AL Circle Analysis: Europe’s aluminium scrap curbs, India’s risk and US’s supply opportunity
Aluminium recycling is supposed to be the industry’s easiest win — economic and eco-friendly. Interestingly, this is where the plot thickens. Aluminium recycling is moving from a sustainability objective to a strategic supply-chain issue, with scrap availability, domestic recovery, cross-border waste rules and decarbonisation policy influencing where recycled metal can be produced and consumed. Recent developments across Europe, such as the UK and Greece, in the US and India reveal that investment in recycling is accelerating, but access to suitable scrap and the rules governing its movement are becoming equally important. Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. Europe wants more recycled aluminium, but what is the...
German downstream aluminium exports fall 13% in H1 2026 but US enters top 5 with 228.1% import surge
Germany’s downstream aluminium export map underwent a noticeable shift in H1 2026. Shipments to the world fell, with most of Germany’s traditional European customers taking less aluminium downstream product. Yet, amid that broad retreat, one market moved in the opposite direction: the United States. German downstream aluminium exports to the world fell to 897,773.19 tonnes in H1 2026 from 1 million tonnes in H1 2025, a decline of 13 per cent year on year. The contrast was particularly sharp in the US market. American imports of German downstream aluminium reached 68,061.61 tonnes in H1 2026, up 228.1 per cent from just 20,743.62 tonnes in H1 2025. The increase of more than 47,000 tonnes was enough to push the US into Germany’s top 5 destinations for the first time. The export map is...
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Century Aluminum to add 45 jobs at Sebree smelter
Century Aluminum Co. on Thursday announced a $3 million expansion at its 530-employee Sebree smelter that will create 45 more jobs and help cement its presence in this region. Century said the expansion is intended to “significantly increase” the percentage of the smelter’s primary aluminum that is produced as premium billet and rolling slabs to meet growing demand in the automotive body, aerospace and construction industries. Century calls the move its “Premium Products Initiative.” “This announcement bolsters the future of this plant and hopefully reinforces that Century Aluminum is proud to be in the region and committed to stay and grow,” Jason Young, the general manager of Century Aluminum Sebree, said in a statement. “This expansion will create dozens of new, quality jobs, and is...
Warehousing battle between LME & Rusal set to rumble on
The legal battle between the London Metal Exchange and Rusal over warehousing reforms could rumble on for several more months after a British appeals court declined to make a ruling on Wednesday. The two parties returned to court this week for the first time since March, when the Russian aluminium producer successfully blocked the world’s leading metals bourse from implementing tough rules to tackle long warehouse queues. But after a two-day hearing, the three-judge panel “reserved judgment” on whether to uphold or overturn the High Court ruling. If no decision is made by Friday, the matter will only be resolved in October, at the earliest, after the court’s summer recess. The three-month LME aluminium price rallied on the news on the delayed ruling, rising 2 per cent to $2,022 a tonne....
Nalco a step closer to start its coal mine project-Business
The Odisha government on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for developing an airport at Jharsuguda in western Odisha at a cost of Rs 210 crore. Currently, AAI operates an airstrip at Jharsuguda, used by a few chartered aircraft. Odisha has just one full-fledged airport — the Biju Patnaik International Airport. Of the overall estimated project cost, the state government will provide Rs 75 crore. AAI has 909.22 acres in Jharsuguda. To upgrade the airstrip to a full-fledged airport, the state government has agreed to provide 296.5 acres free; 118.75 acres will be handed over immediately. “We can construct the airport within a period of two years from the date of physical possession of land,” said AAI Chairman Alok Sinha. The...
Alumina Limited rating lowered to hold at Deutsche Bank
Alumina Limited was downgraded by investment analysts at Deutsche Bank to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday. They currently have a $1.45 target price on the stock. Alumina Limited opened at 1.605 on Tuesday. Alumina Limited has a 52 week low of A$0.935 and a 52 week high of A$1.625. The stock has a 50-day moving average of A$1.43 and a 200-day moving average of A$1.33. The company’s market cap is A$4.504 billion. Several other analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Analysts at Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Alumina Limited to $1.60 in a research note on Thursday, July 24th. They now have an “overweight” rating on the stock. Alumina Limited, is an Australia-based company.
Public hearing on Sesa Sterlite, Lanjigarh expansion ends peacefully
The public hearing at Lanjigarh to decide Sesa Sterlite Ltd (SSL) refinery expansion project concluded successfully in presence of district officials and the authorities of State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), a company spokesman said in a statement. The public hearing was held by SPCB on basis of SSL's fresh application for environmental clearance to expand the refinery's capacity from one Million Tonne per Annum (MTPA) to six MTPA, Additional district magistrate (ADM) of Kalahandi Sasadhara Naik said. "There was interaction with public on the issue. The statements and opinion of people of project affected areas in the public hearing have been recorded," the ADM said adding the public hearing was held in a peaceful manner. The public hearing concluded ‘successfully’ in a peaceful...
Vedanta Aluminium gets village’s nod to expand refinery
Vedanta Aluminium, controlled by billionaire Anil Agarwal, moved closer to raising its alumina refining capacity by six fold from 1 million tonnes per year (tpy) after villagers near the plant voiced no objection to the expansion. Most of the nearly 2,000 people present on Wednesday at the public hearing in Biswanathpur village of Odisha were “OK” with the project to expand the refinery, said B.K. Upadhyaya, the top bureaucrat of the district where the village is located. Vedanta Aluminium has been struggling to source sufficient bauxite to feed the 1 million tpy alumina refinery since its commissioning in August 2007. It has been buying bauxite from other states as well as importing more than 1 million tpy of alumina. Plans to mine bauxite in Odisha for the alumina refinery are on hold...
Novelis to host first quarter fiscal year 2015 earnings conference call on Thursday, August 7
Novelis Inc. will report its earnings for the first quarter of fiscal year 2015 on Thursday, August 7, 2014. Following the release, President and Chief Executive Officer Philip Martens and Chief Financial Officer Steve Fisher will discuss the results via a live conference call for investors at 9:00 a.m. ET the same day. The conference call will also be webcast live via the Novelis website, with presentation materials available online at Novelis website The audio portion of the meeting will be available via telephone at: U.S. and Canada Toll-Free Number: 800 732 5617 India Toll-Free Number: 0008001007928 International Toll Number: + 1 212 231 2900 Following the meeting, the webcast will be available for replay at Novelis website.
Aziana Limited opens data room for Manantenina Bauxite Project
Aziana Limited has opened an online data room to a third party that could join as a partner to develop its Manantenina Bauxite Project in Madagascar. While under the radar to some investors, it shouldn't be as Manantenina offers a number of bauxite riches that a JV partner would salivate over. Boasting a deposit to date of 10.09 million tonnes at Esama over 6.25 square kilometres, with available alumina of 30-45% and reactive silica of less than 2.5%. There looks to be significant resource upside to boot, of 120-160 million tonnes which would be attractive to a partner to do the heavy financial lifting to develop a Direct Shipping Ore product from the project. As is the case with many bauxite deposits, the Indonesian export ban of bauxite has re-heightened interest in Manantenina. The...
Queensland Bauxite to upgrade South Johnstone resource
Queensland Bauxite will undertake a more involved drilling programme at South Johnstone in northern Queensland to further define the size, grade and shape of the deposit. Which should not pose an issue given the handy $4.1 million in cash it had at 30 June 2014. It is also looking to upgrade the portion of the existing JORC Inferred Resource to a JORC Indicated / Measured Resource category. The project has an early stage Inferred Resource of 30 million tonnes of bauxite, out of a project size that could reach 300 million tonnes of bauxite. The average grade of the bauxite at low temperature leaching is 25.2% available alumina and 6.9% reactive silica. Although parts of the existing resource returned available alumina results of 32% and reactive silica results at less than 2%, which is a...
AMG divests non-core equity interest in Bostlan S.A.
AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. announces that AMG Aluminum has sold its 25% equity interest in Bostlan S.A. ("Bostlan") to Bostlan's majority shareholders for cash. This is the next step in AMG Aluminum's strategy to divest non-core assets, reposition its global operations, and streamline its organization structure. Mr. Julien Crisnaire, President of AMG Aluminum, stated, "This divestment should enable AMG Aluminum to focus on its core operations, better serve customers globally and enhance AMG's return on capital". AMG Aluminum is the world-leading provider of aluminum master alloys and grain refiners for the aluminum industry. With over 300 employees and five ISO 9001 manufacturing plants in Brazil, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States, AMG Aluminum offers a...
Popular broadcaster to oversee aluminium tech debate
Renowned scientist and historian Adam Hart-Davis has been announced as chair of a special discussion in Birmingham this autumn on aluminium’s growing role in the automotive sector. The polymath broadcaster, who presented hit documentaries like What the Victorians Did For Us and Local Heroes, will preside over the Technology and Innovation Session of ALFED’s Aluminium in Road Transport Conference in November. Panelists in the session will include Prof. Geoff Scamans, of Brunel University, and Geraint Castleton-White, of Lotus Lightweight Structures, alongside others from both industry and academia. The conference takes place at the Thinktank Science Museum in Birmingham on November 11 and 12, with the Technology and Innovation Session running on the afternoon of day one. Speaking ahead of...
Operating rates at Chinese aluminum fabricators expected to fall in July
The average operating rate at Chinese aluminum fabricators is expected to slide in July, Shanghai Metals Market foresees. FRPs The average operating rate will likely inch down to 60% at plate/sheet, strip and foil segments in July. The arrival of the traditional off-season has caused orders to contract across the FRP sector. This has been exacerbated by the central government’s anti-corruption efforts, which are deterring end users, such as power companies, from purchasing larger volumes of aluminum FRPs, SMM has learned. Weaker demand should drag down operating rates across the sector. Operating rates, however, are unlikely to fall dramatically as some fabricators are taking orders with thin to no margins to maintain stable output, SMM understands. Extrusions The average operating rate...
Rogers aluminum wheels plant closing down with 500 job loss
Superior Industries International, Inc. , the largest manufacturer of aluminum wheels for passenger cars and light-duty vehicles in North America, today announced it will close its manufacturing facility in Rogers, Arkansas, as part of an initiative to reduce costs and enhance its global competitive position. The company said it expects to cease operations at Rogers by the end of this year. The closure will result in scheduled production being shifted to other Superior manufacturing facilities, including those in Fayetteville, Arkansas and Chihuahua, Mexico, and is anticipated to generate a net $15 million labor cost savings year-over-year, resulting from a workforce reduction of approximately 500 employees. “This action follows a comprehensive review of the company’s cost position in...
Aluminum beating copper as supply-demand flips
Aluminum’s shift into a supply shortage means prices will climb to the highest versus copper since 2009, according to Natixis SA. The CHART OF THE DAY shows a metric ton of aluminum bought 0.29 tons of copper on July 22, the most since October 2011. The ratio will rise to 0.325 next year, the highest since December 2009, Natixis estimates. Prices of copper beat aluminum in four of the previous five years. Aluminum, used in everything from aircraft to beer cans, entered a bull market last week as it reached an almost 17-month high. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. expects the first deficit in at least five years in 2014. In contrast, it sees a glut for copper, this year’s worst performer among six main metals traded on the London Metal Exchange, widening through next year, after consumption mostly...
ALUMINIUM 2014 World Trade Fair and Conference to take place in October 2014 in Düsseldorf
Global aluminium consumption is growing steadily. Above all the transport sector is driving growth, with CO2 reduction targets in Europe and the US accelerating demand for lightweight base materials. But the construction and packaging sectors are showing excellent growth rates, as well. This increasing demand from all application sectors will also be felt at the industry’s largest trade fair worldwide, ALUMINIUM 2014. About 950 exhibitors from 50 nations are expected at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre from 7 to 9 October – a new record. On the heels of the successful change of venue from Essen to Düsseldorf two years ago, ALUMINIUM is poised for further growth ahead of its 10th edition. “The decision for Düsseldorf set the stage for the future development of the trade fair. The...
Aluminium up 0.25% on firm overseas trend
Taking positive cues from overseas markets, aluminium futures prices rose 0.25 per cent to INR 119.65 per kg today as speculators enlarged positions. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, aluminium for delivery in August gained 30 paise, or 0.25 per cent, to INR 119.65 per kg, with a business turnover of 107 lots. The metal for delivery in July also up by 25 paise, or 0.21 per cent, to trade at INR 118.95 per kg in a turnover of 174 lots. Marketmen said apart from a better trend in metal at the London Metal Exchange and pick up in demand from consuming industries at domestic spot markets, mainly supported the upside in aluminium prices at futures trade here.
LME, Rusal spar at appeal hearing over warehouse reform
The London Metal Exchange (LME) and Russian aluminium giant Rusal sparred in court on Tuesday as the LME sought to overturn a court ruling and allow it to implement tough warehousing rules to cut backlogs. The dispute is over whether the LME, the world's oldest and biggest market for industrial metals, should have to launch a fresh consultation after a March court ruling labelled its original process as "unfair and unlawful". The proposed warehouse rules - designed to speed up deliveries of metal from depots in the LME's global network - were not at issue in the original ruling. "The LME makes great play of the fact that the judge did not hold that the proposal in itself was irrational," Rusal's legal team led by Monica Carss-Frisk said in written arguments on the first of two days of...
Qld Govt still in talks with miners interested in Aurukun bauxite lease
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney says a lease for the Aurukun bauxite resource on Cape York will only be granted to mining companies that can begin operating immediately. The Queensland Government called for expressions of interest to develop the resource in November 2012 and short-listed two proponents last September. However, it abandoned the process earlier this year, saying neither could ensure the local community would reap the economic benefits of the project in a timely manner. Mr Seeney says the proponents, Glencore International and Australian Indigenous Resources, remain interested and are among several companies in talks with the Government. "Both the players that were in the ... short list and other players and we've said very clearly that we're very happy to talk to anybody who has...
