Primary aluminium weekly recap: Tiwai Aluminium seeks a power supplier for the smelter to secure its future beyond 2024; Dubal Holding collaborates with Nature Alu to establish UAE’s first high purity aluminium facility

This week, the global primary aluminium sector recorded a lot of positive events. To begin with, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited (NZAS), which owns the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter, is now focused on guaranteeing the future beyond its 2024 closure date. On the market forefront, this week, LME aluminium benchmark price SHFE dropped by US$96 per tonne on Monday, May 9, to US$2,957 per tonne, before falling further by US$17 per tonne the next day to US$2,940 per tonne. 

The Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter, owned by New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited (NZAS), is now focused on securing the future beyond its closing date in 2024. On Tuesday, May 10, NZAS chief executive Chris Blenkiron said in a community forum that he is seeking a pathway for the smelter to enable it to continue its operations beyond 2024, for which he intends to meet energy generators to achieve power supply for the smelter before the end of 2022.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/tiwai-aluminium-seeks-a-pathway-to-a-secured-future-beyond-2024-in-search-of-a-power-supplier-for-the-smelter-79418

On Monday, May 9, the LME aluminium cash bid price and official settlement price began the week with a drop to US$2,707 per tonne and US$2,708 per tonne, respectively, and continued to decrease the next day to US$2,676 per tonne and US$2,677 per tonne, respectively, the lowest in the last five months.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/lme-aluminium-price-slips-by-us49-t-to-us2-688-t-shfe-price-decreases-by-us42-t-80415

On Tuesday, May 10, Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) to conduct research, training and academic activities for its security professionals.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/vedanta-aluminium-signs-mou-with-nfsu-to-build-stronger-security-professionals-for-its-own-79394

The A00 aluminium ingot price opened the week on Monday, May 9, with a plunge of RMB 520 per tonne to settle at RMB 19,780 per tonne, followed by a decline of RMB 140 per tonne to stand at RMB 19,640 per tonne. The price on Friday 13, closed the week with a downfall of RMB 160 per tonne to settle at RMB 20,110 per tonne.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/chinas-a00-aluminium-ingot-price-slumps-for-the-second-day-by-rmb160-t-aluminium-alloya356-price-decreases-by-rmb150-t-80419

Egypt Aluminum (Egyptalum), the largest aluminium producer in Egypt reported that it had entered the profit bucket in the first nine months of the fiscal year (FY) 2021-22. The Egyptian financial year runs from 1st July to 30th June.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/egyptalum-enters-profitability-in-the-first-9-months-of-fy-2021-22-79382

According to the Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium continued to decrease across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants. On a weekly basis, inventories decreased by 30,000 tonnes, while on a year plunged by 58,000 tonnes to come in at 1 million tonnes on May 12, 2022.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/primary-aluminium-inventories-in-china-decline-w-o-w-by-30-000-tonnes-to-total-1-million-tonnes-80416

During the recent discussion on escalating the bilateral and trade relations, the Gulf nation UAE and the EU nation Germany discussed strategies to co-operate in multiple areas that will benefit both the large economies.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/uae-germany-emphasizes-fostering-bilateral-trade-aluminium-export-to-germany-excels-79409

As of Monday, May 9, social inventories of primary aluminium dipped over the weekend by 3,000 tonnes but rose week-on-week by 43,000 tonnes, found the Shanghai Metals Market data. 

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/chinas-social-inventories-of-primary-aluminium-dip-over-the-weekend-by-3000-tonnes-but-gongyi-sees-a-rise-of-10-000-tonnes-79401

Unwrought aluminium and aluminium semis exports were roughly 596,900 tonnes in April 2022, up 0.42 per cent M-o-M and 36.49 per cent Y-o- Y, finds the latest figures from the General Administration of Customs.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/pandemic-in-china-affects-m-o-m-unwrought-and-semi-finished-aluminium-exports-in-april22-79389

According to the data revealed for 2021 by Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), a government center affiliated with the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs in the United Arab Emirates, the value of trade exchange between the UAE and Greece soared by 67%, comprising to over AED2 billion, when compared to AED1.2 billion in 2020.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/uae-greece-trade-escalates-by-67-in-2021-aluminium-export-to-greece-tops-the-list-79388

According to the data revealed for 2021 by Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), a government centre affiliated with the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs in the United Arab Emirates, the value of trade exchange between the UAE and Greece soared by 67%, comprising to over AED2 billion, when compared to AED1.2 billion in 2020.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/uae-greece-trade-escalates-by-67-in-2021-aluminium-export-to-greece-tops-the-list-79388

The Chief Executive Officer of Dubal Holding, Ahmad Hamad Bin Fahad and Denis Mazerolle, the President of Nature Alu, Canada based high purity aluminium producer have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to materialise the first high purity aluminium facility in UAE. The primary focus of this project will be on producing aluminium of grade 4N and higher.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/dubal-holding-collaborates-with-nature-alu-to-establish-uaes-first-high-purity-aluminium-facility-79399

On 11th May 2022, Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison visited Hunter to acknowledge the $50 million investment for a new business and research coalition with the University of Newcastle and the University of New South Wales. Hunter is a town located in Greene County, New York, United States. 

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/scott-morrison-announces-a-50-million-investment-in-green-aluminium-production-with-australian-universities-80410

On May 13, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) announced that they have successfully started their DX+ Ultra reduction cell technology with a modified liner at 500kA, the first time this amperage has reached the Middle East. When compared to the existing maximum working amperage in EGA, increasing the amperage to 500kA is predicted to increase aluminium output by 5 per cent.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/egas-latest-milestone-of-500ka-dx-ultra-reduction-cell-technology-to-boost-aluminium-output-by-5-80426

The Australian primary aluminium producer, Tomago Aluminium has deployed on work a robot dog named ‘Spot’ with more advanced technology. The introduction of Spot in Tomago makes it Australia’s first aluminium smelter to trial the new AI technology, with impromptu demonstrations to showcase its unbelievable capabilities.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/tomago-aluminium-test-runs-first-ai-featured-robot-spot-to-replace-humans-from-hazardous-tasks-in-smelter-78095

The first aluminium smelter in the Middle East region, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), recorded 1.561 million tonnes of aluminium production in 2021 and has selected EtaPRO LLC to enhance the thermal performance of its power stations.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/alba-picks-etapro-for-its-digital-transformation-drive-to-enhance-power-stations-performance-78100.