body in White plant in Kentucky Transpark with a target of recruiting around 50 people by the end of the year. The plant is supposed to employ 80 people in total once the $150million automotive aluminium sheet production facility goes into production. Meanwhile the existing facility at Neuf-Brisach, France is also undergoing expansion with two continuous annealing, picking and finishing lines ordered for the facilities, according to a news release. The installation of the equipment at the Bowling Green facility is to commence in the next two months said Markus Wild, chief executive officer for the Body in White plant. The equipment is used to release pressure out of the coils, cool it, treats it chemically,...
Hindalco secures Kathautia coal mine in Jharkhand
Hindalco Industries secured a coal mine in Jharkhand on the second day of the auction, boosting the shares of the company significantly. Six other contenders were in competition to secure the coveted Kathautia mine in Jharkhard including Monnet Ispat & Energy, Rungta Mines, UltraTech Cement and the prior allottee Usha Martin. Hindalco finally won the auction offering INR 2,680 per ton for the good quality coal and has the access to the 26 million tons available in the Kathautia mine. The company has shown rise in its net profit this year, rising from INR 334 crore reported last year to a net profit of INR 350 crore reported in the last quarter of the present fiscal year.
Aluminium Association of India (AAI) announces New President and Vice President
Aluminium Association of India, the apex body representing the entire spectrum of Indian Aluminium Industry, at its Governing Council Meeting held on 27th January 2015 at New Delhi elected Mr. S.K. Roongta, Chairman, Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) as Hon. President and Mr. Satish Pal, Deputy Managing Director, Hindalco Industries Limited as Hon. Vice President. Mr. S.K. Roongta is Chairman – Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd. (BALCO) & Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL) both Vedanta Group Companies and Heads Aluminium & Power Business of the Vedanta Group comprising of 2.5 million tonnes of fully integrated aluminium and 8000 MW of Power. Earlier he served as Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) from August 2006 to May 2010. An Electrical Engineering Graduate from BITS...
Pahang Govt. to cease mining activities if pollution continues
The Pahang Govt. says if the pollution problem persists, despite the recent steps taken, they will not hesitate to cease bauxite and iron ore mining activities. Following the complaints raised by Chinese tourists regarding the dirty condition of the Kuantan Port, the state government took the matter very seriously as it not only affected the local residents but also the state’s tourism industry. The government has tried to rectify the issue by meeting with 106 bauxite and iron ore operators and arriving at the decision to prevent bauxite-laden lorries to take any other road beside the Jalan Gebeng-Bypass, with an ultimatum of two months to clear out the bauxite stores at the port. However Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob he told reporters “If there is no solution to the (pollution)...
UC Rusal comments on LME official stock decline below 4 Mln tonnes
UC RUSAL, a leading global aluminium producer, notes that official LME aluminium stocks fell below 4 million tonnes on 11 February for the first time since May 2009. RUSAL notes that LME aluminium stocks keep declining and maintain a steady decrease of around 7 thousand tonnes per day. This drawdown reflects the Company’s view of the supply and demand balance on the global market excluding China which is currently in deficit. The fundamental demand for aluminium remains strong and RUSAL expects to see the stocks at LME warehouses to continue to decrease throughout 2015. Premiums fill in the gap between the LME pricing mechanism and physical market. RUSAL’s expectation is that stocks (reported/unreported) are being delivered to the consumer market to address the supply deficit so up until...
Rexam secures land to expand operations in India
Rexam, a leading global beverage can manufacturer, has secured land in Sri City (55km from Chennai), Southern India, as well as in Mahindra World City, Jaipur, Northern India, to build a further two beverage can plants in addition to its existing plant in Mumbai. Each plant represents an initial investment of close to £50 million and will add a total production capacity of close to 1.6billion cans. Our plant in Sri City is expected to be operational by H2 2016 and this will be followed by the plant in Jaipur. The two plants will create around 150 new jobs in each of their local communities. Craig Jones, Sector Director Rexam AMEA, commented: “These investments will support and enable us to take advantage of the continued exciting growth of the beverage can in India. Having plants in...
Goa Carbon Ltd looking for overseas expansion options
Goa Carbon Ltd is in expansion mode, looking for opportunities overseas even though their last attempt to set up a greenfield calcined petroleum coke (CPS) project in China to produce 300,000 mt per annum could not be commissioned. With clients like Hindalco and Vedanta looking to expand, Goa Carbon is also hoping to spread its wings and had bought land in China for the purpose but for reasons unknown the land had to be returned thwarting their overseas attempts. Chairman Shrinivas Dempo says that at the management level they are still exploring and evaluating options to invest in China and other places although the company does export to overseas countries like France, Greece, Cameroon, Dubai and other countries. The second largest manufacturer of CPC in India, the company has a total...
Constellium invests €22.5 million to expand casting, extrusion and fabrication capacity in Decin, Czech Republic
Constellium N.V. announced today that it is investing €22.5 million in its site located in Decin, Czech Republic. The investment, expected to be completed by April 2016, will include a new casthouse, a new indirect extrusion press line for production of hard alloy bars and profiles, a new drawing line, and a complete refurbishment of an existing extrusion line to meet increased demand for drawn bars. The investment follows a €15 million investment announced in May 2014 that included a new casthouse and extrusion line to increase production of hard alloy extrusions by almost 10,000 tons per year. Both investments further Constellium’s strategy of boosting production capacity of high-volume specialty alloy products and extrusions to supply primarily the European automotive market. The plant...
Nespresso to recycle in SA
Nespresso has launched its first programme to recycle its used aluminium capsules in South Africa. The programme will allow Nespresso Club Members and South African coffee drinkers to return used Nespresso capsules for recycling at dedicated collection points at Nespresso Boutiques in South Africa. “Nespresso is committed to continuously improving its environmental performance across its value chain," said Pierre Debayle, Regional Manager, Nespresso MEAC. Nespresso says it uses aluminium for its Grand Cru capsules as it is the best material available today to protect and preserve the highest quality coffees against factors such as oxygen, light and humidity which could compromise freshness, taste and quality. Aluminium is also the only material that interacts with Nespresso machines to...
Century Aluminum delays earnings report in wake of exec’s medical leave
Rick Dillon, the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Chicago-based Century Aluminum Co., is taking a temporary medical leave of absence and that will delay an earnings report for the company that owns a smelter in Mount Holly, Century announced Thursday. Dillon is expected to return to the company by the end of March. The company provided no further details about the leave of absence. Michael Bless, Century’s president and CEO, will assume Dillon’s duties in his absence. Century said it will reschedule its earnings announcement to Feb. 24. The earnings announcement had been scheduled for Feb. 19 after the markets’ close. The company announced on Dec. 1 that it had completed its $67.5 million acquisition from Alcoa of the Mount Holly smelter, one of Berkeley County’s...
Nagpur institute inks pact with MIT
City-based Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminum Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC) on Thursday signed an MoU with the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT), Aurangabad to promote scientific and technological education, and research and development in the region. The MoU was signed by the JNARDDC director Anupam Agnihotri. He said now even his centre would be following international standards where research institutions work in collaboration with the industry and academic institutions. The MoU will help in creating a dynamic aluminium R&D cluster in the state and the country. MIT Aurangabad, established by the Gramudyyogik Shikshan Mandal, offers a number of technology, management, architecture and science studies. It is also part of the Centre's national knowledge network. It is...
