Aluminium’s decarbonisation challenge extends beyond the electricity powering its smelters. Inside the reduction cell, electrode quality influences how efficiently that electricity is used, how much carbon is consumed and how consistently the process performs. Improving electrodes therefore offers producers a practical opportunity to address operating costs and emissions together. For Switzerland-based R&D Carbon , understanding the relationship between raw materials, electrode quality and industrial performance has been a focus for four decades. Founded in 1986 by Werner K. Fischer, the company built on carbon research previously undertaken at Swiss Aluminium Ltd., or Alusuisse. Today, it operates from Granges, near Sierre, with a team of 30 specialists serving more than 150 customers...
Mexico’s aluminum industry is looking to capitalize on rising demand from artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, electric mobility, automotive manufacturing, and aerospace. Expanding technology investments and international market opportunities are expected to support sales growth, while the country’s reliance on imported aluminum highlights the importance of strengthening domestic processing capabilities. Ramón Beltrán, president of Mexico’s National Chamber of the Aluminum Industry (Canalum), expects the country’s domestic and international aluminum sales to gain momentum in 2026, supported by demand from advanced technology applications and established manufacturing sectors. “We expect to close out this year with growth of between 7.5% and 7.8% in domestic and international...
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From November 22 to November 24, a poll, designated by Alupro and conducted by Yonder, on 2000 UK adult citizens disclosed that the majority are in favour of the government to urgently focus on the recycling programme in the upcoming calendar year. Close to 7 out of 10 participants have said that the country should come up with an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system, which actively brings forth highly recyclable substances such as aluminium. EPR directs brands and retailers to subsidise the total net cost of collecting, sorting, treating, and recycling packaging waste. Recent past of initiatives Of the total Briton poll-takers, 69 per cent acknowledged aluminium to be the ideal substance to drive forward a circular economy in which every packaging, as and when possible, is...
Guangyuan Zhongfu Technology Co., LTD, based in Sichuan, China, has earned the ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) and the Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard V2 (2022) certifications, reflecting its commitment to responsible production practices. The company is known for manufacturing aluminium alloy flat ingots and is widely used in producing cans, aseptic cartons, flexible packaging, consumer electronics, and lightweight automotive components. Image Source: ASI Located in Sichuan, China, the facility primarily produces aluminium alloy flat ingots for manufacturing cans, aseptic cartons, flexible packaging, consumer electronics, and lightweight automotive components. The facility employs remelting and casting processes with a production capacity of 150,000 tonnes per year. SGS-CSTC Standards...
In a groundbreaking move that promises to transform the socio-economic fabric of Odisha’s tribal heartland, the Indian multinational mining and metal house Vedanta is set to commence operations at the Sijimali bauxite block, spanning the Kalahandi and Rayagada districts. This initiative, positioned as a blend of industrial advancement and inclusive community development, aims to elevate local livelihoods while safeguarding cultural heritage and environmental integrity. Over the next 25 years, Vedanta intends to invest almost 1,200 crores through two dedicated development funds - the Lanjigarh Periphery Area Development Fund (LPDAF) and the newly established Sijimali Periphery Area Development Fund (SPDAF). These funds will be pivotal in addressing the pressing needs of local communities,...
Hydro Energi AS has signed a decade-long power purchase agreement (PPA) with Axpo Nordic, where the latter will deliver 263 gigawatt-hours per annum to Hydro’s Norwegian aluminium plants starting from 2026 and throughout the subsequent 10 years. Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/norskhydro/albums/ The 2026 to 2035 contract calls for a cumulative supply of 2.63 terawatt-hours of electricity to aluminium and renewable energy corporation Hydro, wherein Axpo will provide electricity to Hydro in the Swedish price area SE2. Long-term contracts are not just a necessity, but a strategic move for Hydro to maintain its leadership in global low-carbon aluminium production. The role of renewable power in this endeavour cannot be overstated. It plays a pivotal role in producing aluminium in...
The United States Federal Government has strategised to tackle the import gap of metals, including aluminium, with an enhanced focus on recycling. According to mining.com, the Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it will invest US$ 22 million to exalt Golden Aluminum's recycling operations in Colorado. Image Source: https://globalscraptrading.com/ The department is also in search of building from scratch opportunities for an electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling chain. It has allocated financial aid for the latest scrap sorting technology and processing capacity. In the stance of B2U Storage Solutions, they have even considered transporting used batteries. What is urban mining? Urban mining is the process of exploring, extracting and refining metal from anthropogenic stocks...
OTTO FUCHS Technology Shenyang Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Germany's OTTO FUCHS KG, has attained the ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) Certification – Transitional (Principles 1-4). This certification recognises its commitment to sustainable practices in manufacturing automotive chassis components; including control arms, tie rods, and aluminium alloy parts for advanced braking systems, at its production facility in China. Image Source: ASI OTTO FUCHS Technology specialises in fully automated precision forging press lines, advanced machining lines, and digital production processes for developing, manufacturing, and machining automotive chassis components. The company focuses on producing aluminium alloy chassis parts, including control arms, tie rods, and components for...
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative has presented Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard V2 (2022) Certification to South32 Worsley Alumina for mining and alumina refining operations at its Boddington Bauxite Mine and Worsley Alumina Refinery in Collie, Australia. The certification also acknowledges the associated port facility in Bunbury, Australia. Boddington Bauxite Mine produces 18.8 million tonnes of bauxite annually, and Worsley Alumina Refinery churns out about 4.6 million tonnes of alumina. South32 Worsley Alumina acquired the ASI CoC Standard Certification after meeting all the standards required to create a Chain of Custody for material produced and processed through the value chain into diverse downstream sectors. The CoC Standard Certification also confirms that the company adheres to...
Polish aluminium recycling company, wholly owned by Hydro, will increase the use of renewable energy at its Kety plant, leveraging 1,000 MWh of electricity to be generated annually from the new solar panels, expected to be installed and operational during the second quarter of 2025. Image Source: Hydro Increasing the use of renewable energy will enable Alumetal’s Kety recycling plant to enhance the production of low-carbon aluminium, advancing the European green transition initiative. This move will also drive Hydro’s decarbonisation roadmap and contribute to a 30 per cent carbon emissions reduction goal by 2030. “Power is an important input factor for the aluminium industry and switching to renewable energy is critical to decarbonise our value chain. Even if aluminium recycling only...
Three students from the National University of Science and Technology (NU), Oman—Al Yaqeen Amur Asuti, Reem Ahmed al Qassabi, and Ahamed al Awad—have developed an innovative device that converts palm waste into circular green aluminium. Their project, titled ‘Green Initiative for Utilising Omani Palm Waste to Produce Circular Green Aluminium’, marks a groundbreaking step toward fostering a zero-waste, sustainable economy in Oman. Story behind the initiative Dr Shabib al Rashdi, the project’s supervisor, explained that the initiative stemmed from the urgent need to address Oman’s agricultural waste challenge, particularly the substantial waste generated by palm trees. Launched two years ago, this project aligns with Oman’s Vision 2040 and sustainability goals, presenting an eco-friendly...
Ardagh Metal Packaging-Europe has reportedly inked a virtual power purchase agreement with BNZ in Portugal. According to the terms signed, Ardagh will secure 146 GWh per annum of renewable electricity commencing from 2026 for 12 years, which is expected to help the metal beverage cans-producing company offset about 50 per cent of AMP-Europe’s continental energy consumption. Image Source: Ardagh Metal Packaging Schneider Electric, a leading adviser in corporate renewable energy procurement and carbon management, has played a crucial role in this agreement by helping Ardagh Metal Packaging-Europe in project selection and negotiation. AMP-Europe’s latest renewable energy agreement with BNZ in Portugal follows the solar energy agreement signed earlier this year with Sunnic Lighthouse GmbH....
Aluminium foils are primarily used in the culinary industry, more commonly as use-and-throw wrappers. But what most would not know is that they are reusable, and no, you wouldn't need to recycle to do so. Yes, you heard me right. The once-used ones can be reused, provided they have been stored hygienically. Chelsea Edwards, a registered dietitian and the owner of Huntsville Nutrition Collective in Huntsville, Alabama, has spoken to Southern Living, citing that aluminium foil does not pose any health risks, "Unless you are eating the foil, there's no reason to be wary of using or reusing foil." Sometimes, dark spots appear as the foils are used to bake dishes, making it less appealing for the user to re-utilise it. But, "The darkening and changes in the colour of foil are harmless,"...
One of RUSAL's strategic goals is to create a fundamentally new approach to production that meets the principles of a low-carbon circular economy. To this end, the company is trying to implement best practices in managing environmental aspects, risks and opportunities. Among the company's key achievements during its existence is a 35 per cent reduction in gross emissions of pollutants, including those specific to aluminium plants: fluoride compounds by 69 per cent and Benz (a)pyrene by 73 per cent. Also, discharges of industrial wastewater were reduced by 75 per cent and water consumption by 38 per cent. Waste generation was reduced by 33 per cent, with about 80 per cent of the generated waste (excluding overburden and red/nepheline mud) being recycled. Expenditures on environmental...
Reaffirming its focus towards environmental sustainability, Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island has full-fledged participation witnessed in the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) Can Collection Drive 2024. Result? Collection of an impressive 30 kilograms of aluminium cans at the resort's significant initiative in an effort to reduce waste, promote recycling, and combat carbon emissions. The 2024 edition of the drive was held at the prestigious RAK Ceramics company, where participants came together to drop off their collections. The event witnessed notable engagement from various business firms, who aided in spreading the message of sustainability across different sectors. From small-scale initiatives to large corporate drives, the event saw participation from numerous and...
Jerome Dozol, the chief executive of Tomago Aluminium since July, has recently contradicted the possibility of achieving the venture's agenda to switching to a primarily clean power supply subsequently this decade, citing that the pricing of the energy on offer was too hefty for the Tomago smelter near Newcastle (Australia) to continue operations without government aid. He has asked for 'urgent action' to ensure uninterrupted operations at the specified plant. The existing electricity supply contract to the smelting facility, which employs more than 1000 people, is with AGL Energy and expires at the end of 2028. Image Source: https://www.tomago.com.au/ Tomago conducted a comprehensive sounding of the electricity supply market this year with the goal of positively replacing the AGL...
Kobelco Automotive Aluminum Rolled Products (China) Co., Ltd, a facility of Kobelco Group, has obtained Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard V2 (2022) Certification from the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative for the production and sale of thin automobile aluminium alloy plate and strip. Image Source: Kobelco As the name suggests, the company specialises in producing alumininium automotive components, such as aluminium alloy plates, sheets, and strips, with an annual aluminium capacity of 100,000 tonnes. The plant has production lines for heat treatment, surface treatment, longitudinal cutting, cross-cutting, and cleaning. This year, in March, the facility located in Tianjin, China, bagged the ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) Certification . The facility of Kobelco Group has received the ASI...
EMR has secured a £3.4 million grant from the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), which funds research within the motor industry, to support its aluminium manufacturing plant utilising recycled content. The proposed facility aims to produce aluminium extrusion billets with significantly lower embodied carbon, promoting the reuse of metals and replacing traditional primary supply routes to cut emissions dramatically. Image Source- indiamart EMR highlighted that the project will facilitate the large-scale production of components made from up to 100 per cent recycled aluminium, achieving mechanical and durability standards comparable to primary aluminium for the first time. The project also includes collaboration with vehicle manufacturer Stellantis, aluminium producer and automotive supplier...
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) has presented the Performance Standard V3 (2022) Certification to Oman Aluminium Rolling Company SPC for manufacturing and supplying aluminium coils at the Sohar facility, Sultanate of Oman. The facility, having an annual capacity of 140,000 tonnes of multi-purpose aluminium coils, produces alloy hot bend coils and finished coils for applications in various industries, including building and construction, transportation, packaging, consumer durables, energy and HVAC. Launched in May 2022, the ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) certification defines 11 principles and 62 criteria under three sustainability pillars – Environment, Social, and Governance, aimed at addressing sustainability issues in the aluminium value chain. Oman Aluminium Rolling...
The UN climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, opened amidst intense behind-the-scenes negotiations as nations gathered for COP29 — the 29th Conference of Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Early headlines touted a preliminary success as delegates agreed on key regulations to facilitate global carbon credit trading. Yet, this development came with contentious undercurrents, prompting critics to argue that such mechanisms could allow wealthier nations to finance emission reductions abroad and procrastinate on more costly domestic climate action. The opening plenary session experienced significant delays, stretching into the early hours of November 12, 2024, following demands from the BASIC coalition — comprising Brazil, South Africa, India, and...
