Caustic soda plant setup in India: How aluminium growth is reshaping demand, costs and opportunities
Caustic soda may not be the most visible ingredient in aluminium production, but without it, the journey from bauxite to alumina would look very different. The chemical, also known as sodium hydroxide, is a crucial reagent in the Bayer process, where it helps dissolve alumina-bearing material in bauxite and separate it from impurities. The dissolved material is then processed to recover alumina, which ultimately feeds aluminium production. That makes caustic soda more than just another industrial chemical. Its availability, price and efficient use can influence the economics of alumina refining and, by extension, the wider aluminium value chain. As India expands its alumina and aluminium capacity, the requirement for this chemical is also becoming increasingly important. For companies...
Aluminum investment across North America and Asia: Who leads reshaping the next phase of growth?
Aluminum investment has been spreading across the entire value chain, from primary smelting and alumina refining to recycling, rolling, extrusion and battery foil, building more integrated and higher-value supply chains. During the past 5 years, the US and Canada in North America and China in Asia have been grabbing headlines pertaining to the aluminum industry. These updates have involved growth stories or have shed light on volatile market situations. How have these headlines contributed to a greater picture for the benefit of the aluminum industries of the two continents? Between 2021 and 2026, major projects across North America and Asia have targeted new primary capacity, lower-carbon production, recycled aluminum and higher-value downstream products. But the investment pattern is...
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Alufer Mining completes feasibility study for Bel Air bauxite
Alufer Mining Limited has completed the initial Bankable Feasibility Study for the proposed Bel Air Project in Guinea with an estimated capacity of 10.3Mtpa. This is the first towards Alufer’s plan to develop 30Mtpa to cater to China’s growing bauxite needs. After just two years from the first drillhole, the company was able to produce the feasibility report as well and by March 2015, the project should go into construction and by January 2016 and the initial production should begin producing 4.8Mtpa initially. The next phase of Alufer’s plan involves the development of the Labe project using the cash flows from Bel Air. The Labe project has a 2.5 billion tonne JORC resource. Once the construction at both the sites is complete, the combination of these two projects is likely to provide...
China deal to boost WA miners and farmers
WA miners and farmers stand to be the biggest winners from the nation's biggest-ever trade deal that is set to be signed today between Australia and China. Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Chinese President Xi Jinping will formally sign a free trade agreement that will slash almost every single tariff on Australian mineral, energy and manufacturing exports while delivering much improved access for the nation's farmers to the world's biggest consumer market. Negotiations on the deal started almost a decade ago, with the final agreement expected to deliver a boost to the Australian economy of at least $18 billion within nine years. The West Australian understands the 8 per cent tariff on alumina imports, the 3 per cent tariff on nickel, the 10 per cent tariff on titanium and the 3 per cent...
Jamaica’s mining minister gives Rusal ultimatum to restart plant
The Mining Minister of Jamaica, Phillip Paulwell has given Rusal UC an ultimatum to restart the mothballed Alpart bauxite/alumina plant in Nain, St Elizabeth by December 31 or else there would be consequences. Last Wednesday, Paulwell addressing the audience at the Young Entrepreneurs meet telling them about this warning to Rusal saying that if they failed to do so, the mining lease would be revoked and given to someone else who would be able to work on it. Paulwell says that the aluminium scene is improving around the world generating increased interest in the Jamaica’s bauxite resources. Being the energy, science and technology minister he also knows that oil prices are also falling over the past few months, which has renewed optimism in the sector. He is looking to boost new industries...
Alro SA announces its financial results
Alro SA,one of the largest aluminium producers in Central and Eastern Europe, announces today its financial results, in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), for the nine–month period ended 30 September 2014.The Company reports a negative adjusted net result* of RON 115 million for the nine–month period ended 30 September 2014 compared to a negative adjusted net result* of RON 21 million in the similar period of2013. The turnover for the first nine months of 2014 was of RON 1.44 billion compared to RON 1.50 billion in 9M2013. “Alro increased its sales of processed aluminium, as part of its long-term strategy to focus on high value added products, but due to factors that we cannot control, such as the international aluminium market and the energy taxes,...
CRL-U.S. Aluminum receives Glass Magazine's top metal company recognition
CRL-U.S. Aluminum receives third consecutive honor while continuing North American expansion plans. Glass Magazine, one of the industry's leading commercial, retail, and fabrication publications, recently named CRL-U.S. Aluminum as the #1 Top Metal Company in their 2014 feature on North America's most notable manufacturers. Each year the magazine honors the glass and metal industry's Top Metal Companies who continue to expand their sales reach and manufacturing output, while helping strengthen the industry at large. For the third year in a row, CRL-U.S. Aluminum has been recognized as the leading manufacturer and supplier of metal glazing products in the United States and Canada. CRL attributes their leadership position to an unwavering commitment to designing, engineering, and...
Energy-saving systems for De La Rue’s new tech center
RCKa Architects specified the aluminium glazing systems for De La Rue’s new technology center at Overton Mill in Hampshire. The project also included refurbishment of an existing 1980s office building to house the new research facility. RCKa’s goal was to create a distinctive, world-class building with a modern façade that would reflect De La Rue’s aspirations as a leading global organization, stimulate innovation and interaction, and blend well into its rural surroundings. The building’s contemporary design has a sculptural form which features deep reveals and projecting sills to provide shade from the sun in summer, and to allow high levels of natural daylight during the winter months. And by recycling and converting an existing facility, the client gained a new research center for...
A look at the future of Indian aluminium die-casting through ALUCAST 2014
ALUCAST 2014, the biggest exhibition in the Aluminium Die Casting industry, is due to be held between 4th to 6th at BIEC, Bangalore. At this exhibitions stakeholders from the die casting industry will come together bringing with them their display of products and services they offer which include categories like: aluminium die casting, recycling, automation of the casting process, post casting operations, melting practices and metal treatment, heat treatment specialists and the like. The President of ALUCAST 2014, Mr Prasan Firodia said that India has emerged as an important contributor in the global aluminium supply chain while this industry in turn has become important for the Indian economy as well, contributing 7% in the GDP. Since the future of the auto component industry looks...
Granco Clark supplies APEL Extrusions, Inc. with a full heating and handling system to its UBE press
APEL Extrusions, Inc. is expanding their production capacity in the new Coburg, OR facility by adding a new UBE press and Granco Clark Heating and Handling System (installation in July 2014). The Granco Clark equipment features the best high pressure spray quenching technology available, a cut-on-the fly double puller, high velocity cooling ducts, 100 Ton profile stretcher, a complete belt/convey¬or handling system, and a log furnace with hot billet saw. Once this equipment is installed they will move the current production line (UBE press and Granco heating and handling system) from the old facility (Springfield, OR) to the new facility. Founded in 1947, Granco Clark began manufacturing billet furnaces and has evolved into a worldwide, cutting-edge single-source supplier and leading...
Novelis leads global effort to increase closed-loop recycling and reduce carbon
Novelis, the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, today published its Fiscal Year 2014 sustainability report, which shows the company is making significant investments and strides to advance the circular economy and increase the sustainability of its business, the aluminum industry and its broader value chain. "Adding More Aluminum, Creating Value" details Novelis' efforts to increase its recycling capacity and the recycled content of its products to 80 percent by 2020, which requires less dependence on higher-carbon primary aluminum and more focus on innovation and technology to accelerate the use of recycled aluminum. Novelis' transformational business model, which is built on closed-loop recycling, comes at a time when aluminum demand is high and the industries that Novelis...
Advanced auto grade aluminum mill to be built in Southeastern USA
American Specialty Alloys announced today plans to build a $1.2 billion, state-of-the-art, aluminum mini-mill in the Southeastern United States. The planned 1.4 million square foot plant, is an environmentally friendly mill with over $200 million in pollution control systems. The plant will be the world’s first "green" mini mill. It will supply over 600,000 tons per year of aluminum, flat-rolled product to the automotive industry making it very possibly, the largest supplier of auto grade aluminum in the United States. “We are proud to be bringing this new facility to market. We have spent a significant amount of time completing our business strategies, engineering plans, and market analysis and we are now narrowing and finalizing our site selection. Our phase one operations are targeted...
Alcoa executive vice president and chief financial officer William F. Oplinger to speak at annual Goldman Sachs Global Metals and Mining Conference
Alcoa Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer William F. Oplinger will speak at the annual Goldman Sachs Global Metals and Mining Conference being held November 19-20 in New York. The live webcast will start at 8:15 a.m. EST on Thursday, November 20. Oplinger will discuss how Alcoa is successfully building out its innovative, multi-material value-add businesses to capture profitable growth while also creating a globally competitive commodity business. A live audio webcast will be available at the Alcoa website. Following the conference, the archived webcast will be available for replay on the same website.
Aluminium drives modern manufacturing in the Gulf
As GCC aluminium production is expected to hit the five million tonnes mark by the end of this year, downstream factories in the GCC countries are racing to acquire the state- -of-the-art machines and latest equipment. Since aluminium production started in the region in 1971, there have been significant developments in the number and variety of downstream aluminium industries, such as extrusion, rolled products, wires and cables that cater for the needs of regional and international markets. The list of major GCC downstream players includes Gulf Extrusions and Al- Hamad Aluminium Extrusions in the UAE, Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill (GARMCO) and Midal Cable in Bahrain, Alupco and Al-Taisser in Saudi Arabia and Oman Aluminium Rolling Company (OARC) in Oman. Around 70 per cent of all primary...
China’s imports of copper and aluminum scraps down 20% from Q1-Q3 2014
Inbound shipments of non-ferrous scrap metals to China fell to 4.56 million tonnes during the first three quarters of 2014, local media reported today. The continuous decline in imports is mirrored by a drop of 19.62% and 21.94% in imports of copper and aluminum scraps during the period, respectively, according to China Non-Ferrous Metals Industry Association. “Imported copper scraps are expected to fall to 50% in its proportion of raw materials supply, and the proportion of imported aluminum scraps will drop to 40% in 2014, down by 20% and 15%, respectively,” predicted by Shang Fushan, Vice President of China Non-Ferrous Metals Industry Association, and President of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association Recycling Metal Branch. During the same period, output of secondary...
Jaguar's XE saloon supports Novelis' Close loop recycling process
This, the aluminium intensive XE, is arguably the most important car that Jaguar has launched in its 92-year history. There have been more iconic, notably the E-Type, but it's fair to say Jaguar's future hinges on this new mid-size saloon poised to take on the might of German rivals like the BMW 3-series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-class. Jaguar's management has taken the bold move to offer a car brimming with technological innovation. It is rare these days to launch a completely new car, but Jaguar has had the confidence to do just that: aluminium intensive body structure, a new engine range, new suspension, even the transmissions have been given a thorough overhaul and update. Parent company, TATA, has invested £1.5billion in the project creating 1700 new jobs and erecting a new...
CAA Resources looking to venture into bauxite mining
CAA Resources is primarily an iron ore product company but since the iron ore market is somewhat depressed of late, the company is considering venturing into the bauxite industry. Mr. Li Yang, the chairman of the board along with the senior managers, is now investigating bauxite prospects in Pahang, Malaysia. They are researching bauxite mining, processing, transportation and other production processes. Since China, the biggest aluminium producer in the world is running out of bauxite resources thanks to the Indonesian export ban, bauxite could be a lucrative avenue to venture into. CAA is thus seeking a reliable business partner for bauxite development as well as high quality bauxite resources.
APEC heralds opportunities for aluminum extrusion segment
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting highlights infrastructure construction as the priority of enhancing connectivity and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, which will see high-speed railway construction speed up and boost aluminum extrusion demand, yicai.com reported. China will contribute $ 40 billion to set up a Silk Road Fund aimed at promoting connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced during the Dialogue Meeting on Strengthening Connectivity and Improving Cooperation in China's Neighborhood on November 8. Infrastructure construction, especially railway and road construction, will be the top priority, it added. Usually, about 10 tonnes of aluminum products are used in one high-speed railcar, including 8 tonnes of extruded...
Klesch Group’s Aldel to restart production in 2015
The Dutch smelter named Aluminium Delfzijl (Aldel) owned by the Klesch Group had applied for bankruptcy 10 months ago but they are now planning to start production early next year. Klesch, the Swiss-based commodities company said that their decision was based on the improving global aluminium market as well as a proposed deal to use the German power grid to run the smelter. The latter will help them secure cheap German electricity to power the smelter, cutting costs. In a power-intensive production like aluminium, competitive energy powers have the power to make or break the company. The smelter plans to start modestly with an output of 100,000 tonnes per year to cater to the fast growing automotive industry. The smelter, that has an annual capacity of 170,000 tonnes, aims to appoint 200...
Aluminium prices fluctuate as China’s factory output growth slows down
The prices of aluminium and copper declined by INR 2 per kg on Thursday in the Indian non-ferrous market due to reduced industrial offtake and an overall weak global trend. According to traders, the reason for the weakened sentiment is the slide of aluminium in the global market as a result of the slowing factory output growth in October. The aluminium for three-month delivery has gone down by 0.3% to USD 2,054.25 per mt on LME while the Indian domestic prices of aluminium ingots, sheet cutting, wire scrap and utensils scrap have all gone down by INR 2 each amounting to IN6 164, 165, 167and 164 per kg respectively. In the U.S. the slowing factory output growth in China, coupled with the employment figures, resulted in a fluctuation of aluminium prices, shuffling between gains and losses....
