India’s trade deficit with China crossed USD 100 billion in the first nine months of 2026 as imports continued to outpace exports, with aluminium trade data showing a widening imbalance in the latest available period. While India’s overall exports to China recorded strong growth between January and September, the value of its aluminium exports to the neighbouring country declined year on year through July, even as aluminium imports from China increased. Data released by China’s General Administration of Customs showed that bilateral trade rose 25.4 per cent to USD 144.45 billion between January and September 2026. India’s imports from China increased 23.3 per cent to USD 125.19 billion, while exports to China grew 40.7 per cent to USD 19.26 billion. Despite the rise in exports, the trade...
Guinea’s ambition to move beyond bauxite exports into alumina refining and aluminium smelting is running into a major electricity constraint. Producing about 1,000 MW of power at present, it needs another estimated 5,000–10,000 MW for industrialisation. While new alumina refineries could expand intermediate supply, the shortage of reliable electricity is likely to delay additional aluminium production capacity beyond 2030. The challenge emerges as aluminium traded at USD 3,008.5 per tonne, down 8.77 per cent over the month but up 8.43 per cent year on year. Guinea mined an estimated 150 million tonnes of bauxite in 2025, accounting for 34 per cent of global output of 440 million tonnes. Yet it produced only 360,000 tonnes of alumina, or 0.24 per cent of worldwide production of 150 million...
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Primary aluminium prices climbed to four-year highs in H1 2026 as the market grappled with tightening inventories and mounting concerns over supply disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East. The year began with the LME Aluminium Cash Price below USD 3000 per tonne and, over the next five months, rose by approximately 29.1 per cent to reach USD 3,855 per tonne on June 2. As tensions escalated, the Strait of Hormuz-one of the world's most important shipping routes faced significant restrictions, slowing the movement of cargoes across global supply chains. Delays in shipments and uncertainty over future deliveries heightened concerns among consumers and traders, who increasingly turned their attention to available inventories. This was reflected in inventory levels. LME Aluminium...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price graph recovered at the close of the June 17 session. The upswing in cash and near-term contracts improved in parallel as the withdrawals from stocks led to a continued decline in the aluminium inventory. The LME aluminium cash bid as well as offer prices reported an improvement of 1.38 per cent day-on-day on June 17 from June 16 . As the bid rose to USD 3,405 per tonne from USD 3,358.5 per tonne, the offer price climbed to USD 3,405.5 per tonne from USD 3,359 per tonne. Explore the relevance of red mud in the sustainable aluminium industry in A Comprehensive Analysis of Bauxite Residue (Red Mud): Sustainability, Resource Recovery and Strategic Recommendations The LME aluminium three-month contract followed a similar trend. The bid price...
Globally, the aluminium cast houses continue to face challenges like safety incidents, inconsistent metal quality, labour shortage and rising operating costs. Because of these challenges, producers are now racing to modernise their operations and in this, autonomous furnace tending is deemed to be rising as the most practical technology. Via this technology, producers will be able to improve safety, enhance productivity and have greater metal yield, all without compromising operational efficiency. However, in this scenario, the main question is not about whether automation will become part of aluminium casting operations, but about whether your organisation will adopt it before the competition gains the advantage. Owing to that, AL Circle with the Sales Director at RIA Cast House...
The Mozambican government said negotiations are under way regarding the future of the Mozal aluminium smelter, the country's largest industrial operation. The facility has been under care and maintenance since March after operations were halted over concerns about rising electricity costs. Government spokesperson Salim Valá confirmed that discussions are taking place with interested parties but declined to provide details, saying the process is still ongoing. The update comes after South32, the majority owner of Mozal, said it is reviewing different options for the smelter. The company has a 63.7 per cent stake in the project and has not ruled out a future restart if conditions improve. According to reports, South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), which owns 32.48 per...
Vedanta Aluminium Metal Limited (VAML) has taken a step towards maintaining compliance with regulatory standards by adopting the Code of Practices and Procedures for Fair Disclosure of Unpublished Price Sensitive Information (UPSI) under Regulation 8 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015. Having received approval from the Board of Directors, the code indicates Vedanta Aluminium’s commitment to promote market transparency. Participate in our upcoming e-Magazine - Mine to Market: ALuminium Producers & Manufacturers 2026 Adoption of the code provides Vedanta Aluminium with a formal and standardised mechanism for managing sensitive information. It would help prevent favouring specific parties, ensuring that transparency is maintained...
LME aluminium prices moved lower on June 16 compared with June 15, with both cash and three-month contracts recording declines. Meanwhile, exchange inventories continued to shrink, reflecting ongoing withdrawals from LME warehouses. The LME cash bid price fell to USD 3,358.50 per tonne on June 16 from USD 3,418.50 per tonne on June 15, indicating a decrease of 1.76 per cent. The cash offer price also dropped by 1.77 per cent to USD 3,359 per tonne from USD 3419.5 per tonne. Three-month aluminium prices followed a similar trend. The three-month bid slipped from USD 3,430 per tonne to USD 3,388.50 per tonne, representing a decline of 1.21 per cent, while the offer price also fell by 1.21 per cent, dropping from USD 3,431 per tonne to USD 3,389.50 per tonne Explore: The most comprehensive...
Shares of Hindalco, Vedanta and NALCO fell sharply after aluminium prices declined in global markets following reports of a preliminary peace agreement between the United States and Iran. Aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) dropped 4.4 per cent to about USD 3,379.50 per tonne, their lowest level since March. The decline came as traders reacted to expectations that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen, easing concerns over supply disruptions in the Middle East. The fall in aluminium prices weighed on metal stocks, with the Nifty Metal index among the weakest-performing sectoral indices during the session. NALCO was the biggest loser among the three companies, falling nearly 6per cent. It is most exposed as it primarily sells alumina and primary aluminium. Vedanta declined...
Alcoa Corporation has announced that a new labour agreement with the United Steelworkers (USW) has been ratified following a vote by union members at the company's US smelting operations. The agreement was approved by a wide margin and covers around 965 employees working at Alcoa’s Warrick Operations in Indiana and Massena Operations in New York. The new contract took effect on May 16, 2026, and will remain in place until May 15, 2030. With the ratification completed, the agreement provides a new four-year framework for employees represented by the USW at the two aluminium smelters. Alcoa said the agreement was reached after negotiations between the company and union representatives and was subsequently approved by union membership. For forward-thinking aluminium market insights amidst...
Constellium SE and Alcoa Corporation are benefiting from a stronger aluminium market, with demand from electric vehicles, aerospace, packaging and transportation continuing to support the sector. The growing use of recycled aluminium and the recovery in global air travel have also improved conditions for producers and processors. Constellium posts growth across major businesses Higher aluminium prices and steady customer demand helped Constellium's key business segments during the first quarter of 2026. The company's packaging and automotive rolled products division remained a major contributor, aided by increased orders for packaging products. Its aerospace and transportation business also recorded stronger activity, with shipments rising on the back of demand from the aerospace,...
After remaining above USD 3,500 per tonne at the June 12 session , the LME aluminium price dropped across all the pricing segments, barring the live warrants and alumina price, on the June 15 session. The LME aluminium cash bid as well as offer price eased 3.3 per cent day-on-day on June 15. While the bid went down from USD 3,535 per tonne to USD 3418.5 per tonne, the offer shifted from USD 3,536 per tonne to USD 3419.5 per tonne. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report – Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook In the near-term contracts, both the LME aluminium three-month bid and offer prices reported a drop of 2.86 per cent. While the bid slipped from USD 3,531 per tonne on June 12 to USD 3,430 per...
On International Day for Women in Mining, Vedanta Group reaffirmed its commitment to building a more inclusive and future-ready workforce, with women increasingly taking on operational, technical and leadership roles across its businesses. Today, women account for 23 per cent of Vedanta's workforce, significantly higher than the mining industry's average of 6 per cent, with 13 per cent deployed across mines, plants, smelters, refineries and control centres - areas traditionally considered among the most challenging and underrepresented segments of the industry. This progress has been enabled by the transformation by Vedanta, where technology, digitalisation and automation have made operations more standardised, efficient and safer for all men and women alike. Vedanta’s mining and metals...
Slovakia is in the final stages of preparations to restart aluminium production at the Žiar nad Hronom smelter, with an official announcement expected in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Robert Fico has said. In a video message shared on social media, Fico said work related to the revival of the facility in the Banská Bystrica region is approaching completion. "The final decisions are being completed. I believe that after only a few more weeks of work, we will be able to announce important news for Slovakia and for Europe," he said. The restart of operations at the plant would represent a notable development for Slovakia's industrial sector and could contribute to Europe's aluminium production capacity. During the address, Fico also commented on a number of international issues. He said...
LME aluminium price graph showed a stronger trend on June 12, with cash, three-month and forward contracts all moving higher compared with the previous trading session, while stocks continued to fall. The LME aluminium cash bid price rose to USD 3,535 per tonne on June 12 from USD 3,498 per tonne on June 11, an increase of 1.06 per cent. The cash offer price also gained 1.07 per cent, climbing to USD 3,536 per tonne from USD 3,498.50 per tonne. In the three-month market, the bid price increased to USD 3,531 per tonne, up 1.03 per cent from USD 3,495 per tonne. The three-month offer price rose by 1.04 per cent to USD 3,532 per tonne, compared with USD 3,495.50 per tonne a day earlier. The December 2027 contract posted stronger gains. The bid price advanced 1.79 per cent to USD 3,250 per...
Norsk Hydro has been hit by a second aluminium supply crisis leading to yet another force majeure in just three months after its Qatar joint venture, Qatalum, unexpectedly terminated a long-standing marketing agreement with the Norwegian producer, raising fresh concerns over the company's ability to meet customer commitments. The latest force majeure declaration follows an earlier notice issued in March 2026, when conflict-related disruptions in the Middle East interrupted natural gas supplies to Qatalum, forcing the smelter to initiate a controlled shutdown. Although the plant later secured sufficient gas supplies to maintain operations at around 60 per cent of capacity, Hydro confirmed that the original force majeure remains in effect. Qatalum, one of the Middle East's largest aluminium...
The Dak Nong aluminium smelter project in Vietnam, a 450,000-tonnes-per-year facility being developed by NFC and regarded as the country's first aluminium smelter, has achieved its first successful power delivery, marking a major construction milestone as it moves closer to trial operations and production. According to the company, the successful energisation of the facility's electrical systems will enable the project team to move ahead with equipment testing, commissioning activities and pilot production. The development faced several challenges during construction. With Vietnam lacking established industrial standards for electrolytic aluminium production, the project team had to address technical differences and develop solutions in close cooperation with the owner, Tran Hong Quan...
China CAMC Engineering has secured a major expansion project contract in the aluminium industry of Angola. The project, valued at RMB 1.72 billion (USD 253.39 million), takes the company a step towards solidifying its position across the nation’s industrial development landscape. The company announced that the commercial agreement was signed by CAMC International Engineering (Jiangsu), its wholly owned subsidiary, at the 17th International Forum and Exhibition on Infrastructure Investment and Construction held on June 11, 2026. Discover: The Gulf aluminium market risks, China impact, alumina supply, carbon costs, and logistics disruptions shaping pricing and trade in Gulf Disruption Roadmap The contract was drawn up for Phase II (Sections 1–6) of the Huatong Angola Electrolytic Aluminium...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium cash price and near-term contracts recorded improvement on the June 11 over the previous trading session of June 10 . Longer dated contracts and stocks, however, continued to record further decline. The LME aluminium cash bid rose 0.29 per cent day-on-day on June 11, up from USD 3,488 per tonne to USD 3,498 per tonne. The offer moved from USD 3,489 per tonne to USD 3,498.5 per tonne, gaining 0.27 per cent. Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook On June 11, the LME aluminium 3-month bid price climbed from USD 3,480.5 per tonne on June 10 to USD 3,495 per tonne, marking a 0.42 per cent gain. Similarly, the offer price also...
Russian aluminium strengthened its grip on London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses in May, with its share of available stocks rising to 93 per cent from 72 per cent in April, according to exchange data. The increase was mainly due to traders withdrawing Indian-origin metal from LME warehouses. Total available, or on-warrant, aluminium stocks on the LME fell 23 per cent during May to 254,625 tonnes and now stand at 250,525 tonnes, the lowest level since May 2025. The decline comes as production and logistical problems in the Middle East continue to tighten global supply. Although Russian aluminium's share increased sharply, the actual volume of Russian metal in LME warehouses fell by 3,950 tonnes to 237,175 tonnes during the month. The bigger change was in Indian-origin aluminium, where...
