05 NOVEMBER 2013Metalbulletin.com
Highlights: Metal Bulletin’s 3rd alumina and bauxite conference
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
Metal Bulletin’s 3rd alumina and bauxite conference which has recently concluded in Singapore highlighted the following topics:
1. Challenges remain for Indonesia in implementing its proposed ban on exports of raw materials. Among them are dealing with the interests of local power centres who issue mining permits and coordinating between different ministries, Soemantri Widagdo, adviser to the ministry of industry said.
2. China, the biggest buyer of Indonesian bauxite, is scouring for bauxite and alumina in many different countries, including Guinea, Guyana, Ghana, Philippines, Fiji, Australia, Laos and Jamaica.
3. Australian junior miners such as Cape Alumina and Bauxite Resources Ltd believe they are in a good position to take advantage of the Indonesian ban and fill in the supply gap. See here and here
4. India continues to export about 5.5-6 million tonnes of bauxite per year from the west coast, even as two of its alumina refineries struggle to source bauxite locally.
5. China’s primary aluminium production is expected to rise 9.8% year-on-year to 24 million tonnes in 2013, Zhonglin Yin, director of alumina division at Zhenzhou Research Institute, Aluminium Corp of China (Chalco) said. The total aluminium capacity in China will be 32 million tonnes by the end of 2013.
6. China is looking at coal ash as a raw material for alumina. By 2020, domestic bauxite will make up 56% of the total raw material, coal ash will account for 13% and bauxite imports will fall to 31% of the total Chinese bauxite needs, Sandy Kong, senior analyst at BGRIMM said. Challenges for this development include high power costs.
7. The Middle East will produce 5 million tonnes of aluminium in 2015.
8. Saudi Arabia’s 1.8-million-tpy alumina refinery will start production in the fourth quarter of 2014. Industry participants are still closely watching the effect from the production halt at one of the two potlines at Ma’aden and were heard discussing timelines as to when the potline would restart.
9. Indonesia’s largest bauxite miner PT Antam will start commercial production at its 300,000-tpy chemical grade alumina plant at Tayan in West Kalimantan province by July 2014, a company official said.
10. Lawsuits against the LME continue to be a topic of discussion. The market is waiting for an announcement on LME warehousing rules. The feedback on proposals was encouraging, William Chin, vp business development and risk LME, said.
1. Challenges remain for Indonesia in implementing its proposed ban on exports of raw materials. Among them are dealing with the interests of local power centres who issue mining permits and coordinating between different ministries, Soemantri Widagdo, adviser to the ministry of industry said.
2. China, the biggest buyer of Indonesian bauxite, is scouring for bauxite and alumina in many different countries, including Guinea, Guyana, Ghana, Philippines, Fiji, Australia, Laos and Jamaica.
3. Australian junior miners such as Cape Alumina and Bauxite Resources Ltd believe they are in a good position to take advantage of the Indonesian ban and fill in the supply gap. See here and here
4. India continues to export about 5.5-6 million tonnes of bauxite per year from the west coast, even as two of its alumina refineries struggle to source bauxite locally.
5. China’s primary aluminium production is expected to rise 9.8% year-on-year to 24 million tonnes in 2013, Zhonglin Yin, director of alumina division at Zhenzhou Research Institute, Aluminium Corp of China (Chalco) said. The total aluminium capacity in China will be 32 million tonnes by the end of 2013.
6. China is looking at coal ash as a raw material for alumina. By 2020, domestic bauxite will make up 56% of the total raw material, coal ash will account for 13% and bauxite imports will fall to 31% of the total Chinese bauxite needs, Sandy Kong, senior analyst at BGRIMM said. Challenges for this development include high power costs.
7. The Middle East will produce 5 million tonnes of aluminium in 2015.
8. Saudi Arabia’s 1.8-million-tpy alumina refinery will start production in the fourth quarter of 2014. Industry participants are still closely watching the effect from the production halt at one of the two potlines at Ma’aden and were heard discussing timelines as to when the potline would restart.
9. Indonesia’s largest bauxite miner PT Antam will start commercial production at its 300,000-tpy chemical grade alumina plant at Tayan in West Kalimantan province by July 2014, a company official said.
10. Lawsuits against the LME continue to be a topic of discussion. The market is waiting for an announcement on LME warehousing rules. The feedback on proposals was encouraging, William Chin, vp business development and risk LME, said.
Previous article
Alternative bauxite supplies continue to elude Vedanta
Next articleVietnam’s 1st bauxite plant gets tax breaks for imported parts
Grow with
AL Circle
