Power cost of EUR 600 vs EUR 1,800 per tonne: How electricity prices are reshaping Europe’s aluminium industry (Part 1)
How much does it really cost to produce aluminium in Europe, and can the region’s smelters compete with producers in the US and China? Beyond electricity prices, the economics of primary and recycled aluminium, industrial electrification and changing automotive demand are shaping the future of Europe’s aluminium industry. In this exclusive interview with AL Circle, Dr Martin Iffert, Founder and CEO of Martin Iffert Consulting, examines these challenges, discussing smelter economics, recycling competitiveness and the outlook for Europe’s 2040 electrification vision. He also shares his views on Germany’s production landscape and the investments needed to improve productivity and strengthen the aluminium value chain. Dr Iffert brings over 30 years of industry experience. He served as CEO of...
Inside Novelis’ 2030 strategy: Aligning scrap supply, recycling investment and new opportunities in aluminium markets
The AL Circle team caught up with Michael Hahne, Vice President Commercial, Novelis Europe, for a conversation at ALUMINIUM 2026 in Düsseldorf, Germany. With experience across the company’s automotive and beverage can businesses, Hahne brings a commercial perspective to the evolving relationship between aluminium, customer needs and circularity. In this exclusive interview, Hahne explains why aluminium’s next growth chapter will depend on more than expanding production. Securing scrap, closing material loops and turning metallurgical expertise into new customer solutions are becoming central to the industry’s competitiveness. As automotive lightweighting, battery applications and circularity reshape demand, he discusses the strategies behind Novelis’ global footprint and the challenges of...
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Scrap leakage and weak data analysis - two major challenges Europe’s aluminium die casting is navigating
Here we present Part 1 of the exclusive interview with John Stokes, General Manager of IDRA Group. Mr Stokes is a well-known Mechanical and Production Engineer with over 37 years of experience in the die casting industry. The conversation was detailed, candid, and insightful to fit into one piece. So, we are bringing it to you in two parts. The first part highlights our talk about how Industry 4.0 is transforming manufacturing processes, including die casting. Here, Mr Stokes has pointed out that digitalisation and automation are ramping up operations and doing it quite effectively, but he feels the missing area is analysis, where human minds come into play. Mr Stokes’ concern is that the industry is generating more data than ever, but not putting enough into understanding what those data...
The rising need for red mud that contain gallium and scandium motivates the use of existing red mud as a resource
Dr Greeshma Gadikota, Professor at Columbia University, has explained in this interview the growing importance of advanced recovery technologies for extracting critical metals such as gallium and scandium from red mud. She noted new technologies that are more energy and material-efficient are needed for the recovery of critical metals from red mud because its critical feature is in its co-presence in an iron-rich mineral matrix. Already some of the leading universities in the United States have developed technologies for the separation of nickel, cobalt, and manganese from spent battery materials under the leadership of Dr Greeshma. Dr Greeshma Gadikota is the Lenfest Earth Institute Chair and Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering and Columbia Climate School...
Indian aluminium suppliers should prepare early for CBAM to maintain access to EU customers
The interview revolves around the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and its implications for the aluminium sector, particularly Indian exporters. Alberto Monje Gama, global Sustainability Policy Manager at TIC Council explains that CBAM is not primarily designed to reduce emissions within the EU aluminium industry but to prevent carbon leakage and maintain a level playing field for global producers. He emphasises that Indian exporters must focus on verified emissions data, robust monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, and decarbonisation strategies to remain competitive. With a background in European studies and policy, Alberto Monje Gama has spent the last five years in Brussels developing his career around the European and global institutions and...
India is a valuable part of the LME market, with 8 aluminium brands listed
Matthew Chamberlain, the CEO of the London Metal Exchange (LME), plays a pivotal role in shaping global metals trading and price discovery. With deep expertise in commodity markets, he actively drives conversations around aluminium pricing, supply chain transparency, sustainability-linked trading and the impact of geopolitical and macroeconomic developments on the metals industry. In his interview for " ALuminium LeaderSpeak 2026 ", he dived deep into the evolving global aluminium market landscape, highlighting how geopolitical tensions, shifting trade patterns, supply-demand imbalances and sustainability pressures are influencing aluminium pricing and market sentiment. It also explores the LME’s perspective on volatility management, responsible sourcing and the future direction of global...
Aluminium industry accounts for 40% of 4.8Mt of global silicon consumption
In an exclusive conversation with Jan Coetzee, Vice President Commercial Americas at Ferroglobe and Bill Hightower, Vice President of US Corporate Affairs, on the vital synergy between silicon and aluminium industry. They both acknowledge that both silicon and aluminium have strategic importance for the energy transition, advanced manufacturing, and defence. They are complementary to each other. Not only silicon serves as a crucial alloying element in aluminium production, aluminium significantly drives silicon demand. About 40 per cent of silicon consumption worldwide is driven by the aluminium industry. To know more such interesting facts, read the full interview. AL Circle: Like aluminium, silicon is recognised as a critical mineral in both the US and Canada due to its strategic role...
India is likely to witness a 4–6x increase in critical mineral consumption by 2040
Dr Deependra Singh, the former Chairman and Managing Director of IREL (India) Limited, a central public sector undertaking under the aegis of Department of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India, has clearly stated in this interview with AL Circle that India’s demand for critical minerals is set to rise sharply by 2040, driven by the country’s accelerating energy transition, industrial electrification, and digital expansion. According to Dr Singh, India’s mining concession rules would enhance domestic output and strengthen India’s positioning in the global critical minerals value chain. The new rules would drive faster capacity expansion through lease optimisation and boost exploration and investment inflows, explained Dr Singh. Dr. Singh earlier worked as Director (Marketing) at IREL and Director...
Europe aluminium can recycling gains pace, targets 100% by 2030
The interview with Krassimira Kazashka, CEO of Metal Packaging Europe, highlights the steady progress and future potential of aluminium beverage can recycling across Europe. It explores how robust infrastructure, supported by Deposit Return Schemes and evolving EU regulations like the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), is driving higher recovery rates and circularity. Kazashka emphasises the role of policy engagement, resource security, and scrap retention in strengthening the regional aluminium value chain. Looking ahead, she outlines the industry’s ambition to achieve 100 per cent recycling by 2030, underpinned by innovation, regulatory support, and efficient collection systems. Krassimira Kazashka is the CEO of Metal Packaging Europe since November 2023. Prior to joining...
CEM’s Thor Project positions itself as a multi-metal asset built around a clear mine-to-metal strategy
Welcome to the interview with Christopher H. Hopkins, President and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Energy Metals Corp., where he has outlined the true scope of the Thor Project as a multi-metal asset. He has emphasised that the immediate priority is advancing the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS), which is expected to cover CGA, HPA, and Smelter Grade Alumina (SGA), with the potential to include additional metals. Christopher H. Hopkins is a Canadian energy executive and entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience building and leading companies in oil sands, oil shale, and critical minerals. A pioneer in unconventional resource development, his work has evolved from traditional fossil fuels to the emerging critical metals driving the global energy transition. His career experience brings...
Scrap is no longer a backup-it’s becoming central to US aluminium supply
In this exclusive interview, Benjamin Pope, Chief Operating Officer of Sortera Technologies, explains how aluminium scrap is emerging as a reliable pathway for the United States to navigate primary supply risks amid ongoing geopolitical disruptions. He highlights that AI-driven sorting and alloy recovery are unlocking high-quality, specification-grade scrap at scale, easing long-standing constraints in collection, sorting, and material consistency. As aluminium prices and Midwest premiums rise, demand for scrap-particularly in casting and rolling-is set to grow through 2026 and accelerate into 2027 with new rolling mill capacity coming online, reinforcing secondary aluminium as a durable, long-term solution. Ben Pope brings over two decades of experience in the non-ferrous metals...
Carbon emissions from Australian aluminium industry represent 7% of national emissions
Welcome to Part 2 of the interview with Rachel Howard from Mission Possible Partnership. In this edition, we delve into the decarbonisation journey of the Australian aluminium industry. Ms Howard offers insights into the energy transition strategies of major players like Alcoa, Rio Tinto, and South32, and also highlights a couple of projects are even aiming for 100 per cent renewable. Aluminium recycling rate in Australia is 70 per cent and plays a pivotal role to attend decarbonisation. The first part of the interview discussed aluminium's role as a strategic, though not officially recognised, critical metal in Australia, with demand primarily driven by the construction and infrastructure sectors, accounting for around 30-40 per cent. To read the full conversation on this topic, refer to...
If not as critical mineral, aluminium has a strong case to be treated as strategic metal in Australia
Welcome to the first part of the interview with Rachel Howard from Mission Possible Partnership where the role of aluminium in green energy transition in Australia takes a centre stage. Unlike many other large economies, construction & infrastructure sector leads the demand for aluminium, representing 30-40 per cent. Although aluminium is not formally considered as a critical mineral in Australia, but according to Rachel, it has indispensable role to play in driving environmental and economic growth. Mission Possible Partnership plays a key role here by fostering producers, technology providers, financiers, and government bureaucrats to accelerate this transition. Rachel Howard leads Development of Industrial Decarbonisation programmes for Mission Possible Partnership – working to bring...
Daouda Diakite: “Guinea never intends to stop raw material exports”
Mr Kamal Prakash, founder of AL Circle, recently engaged in an insightful conversation with Mr Daouda Diakité, Senior Advisor to the Guinean Minister of Mines and Geology, at Fastmarkets Bauxite & Alumina 2026, where they discussed extensively about Guinea’s plans with bauxite exports, exploration of untapped reserves, and developing an integrated upstream value chain. In the interview, Mr Diakité has clearly stated that Guinea has no intention to stop bauxite exports but they will take necessary precautions to stabilise the prices. Mr Diakité also said the revenue generated from mining would be reinvested in developing other strategic projects, while the state will continue to seek foreign investments for the aluminium value chain. Daouda is a geological engineer who studied in Morocco...
Rajnish Khale, IREL: India’s rare earth push facing midstream gap despite rising strategic demand
In this exclusive interview, Shri Rajnish A. Khale highlights that India holds a strong position in rare earth oxide production but lacks a well-developed midstream value chain. While China continues to dominate globally, India is gradually advancing through policy support and strategic investments. Growing demand from EVs, clean energy and defence sectors is expected to drive progress, though supply chain gaps and resource challenges remain key hurdles. Shri Rajnish Arvind Khale joined the Board of IREL (India) Limited as Director (Marketing) with effect from 16th June 2023. He is a Gold Medallist in Textile Engineering from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara, Gujarat. He has also done a Master's in Business Administration in Marketing from the Faculty of Management Studies,...
Djibril René, European Aluminium: Reduced availability of primary aluminium from the Persian Gulf is likely to trigger increased reliance on scrap
In seeking forward-looking insights into the impact of the Middle East crisis on Europe, AL Circle reached out to European Aluminium, given that 14 per cent of the European Union’s primary aluminium supply comes from the conflict region. Djibril René, Director of Industry & Market Intelligence at the Association, offered a valuable perspective on the current situation in Europe. According to Mr. René, the ongoing disruption in the primary aluminium supply chain is likely to drive the industry’s increased dependence on scrap. He emphasises the need for Europe to bolster its domestic aluminium production and recycling processes to address the looming metal availability crisis. Djibril René joined European Aluminium in 2012 as a Senior Manager Sustainability & Economic Data, before being...
Chris Latham-Warde, Every Can Counts: 59% of Gen Z, 66% of Millennials, 75% of Gen X, and 77% of Boomers support for Deposit Return Scheme
In an exclusive conversation with Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager of Every Can Counts a not-for-profit communications programme delivered by Alupro across the UK and Ireland. According to Mr Chris, deposit return scheme (DRS) is a great way to encourage people to partake in aluminium cans recycling. He shared 70 per cent of respondents are supportive of DRS in a consumer research conducted in 2025. Every Can Counts programme is a mission to inspire, encourage and empower people to recycle their empty drink cans, wherever they are. Chris joined Alupro in 2017 and worked on a variety of campaigns encouraging consumers to recycle their aluminium packaging before becoming Every Can Counts Programme Manager in 2019. He now oversees the delivery of Every Can Counts in the UK and Ireland,...
Kunal Bajaj, Jupiter Group: Building India’s aluminium foil edge via integration, scale and global competitiveness
In this interview, Mr Kunal Bajaj outlines a clear roadmap for scaling India’s aluminium foil ecosystem through backward integration, capacity expansion and global market alignment. He highlights how the integration of JUPALCO and LSKB Aluminium Foils is enhancing supply chain control, cost efficiency and product quality. Bajaj also mentions industry shifts like the growing demand for lightweight and high-performance aluminium applications and the rising importance of sustainability and circularity. Focusing on these, the group aims to strengthen India’s role in the global aluminium value chain. Mr Kunal Bajaj is a second-generation entrepreneur and Director at Jupiter Group, where he plays a key role in driving growth across its aluminium and flexible packaging businesses. With an...
AL Circle x Mario Conserva: EU aluminium scrap dilemma, export curbs and the push for industrial resilience
In this exclusive conversation with AL Circle, Mario Conserva highlights the growing strategic importance of aluminium scrap in Europe’s transition toward a low-emission and circular economy. He emphasises how rising scrap exports are weakening domestic industry competitiveness and calls for urgent action to secure secondary raw materials within Europe, stabilise prices, and ensure the region’s industrial resilience amid high energy costs and evolving geopolitical pressures. Mario Conserva, Secretary General of FACE and a veteran with over six decades in the aluminium industry, brings unmatched expertise as founder of METEF, leader of A&L Alluminio e Leghe, and a pioneering contributor with 800+ technical works. Recognised by the IAI as one of the 50 most influential global aluminium...
AL Circle x Sachin Chugh, ARUP: “The main application for hydrogen lies in replacing the heat supplied by fossil fuels, such as natural gas, in aluminium production”
In this exclusive interview with AL Circle at India Energy Week 2026, Sachin Chugh, the Hydrogen & Energy Lead at ARUP in India, explains in detail how green hydrogen can be converted into usable electricity and why it could prove transformative for energy-intensive industries like aluminium. Against the backdrop of an oil crisis and rising prices, the discussion carries added relevance for the aluminium sector. As the Hydrogen & Energy Lead at ARUP in India, Sachin Chugh drives the hydrogen and energy agenda using his 20+ years of expertise in the hydrogen and downstream energy sector. His role involves delivering innovative solutions for stakeholders in India, focusing on hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and techno-economic assessments of new energy technologies....
