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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U.S.-based aluminum producer Noranda Aluminum Holding Corp. has announced that it is seeking to enter into a new $300 million senior secured term loan and a new $250 million asset-based revolving credit facility. We are affirming our 'B+' corporate credit rating on Noranda. We are assigning a 'BB-' issue-level rating and '2' recovery rating to the proposed term loan. At the same time, we are lowering our issue-level rating on Noranda's existing senior unsecured notes due 2015 to 'B-' from 'B' and revising the recovery rating to '6' from '5'. The stable outlook reflects our assessment that aluminum prices should remain high enough to support the company's credit metrics at levels consistent with the rating despite the additional debt. Rating Action On Feb. 21, 2012, Standard & Poor's...
Rio Tinto Alcan is asking Japanese buyers to increase the premium they pay on primary aluminium shipments to $132 per tonne for the April-June quarter, two sources involved in informal talks between the two sides said on Wednesday. That compares with premiums of $112-114 paid over the London Metal Exchange cash price in the current quarter. Buyers pay a premium in addition to the LME cash price to cover freight and insurance and to reflect regional supply and demand. The demand was made in a letter sent ahead of the official start of negotiations next Monday. The talks are set to continue for the coming three weeks. Japanese buyers are resisting such a large rise, citing uncertainty over domestic demand, particularly as the yen's strength is curtailing exports of domestic carmakers....
It is learned of that Baise City overcame coal and power shortage, market sluggish and increased production cost that produced alumina 5292.1 thousand tons, electrolytic aluminium 417.1 thousand tons, aluminum products 712.6 thousand tons, carbon 506.3 thousand tons and caustic soda 180.5 thousand tons, realized industrial output 36.516 billion yuan, increased 24.97% compared with 2010, aluminum industrial output hit hundred million yuan per day. The following factors stimulate the substantial increase of aluminum industrial output. The first one is aluminum production ability improved further. The second one is the overall economy strength for aluminum industrial park increased day by day. The third one is lots of aluminum leading enterprises continuously development and growth.
The website in a report on Thursday said that negotiations are under way to sell Salco to giant multinational Rio Tinto Alcan headquartered in Montreal, Canada, in a deal it said would earn “a fat multi-billion profit” for Taib’s family in return for their paltry investment of RM2.The deal to sell off Sarawak Aluminium Company Sdn Bhd (Salco) could bring a financial windfall to Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s family, said whistleblower website Sarawak Report. It detailed how ownership of the aluminium smelter company can be traced to Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd (CMS), a conglomerate owned by Taib’s late wife and his children. “We can reveal that Salco, the company that has been handed a licence to build a vast smelter in Simalaju, powered by cheap electricity from the (Bakun) dam,...
Plans are progressing for a $30 million aluminium products manufacturing facility near Newcastle, at a time when the Hunter's aluminium sector is reeling from job losses. Bahrain-based company Midal Cables International wants to build the facility with an Australian-based partner next to the Tomago aluminium smelter, near Newcastle. It will use molten aluminium from the smelter to make rods, wire and conductors. Plans for the facility are now on public display and New South Wales Planning is seeking comment over the next month. Midal Vice Chairman Mark Rukin says there will be hundreds of jobs . "We hope there to be 250 jobs created immediately and increased in the near future," he said. "Tomago have been fantastic in arranging the venture to go next door so it can get a special delivery...
An increase of 30 percent is seen in Iranian Aluminium prices during the past month. According to local authorities, the main reason for the boom in prices is the vast increase in dollar. The price of dollar had an increase of more than 70 percent since the start of the new sanctions set against Iran by the European union and united states. The Aluminium used in the industry includes imported aluminium and aluminium produced by Almahdi, Iralco and Hormozal. The increase in prices and dollar has effected imported and local production. Apart from the upstream sector, the downstream sector has also been affected by the upward trend in dollar prices.
The merger agreement signed between two of Iran’s biggest aluminium producers on the 19th of December 2010 with the aim to reduce costs was a success says Akbar Golkar CEO of Almahdi Aluminium Co. Almahdi and Hormozal have the capacity to produce 110000 and 145000 tpy of aluminium respectfully. Golkars aluminium view predicts that Iran’s aluminium production will need more attention in order to reach the goal of producing 1.5 million tons in 15 years time. Iran’s steel, aluminium & copper production capacity saw 93 percent, 90 percent & 26 percent increase in the past six year. In the same period of time aluminium capacity had a 207000 ton increase. Regarding this fact, the capacity of this strategic metal reached 437000 tons at the end of 2011 from 230000 tons six year earlier. Irans...
Aluminium production in the Persian Gulf currently exceeds 7 percent of the worlds total aluminium production; and is set to increase to 10 percent by 2020. The aluminium industry in Persian Gulf Countries has developed over the years and is set to develop even more through direct and indirect investments. Considering the Cheap energy available in this region, many developing countries are set to enhance their industry in order to make benefit of this “light and sustainable metal”. As one of the Persian Gulf countries, Iran plays a major role in this matter. According to the data announced by the Iranian mines & mining industries development & renovation organization (IMIDRO), Iranian aluminium smelters produced 223500 tones of aluminium in the first eight months of the (Iranian) year...
Aluminium prices fell to their lowest in three weeks following the declining trend across industrial metals amid fears of a Greek default in addition to disappointing economic data from China. But positive data from the US, one of the triggers for the commodity rally since January, reduced losses by the end of the week. Aluminium has rallied 8% since January and considering that the global aluminum stocks-to-use ratio is at a 12-month high, gains may be limited. Data shows that the difference in spot and 15-month forward price is at a three-year high supported by the low interest rate scenario in the US and Europe. The shrinking of this premium could lead to a bearish trend in aluminium, analysts said.
The Tiwai Point smelter has lost at least half a million dollars in aluminium production because of continuing high spot power prices. New Zealand Aluminium Smelters general manager Ryan Cavanagh yesterday said the capacity of the smelter's production remained reduced by about five per cent, which meant "hundreds of tonnes of lost production each month". Aluminium has been selling for about US$2155 (NZ$2602) per tonne, which means more than $500,000-worth of aluminium production has been lost since the smelter reduced its output in mid-January. Last month, acting general manager Stewart Hamilton said the smelter was paying about $120 to $130 per megawatt on the spot market, or wholesale market – about five times the average spot price of $24/MW for the same time during the past five...
The owner of Longview's former Reynolds Metals Co. aluminum making site is assembling an advisory board of community leaders to stay abreast of the company's efforts to clean up industrial contamination. Alcoa owns the land at the 416-acre site and leases the buildings to Millennium Bulk Terminals, which plans to build a coal export terminal there. The state Department of Ecology is working with Alcoa on a plan to remove the cyanide, fluoride and other toxins left in the soil and shallow groundwater from decades of aluminum smelting. Alcoa spokesman Josh Wilund is recruiting interested members of the public to form an "independent and diverse" group that will meet four times a year about the cleanup to discuss its science and progress. The first meeting will be sometime in April. "The...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba)’s credentials as an environmental champion and a supporter of fair trade practises across the world were emphasised during a meeting with a ministerial delegation from Paraguay on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. Alba’s Chief Executive, Laurent Schmitt met the Paraguayan delegation comprising His Excellency, the Minister of Environment, Oscar Rivas, His Excellency the Minister of Industry & Commerce, Francisco Rivas, and RTA Director, Juan Pazos Romero. The Paraguayan delegation is on a visit to Bahrain to explore opportunities to strengthen trading ties with Bahrain as well as meet with Bahrain’s industry leaders and learn of their success stories. The delegation was accompanied by officials from Midal Group. Commenting on the visit of the Paraguayan...
LME three-month aluminum broke through the 5-day moving average and closed up USD 58.3/mt or 2.66% at USD 2,250.3/mt on Tuesday, supported by the second Greek bailout. Transactions increased 8,027 lots to 13,231 lots. SMM expects LME three-month aluminum to stay above USD 2,200/mt and move between USD 2,220-2,270/mt during today’s trading as the confidence boost from the latest Greek debt deal stays. SHFE aluminum contract for delivery in May is expected to move between RMB 16,200-16,350/mt. Spot discounts over the SHFE current-month aluminum price will be little changed at RMB 90-130/mt as a material recovery in demand is still absent.
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), which owns the world's fourth-largest aluminium smelter, yesterday said its planned sixth production line could be completed by early 2015. Feasibility studies are currently underway, with banking feasibility studies seen ready by 2013, chief executive officer Laurent Schmitt said in a conference call. "First metal would be available in early 2015," Mr Schmitt said. The line is expected to add 400,000 tonnes annual capacity to Alba's current production of 881,000 tonnes a year, he said. A one-time social cost of $16 million was incurred during the fourth quarter due to reconciliation packages for employees terminated as a result of the unrest. "We are offering packages according to the number of years worked so they range from around one to two years of pay,"...
A fully-integrated aluminium industrial complex being built as a JV between Alcoa and Saudi Arabian Mining Co. (Ma’aden) alone involves a capital investment of about $10.5bn. More foreign investors are looking to the Gulf for aluminium business due to its inexpensive gas stocks and strategic geographic location, with Europe already sourcing around 6% of its aluminium demand from the region. The UAE and Saudi Arabia rank among the Gulf’s two biggest aluminium markets. Smelting operations managed by the Dubai Aluminium Company Ltd. (Dubal) and Emirates Aluminium in Abu Dhabi produce around 1.8 million tons of aluminium a year, or 40% of total annual Middle Eastern production. “Aluminium has emerged as one of the key economic activities of the Arab World, and complements region-wide efforts...
As a result of aluminum price decline at the end of 2011, a significant share of the world and European primary aluminum capacity has become unprofitable, resulting in partial or total closing of some smelters. In UC RUSAL's view, a further 6% to 8% of global capacity curtailments are to be expected in the H1 of 2012. More than 4% of 2012 ex China aluminum capacity is likely to be lost owing to a combination of market related and non market related events over the past 3 to 4 months. As a result of these known curtailments and disruptions, 2% to 3% of global aluminum supply is set to be lost in 2012. Several global aluminum peers have already announced aluminum production cuts of 1 million tonnes in 2012 due to low aluminum prices. Expected curtailments of primary aluminum and alloys...
Norsk Hydro ASA (NHY), Europe’s third- largest aluminum producer, reported a loss in the fourth quarter after it cut production in Australia, Spain and Italy because of lower metal prices and demand. The net loss was 739 million kroner ($127.3 million) compared with net income of 745 million kroner a year earlier, the Oslo-based company said in a statement today. Sales declined 3.7 percent to 21.7 billion kroner. It declared a dividend of 0.75 kroner a share on 2011 earnings. Hydro, which last month curtailed one-third of its output at the Kurri Kurri smelter in Australia because of a slump in aluminum prices, took a charge of 1 billion kroner for the move, the statement shows. Hydro’s systems business in Spain, Portugal and Italy had write downs of about 230 million kroner. “We maintain...
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), which owns the world's fourth-largest aluminium smelter, said on Friday its planned sixth production line could be completed by early 2015. Feasibility studies are currently under way, with banking feasibility studies seen ready by 2013, Laurent Schmitt, the company's chief executive officer said in a conference call. "First metal would be available in early 2015," Schmitt said. The line is expected to add 400,000 tonnes annual capacity to Alba's current production of 881,000 tonnes a year, he said. The company saw its fourth-quarter net income drop 84 percent due to unrealised derivatives, a statement released earlier on Friday said. The firm reported a net income of $16 million during the fourth quarter, compared to $103 million a year earlier. A one-time...
