Century Aluminum’s proposed USD 4 billion primary aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, is “moving forward on all fronts” as the company prepares for construction, despite local opposition and legal challenges, CEO Jesse Gary said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call. Developed jointly by Century Aluminum and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the project is designed to produce 750,000 tonnes of primary aluminum annually, potentially doubling U.S. primary aluminum production. The facility is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs and add USD 1.5 billion to Oklahoma’s gross domestic product, according to company estimates. The partners had targeted construction to begin by the end of 2026. However, local restrictions and permitting challenges have affected the...
LME aluminium stocks declined by more than half during the first nine months of 2026, falling by 267,875 tonnes from 509,250 tonnes on January 2 to 241,375 tonnes on September 30 (52.6 per cent). The decline continued throughout the period, with average warehouse inventories falling each month. Compared with the same period in 2025, monthly average stocks were lower across all nine months, with the gap widening in the third quarter. Q1 LME aluminium stocks fall 18.2 per cent LME aluminium inventories continued to decline during Q1 2026. Month-end stocks fell from 495,725 tonnes in January to 465,550 tonnes in February, before dropping further to 416,775 tonnes in March. Monthly average inventories stood at 498,670 tonnes in January, 481,801 tonnes in February and 440,710 tonnes in March....
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RIO Tinto is putting little credence in China's proclamations that annual economic growth will slow to 7.5 per cent this year. The Anglo-Australian miner, which has Chinese aluminium giant Chinalco as its biggest shareholder, says it still expects Chinese growth to be higher than 8 per cent. The comments, made by Rio's head of business support and operations Bret Clayton at a conference in London on Thursday, indicate China's easing of its annual growth target for the first time in a decade has not affected Rio's publicly buoyant view on the world's biggest commodities buyer. Premier Wen Jiabao said last week the Chinese economy would grow by only 7.5 per cent, down from 9.2 per cent last year. China was encountering "new problems" and there was "downward pressure on economic growth and...
Gulf News reported that Aluminium Bahrain's shareholders agreed to a dividend payment amounting to BHD 94.7 million which are equivalent to 67% of the nominal value of the company's shares at 67 fils per share of which 27 fils were already distributed to the shareholders in August. The decision was taken at the annual general meeting at the Gulf Convention Centre, Gulf Hotel. The dividend will be payable from March 15th 2012 to Alba's shareholders of record as of March 8th 2012. The 2011 corporate governance report was tabled before the shareholders. Approval was given to the minutes of the previous ordinary general meeting held on March 30th 2011. Audited financial statements for the fiscal year 2011 were approved at the meeting where net profit reached USD 564 million up by 535 compared...
P1020 aluminum premiums have continued strengthening this week, increasing 30 points from a week ago to hit a 10-month high of 8.6 cents/lb plus LME cash, Platts data showed Wednesday. The Platts premium rose another 10 points late Tuesday as traders and producers said they thought prices could continue climbing, to over 9 cents soon. The market moved to 8.5 cents/lb on Monday, from 8.3 cents last week. Market participants said long warehouse queues and physical shortness in the market have caused discounting to disappear and premiums to continue increasing. "I think this thing has legs," a trader said of the rising market. "I'm concerned that everybody is short, nobody wants to sell anything, they want top dollar. I see nothing that shows me it's going to be alleviated in the long term."
The expansion in progress at Alcoa Davenport Works is the company’s largest U.S. capital project currently, but it is just one of several projects launched by the aluminum manufacturer to increase it manufacturing capacity. Last week, Alcoa hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking of the $300 million expansion at its Riverdale plant. The project will bring a new process to Davenport Works aimed at extending the company’s reach into the growing automotive industry. With the Quad-City expansion, Alcoa has six major construction projects underway around the globe — including three other U.S. projects and two overseas. Kevin Lowery, director of communications for Alcoa’s Global Rolled Products, said the investments are designed “to grow capacity to keep up with demand.” He said the long-term...
China's production of refined copper in February rose 9.5 percent from a year earlier to 437,000 tonnes, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday. Primary aluminium production stood at 1.54 million tonnes in February, up 15.7 percent from a year earlier. China is the world's leading producer and consumer of refined copper and primary aluminium.
BNamericas cited Mr Adjarma Azevedo national aluminum association CEO of Abal as saying that Brazil's primary aluminum production is not seeing any investment due to high power costs. Mr Azevedo said that "Energy in Brazil is the third most expensive in the world, behind only China and Germany. The average cost of electricity in the world is USD 40 per MWH. If we remove China from the equation the average cost drops to USD 28 per MWH. He said that "In Brazil the cost rises to about USD 58 per MWH for companies that produce their own energy. Now, if you're buying energy from the government or other producers, the cost in Brazil rises to USD 80 per MWH. These prices are not compatible with investment.” Mr Azevedo said that the average cost of energy for primary aluminum production in the...
Noranda Aluminum Acquisition Corporation ("Noranda"), a leading North American integrated producer of value-added primary aluminum products, today announced that the Early Tender Date (as defined below) in respect of its previously announced modified "Dutch Auction" tender offer (the "Offer") for a portion of its outstanding Senior Floating Rate Notes due 2015 (the "Notes") expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 7, 2012 (the "Early Tender Date"). As of the Early Tender Date, Noranda received valid tenders from holders of $288.4 million in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at various bid prices within the acceptable bid price range of $950.00 to $997.50 per $1,000 principal amount. The aggregate amount of Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn at the Early Tender Date...
Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd (Chalco) , the country's largest aluminium producer, plans to issue new shares to raise up to 8 billion yuan ($1.3 billion) to fund development and expansion projects. Chalco will apply to the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) within six months for the issue of not more than 1.25 billion additional Shanghai-listed A shares, the company said in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The shares, which buyers will not be able to sell for 12 months, will be issued to no more than 10 target subscribers at a price to be determined after the CSRC approval, it said. Chalco said the issue would raise not more than 8 billion yuan, and the money would be used to fund the Xing Xian alumina project and Zhongzhou Ore-dressing Bayer Process expansion...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba)’s Annual General Meeting “AGM” was held on Thursday, March 8, 2012 at the Gulf International Convention Centre, Gulf Hotel, during which approval was given to the distribution of cash dividends related to the fiscal year 2011. The dividends amounting to BD 94,712,000 (US$ 252,000,000) are equivalent to 67% of the nominal value of the company’s shares - 67 fils per share of which 27 fils was already distributed to the shareholders in August 2011. The dividend will be payable from March 15, 2012 to Alba's shareholders of record as of March 8, 2012. The 2011 Corporate Governance Report was tabled before the shareholders. Approval was given to the minutes of the Previous Ordinary General Meeting held on March 30, 2011. The Report of the Board of Directors for...
Dubai Aluminium will showcase its technological excellence when it takes part in the TMS Annual Meeting and Exhibition in the US next week. Being held at the Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida from March 11th to 15th 2012 the focus of TMS is on providing materials science and engineering professionals the opportunity to network present research share industrial applications and introduce innovation. Two senior executives from Dubal will present technical papers both of which will also be published in Light Metals 2012. The presentations are: The successful implementation of Dubal DX Technology at Emal, Mr Michel Reverdy technology transfer manager will present this paper which outlines the fast track, in house development of the technology plus the relatively rapid installation and...
With cheap fuel and a host of aluminium producers, Gulf countries are being encouraged to build a car manufacturing sector to challenge the traditional global hubs. Industry executives believe the growing number of cars bought in the Gulf, coupled with low fuel costs and the huge aluminium smelters planned, means the region is well placed to begin assembling cars and component parts at lower costs to global prices. Aluminium is becoming an increasingly important material in the manufacture of cars as it is lighter than steel and reduces carbon emissions by 25 to 40 per cent. "It has to be about cooperation [between Gulf countries]," said Ahmed Sorour, the chief executive of Qatar Automotive Gateway (QAR), on the sidelines of the Aluminium 2012 conference held last week in Dubai. QAR is a...
Three potential investors want to assess data for an aluminium smelter in Italy which the U.S. group Alcoa has decided to close, paving the way to a sale of the plant, a senior Alcoa official said on Thursday. Alcoa said in January it would close its Portovesme smelter on the island of Sardinia, and slash output at two Spanish smelters, as it cuts global output and costs. It has given access to information about the plant to commodities group Glencore, investment company Klesch and Austria's Hammerer Aluminium Industries, Alessandro Profili, in charge of European affairs at Alcoa, told Reuters. Profili said any other interested parties would be allowed access to the data. Potential suitors would then have to file a letter of intent to express their interest in taking over the smelter, he...
Alcoa aims to reach a deal with Italian labour unions this month March to clear the way for a planned shutdown of its aluminium smelter on the island of Sardinia by mid-year, the U.S. aluminium firm said on Friday. Its decision to close its Portovesme smelter, part of its efforts to cut global output and costs, has run into opposition from Italy's government, Sardinia's authorities and trade unions. "At the next meeting on March 26, Alcoa hopes to reach an agreement with unions to identify the best solutions for employees and the involved community and at the same time to carry out an orderly closing of the plant," Alcoa said in a comment to Reuters. Under Italian law, if a large company closing its business fails to reach an agreement with unions on a layoff procedure, the government...
The Gulf Aluminium Council (GAC), the regional industry trade association, is building links with the Federation of Aluminium Consumers in Europe (FACE) as part of its campaign to lobby for lower tariffs on GCC aluminium exports to the EU, the MEED Middle East Aluminium 2012 Conference was told. “FACE represents independent downstream firms,” GAC general secretary Mahmood Daylami said. “The main reason why we built this affiliation is because they are advocates of the removal of the tariff on aluminium on products from the Gulf.” Daylami said that tariffs on aluminium exports to the EU will be covered by the EU-GCC free trade agreement which has been under negotiation for more than 20 years. “The EU is an attractive market, but it is losing its production capacity,” Daylami said. “The...
Russia exported in January 260,500 metric tons of aluminum, an increase of 58% compared with the January 2011, the federal customs service reported Tuesday. The exported aluminum was worth $557.2 million compared, with $297 million in January 2011. Aluminum export to countries outside the Commonwealth of Independent States in January totaled 256,700 tons worth $548.5 million. Aluminum exports to CIS states totaled 3,800 tons worth $8.7 million.
Hammerer Aluminium Industries of Austria has placed an order with Hertwich Engineering of Austria for the supply of a batch homogenizing furnace for their existing casthouse. The new homogenizing plant is already the second of its kind supplied by Hertwich Engineering to HAI. The furnace is designed for extra long holding times to process a range of special alloys which are a growing segment in HAI’s production. Billet diameters range from 153 mm to 381 mm. Billet length is 7 meters the furnace capacity 43 tonnes.
Aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. will see its advanced shipbuilding techniques paying off in an initial $2.1 million U.S. Navy contract. Alcoa has been working on improving defense uses of aluminum and alloys and, in a statement, said its involvement will "provide a critical advantage to the Navy, allowing ship builders to streamline manufacturing and build a better ship at a lower cost." Alcoa said the processes give the company an edge over competitors and saves procurement costs. The company also said the contract will enable it to develop advanced welding techniques, which are seen likely to reduce costs of aluminum-intensive shipbuilding. Alcoa will adapt high-deposition gas metal arc welding technology to marine structures, enabling the Navy to reduce the cost of shipbuilding. Total...
Muscat: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) aluminium growth story is just getting unfolded as significant developments and achievements marked the industry in the Gulf in 2011. During the year, Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Aluminium (Emal) announced Phase II expansion while Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) began construction of the bauxite mine and the Alumina refinery. Qatalum, an equal joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Hydro Aluminium of Norway, completed its rump up programme while Dubai Aluminium Company (Dubal) production exceeded one million tonnes for the second year running. The growth continued with Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) having reached its highest level of production and the newest addition to the Middle East’s metals circuit and Oman’s first foray into the Aluminium...
