As the global aluminium supply chain continues to swing between shifts and crunches, how has Europe fared on the production front in the 2026 year-to-date calendar? Substantially well, going by the output figures. Between January and September 2026, the European continent, including Russia, has produced a total of 5.56 million tonnes of primary aluminium, building a significant year-on-year growth chart. The nine-month growth chart Set against the same period of 2025, the first nine months of 2026 show a clear lift in output. From January to September 2026, Europe, including Russia, produced 5.56 million tonnes of primary aluminium, raising the annual growth rate by 5.69 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) over the 5.26 million tonnes produced in 2025. Explore the production, demand and...
The proposed $4 billion Oklahoma Primary Aluminum (OPA) smelter, a joint venture between Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and Century Aluminum, is targeting civil works in the second quarter of 2027, with first hot metal expected between mid- and late 2030. Realization of the 750,000-metric-ton project would render it the first new US primary aluminum smelter in nearly 50 years. However, local restrictions, environmental permitting and ongoing legal hurdles clouded its path towards maintaining the construction timeline. A local moratorium and an April 7 ballot sit on the same calendar. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: “ Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook ” A...
Grow with
AL Circle
Shares of Goa Carbon Ltd, a leading Indian manufacturer of calcined petroleum coke (CPC), a crucial raw material for the aluminium and steel industry, surged by 9.4 per cent on Thursday during trading on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), reaching an intraday high of INR 762.5 per share. The rally followed the company’s announcement that its Bilaspur unit in Chhattisgarh had resumed normal operations. Calcined petroleum coke plays a vital role in refining aluminium and producing graphite. It is primarily used in the manufacture of carbon products such as graphite electrodes and anode arcs. Additionally, it is widely utilised in steelmaking, non-ferrous metal production, and aluminium smelting, making it a critical component across these industries. Reason behind the growth The rise in Goa...
Aluminium production, one of the most energy-intensive metal industries, poses a nerve-wracking challenge for global mitigation efforts. A recent study published by Nature sheds light on the evolving dynamics of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the aluminium sector and highlights the urgent need for innovative technologies and policy interventions to achieve net-zero goals. Despite advancements in technology, such as the adoption of more efficient and higher amperage cells, the proportion of aluminium production powered by fossil fuel-based captive power units rose from 37 per cent in 2012 to 49 per cent in 2021. The study reveals that retiring these power plants ten years ahead of schedule could reduce emissions intensity by 5.0–10.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) per tonne of...
The New Year 2025 is expected to deliver strong financial and operational performance for Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Berhad, a Malaysia-based aluminium company with extensive global reach, thanks to the rising demand from China and reduced raw material costs due to increased alumina supply. According to a report from UOB Kay Hian (UOBKH) Research, the resurgence in aluminium demand from China due to the economic stimulus package is set to substantially boost aluminium consumption, including that from Press Metal, leading to estimated business growth. Projected alumina price ease in the near future owing to increased supply from the resumption of Rio Tinto’s Australian refineries and new capacities in China, India, Guinea, and Indonesia will also support Press Metal’s profitability....
The SMM aluminium market has clocked a growth of RMB 100 per tonne to settle at RMB 19,770 per tonne as of today (January 2, 2025). The prices have grown in all the regions, with the highest in Gongyi and Shenyang, where it has gained RMB 110 per tonne to settle at RMB 19,770 per tonne and RMB 19,880 per tonne. In Linyi the price has surged by RMB 100 per tonne to reside at RMB 19,920 per tonne. On the same day the prices in Foshan and Wuxi have added RMB 80 per tonne to halt at RMB 20,050 per tonne and RMB 19,770 per tonne. In other regions like Hangzhou, Chongqing and Tianjin, the prices have grown by RMB 70 per tonne to settle at RMB 19,790 per tonne, RMB 19,920 per tonne and RMB 19,840 per tonne. The domestic price of low carbon aluminium has hiked by RMB 78 per tonne to arrive at RMB...
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a 'Navratna' company under the Schedule 'A' category of CPSEs, is on the way to adding one more year of experience to its four decades of excellence in the mining, metal and power industries. Established on January 7, 1981, NALCO has evolved over the past 44 years into India's largest integrated producer of bauxite, alumina, aluminium, and power, demonstrating unwavering commitment, resilience, and dedication. The year 2024 further reflected its perseverance, echoing impressive achievements in both operations and financial performance. Although NALCO follows the financial year calendar from April 1 to March 31 for its operation, we are taking an opportunity at the beginning of 2025 to reiterate NALCO's year-to-data achievements. NALCO's...
Aluminium trading prices have remained stable at INR 241.4 (US$2.82) in India as on December 30, 2024 and while the prices have not changed, key data indicates an underlying tension in the market due to supply and demand dynamics. According to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), global primary aluminium production increased by 3 percent year-on-year, reaching 6.04 million tonnes in November. However, the downside pressure on prices was mitigated as traders withdrew over 82 thousand tonnes from London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses, marking the highest withdrawal since mid-October, primarily from stockpiles in South Korea. The global refined aluminium market experienced a short supply of 40.3 thousand tonnes in October, indicating a continued imbalance between production and...
The Middle Eastern aluminium market is poised for significant growth, with projections indicating a valuation of USD 16.68 billion by 2030, driven by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5 per cent from 2024. This burgeoning market, according to an elaborate report by NextMSC , is currently valued at USD 11.33 billion and is being fuelled by a confluence of factors, including a growing emphasis on sustainability and the region's position as a major global producer. Global production landscape While China continues to dominate global aluminium production, accounting for an estimated 39,653 thousand tonnes in 2024 (January-November), representing nearly 60 per cent of the total output, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which consorts a massive middle-eastern aluminium trading...
Aluminum Corp of China (Chalco), a global leader in the sector, is spearheading a digital revolution in the nonferrous metals industry. The company recently announced a collaborative initiative to integrate advanced artificial intelligence (AI) into the industry's operational and production processes. At the heart of this endeavour is Chalco's newly launched Kun'an AI model, a groundbreaking system tailored specifically for the nonferrous metals sector. Unveiled at a launch event co-hosted with the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, Kun'an represents the industry's first general-purpose large language model. Built on a vast dataset comprising tens of billions of data points, Kun'an brings cutting-edge capabilities to the table, including natural language processing, image...
For many years now, Europe is continuously innovating ways to optimise aluminium production while reducing carbon emissions. Whether by implementing advanced technologies, switching to renewable energy sources, or boosting recycling efforts, Europe's focus is dedicated to sustainable aluminium production. European aluminium industrial leaders have spoken about all these practices in AL Circle's latest e-Magazine titled 'ALuminium Industry: Focus Europe ', highlighting technological developments to produce aluminium with the lowest energy consumption and human interference and about their recycling initiatives to build closed-loop recycling and circular economy within the aluminium landscape. Thomas Payer, Sustainability Manager of Speira, a leading European aluminium rolling and recycling...
This week has seen significant developments in the upstream sector of the aluminium industry, which includes bauxite, alumina, and primary aluminium. To begin with, the proposed merger between Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) and subsidiaries of Saudi Arabia’s Ma’aden has had its deadline extended to the second quarter of 2025. Former Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands and current Member of Parliament for Central Honiara, Gordon Darcy Lilo, has firmly denied allegations related to the bauxite mining controversy on Rennell Island in the Rennell/Bellona Province. NALCO has signed a mining lease deed for the merged Utkal-D and Utkal-E coal blocks in Angul district, Odisha. The new lease agreement will allow NALCO to increase its coal production capacity to 4.0 million tonnes per annum (MTPA),...
Vedanta Limited has brought a different plan for its demerger scheme, which is to retain the base metal business under the parent company's umbrella. So, instead of six separate companies, billionaire Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta will demerge into five distinctive entities – Vedanta Limited, Vedanta Aluminium, Vedanta Oil and Gas, Vedanta Steel and Ferrous Materials, and Vedanta Power, with the process to be completed by January 2025, distributing shares in 1:1 ratio. This revised demerger plan is in response to lenders' feedback and efforts to restart the Tuticorin copper smelter. Vedanta thinks this strategic move will ease the process of lenders' approval, given the recommencement of the smelter will streamline operational and financial complexities. However, as the new demerger plan...
National Aluminium Company (NALCO) has signed a mining lease deed for the amalgamated Utkal-D and Utkal-E coal blocks in Angul district, Odisha. The announcement was made in an exchange filing after trading hours on December 24, 2024. As one of Asia's largest integrated primary aluminium producers, NALCO's presence encompasses the entire value chain from bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, and power generation to downstream products. The lease agreement will enable NALCO to enhance its coal production capacity to 4.0 MTPA, significantly strengthening fuel security for its captive power plant. The lease will remain valid until April 21, 2051. For the first time in its 41-year history, NALCO smelter achieved the remarkable milestone of operating all 960 pots at full...
Based on the General Administration of Customs data, the Shanghai Metals Market revealed that November primary aluminium imports were 13.8 per cent down month-on-month but 22.5 per cent up year-on-year. According to SMM, China’s imports of primary metal in November were 150,700 tonnes, which brought the cumulative imports to about 1.975 million tonnes, up 44.5 per cent Y-o-Y. Net imports were approximately 132,000 tonnes, as the country exported 18,800 tonnes in the same month. China’s net imports of primary aluminium in November stood 17 per cent down M-o-M but 23.5 per cent up Y-o-Y. From January to November, the net import volume totalled 1.866 million tonnes, recording a 51.5 per cent increase Y-o-Y. On the other hand, China’s exports of primary aluminium from January to November...
In eleven months of 2024, Africa has produced 1.44 million tonnes of primary aluminium, compared to 1.462 million tonnes a year ago. That reflects a year-on-year downfall of 1.5 per cent, in contrast to the 2.87 per cent hike in global primary metal output . Consequently, the country’s contribution to the world’s primary aluminium production has dipped from 2.26 per cent to 2.16 per cent this year. Several factors contributed to this downfall, such as irregular power supply hindering smelting operations, lack of investments in new smelting facilities or upgrading existing ones, increased prices of alumina hiking operational costs, and so on. According to the International Aluminium Institute, Africa in November 2024 produced 133,000 tonnes of primary aluminium, down by 2.92 per cent from...
Vedanta Aluminium has made another leap in respect to digital innovation. The company has introduced an advanced Logistics App, developed in collaboration with Krishca Strapping Solutions, aimed at enhancing the company’s transport loading and lashing operations to a global standard. Image Source: Vedanta Aluminium Vedanta Aluminium has made another leap in respect to digital innovation. The company has introduced an advanced Logistics App, developed in collaboration with Krishca Strapping Solutions, aimed at enhancing the company's transport loading and lashing operations to a global standard. The app features the latest technologies that can solve critical operational challenges, including vehicle turnaround time and streamlining vehicle operations to significantly boost productivity....
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) has deployed yet another cutting-edge technology for operational enhancement. According to a report on December 24, Alba has partnered with Comvision (India) Private Limited, a leading provider of intelligent transportation solutions, to upscale its inventory management and tracking systems. The companies have entered a strategic partnership, represented by Alba’s CEO Ali Al Baqali and Comvision’s MD and CEO Harjinder Kaur Talwar. Under the agreement signed, Comvision will provide Alba with a customised, innovative RFID-based inventory management system, enabling access to real-time visibility and tracking inventory across all shipping yards including sites in Bahrain, optimising operations and reducing costs. The new technology is named ‘Albavision’ and...
Winstar Capital Bhd has displayed an exceptional performance on the ACE Market, with its share price surging over 80 per cent since its listing at 35 sen. As of 12:35 pm on 24 December (local time), the company's shares are trading at 64 sen, reflecting a remarkable 83 per cent increase. Trading volume has also been robust, with over 24.77 million shares changing hands. Boasting a market capitalisation of RM186 million (US$ 40.92 million), Winstar Capital is strategically positioning itself for expansion. Part of the proceeds from its recent IPO is earmarked for acquiring four additional aluminium extrusion lines, which collectively offer an annual capacity of 8,580 tonnes. These new lines, to be installed at its factory in Ijok, Selangor, will significantly enhance the company's total...
RUSAL has cemented its position as the successor to the Russian and Soviet aluminium industry, consolidating leading facilities, innovative research, and cutting-edge technologies. Operating across four strategic business units—aluminium, alumina, energy, and mining and metals—the company's core segments, as highlighted in the H1 2024 report, remain aluminium and alumina. As 2024 comes to a close, we examine the industrial giant’s performance, milestones, and challenges. A legacy of leadership The roots of Russia’s aluminium industry trace back to 1885 when A. Novoveisky established the country’s first aluminium smelter in Sergiev Posad. Significant breakthroughs followed, including the Bayer method of alumina production in 1889 and the launch of the Soviet Union’s first aluminium smelter...
