Coal-heavy Australian aluminium vs renewables-led New Zealand: How Oceania is balancing decarbonisation
Oceania’s primary aluminium industry is facing a fragmented energy transition. While Australia, the leading aluminium producer of the continent, has abundant renewable resources and a well-established aluminium value chain, its smelters remain significantly more dependent on fossil-fuel-based...
Can the US afford to cut Canada off? 75% aluminium and $100b energy tell the story
The US aluminium industry’s dependence on Canada extends far beyond primary aluminium imports. While Canada supplies around 75 per cent of US imported primary aluminium, covering roughly 60 per cent of the country’s annual aluminium usage, it is also a major supplier of crude oil, natural gas and...
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Ormet to cut output at Burnside alumina refinery, Louisiana
U.S. aluminum producer Ormet Corp said it was cutting back operations at its Burnside alumina refinery in Louisiana, due to high power costs and low global prices that have also forced it to shutter part of its aluminium production. A small producer on the global scale, Ormet joins industry...
Russia's Rusal to invest $100 million in Jamaica power plant
Russia's Rusal, the world's largest aluminium producer, will invest $100 million in a coal-fired electricity generating plant in Jamaica, hoping to reduce power costs at its operations in the Caribbean country. Jamaica's Energy and Mining Minister Phillip Paulwell announced the company's plan...
European Commission allows Alcoa's Italian plant to use subsidised electricity untill 2015
The troubled Italian smelter of aluminium group Alcoa will be able to continue using special contracts allowing it to buy electricity at lower prices until 2015 following a decision on Wednesday by the European Commission. The Commission ruled the special power contracts on the islands of Sardinia...
Study questions long-term viability of Western Kentucky aluminum smelters
A new study commissioned by the Kentucky General Assembly paints a gloomy picture for the continued survival of two Western Kentucky aluminum smelters — Rio Tinto-Alcan at Sebree and Century Aluminum at Hawesville. The study also casts doubt on the advisability of the state using scarce economic...
ADEWEA to supply power to Emal's second phase
Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) and Emirates Aluminium (Emal) has signed a memorandum of cooperation under which Abu Dhabi Transmission '&' Despatch Company (TRANSCO), an affiliate of ADWEA, will supply electrical loads to feed Phase II of Emal's smelter development. The agreement...
Century Aluminum to pay a special electricity rate for up to 10 years
Century Aluminum's shuttered West Virginia plant would pay a special electricity rate for up to 10 years if it reopens, but ultimately must cover its entire energy costs from that time, the state's utility regulator ruled Thursday. Future aluminum prices play a major role in the plan outlined by...
Rising power costs threaten aluminium industry
The Australian Aluminium Council has warned that the Kurri smelter in the NSW Hunter Valley will not be the only one at risk, if the industry is forced to absorb more electricity costs. It has told a Senate Inquiry into electricity costs that aluminium smelting already carries a disproportionate...
Glencore shows interest to take over Sardinia Alcoa plant
Commodity trading and mining group Glencore has expressed an interest in taking over Alcoa's aluminium plant on the island of Sardinia, Italy's industry ministry said on Friday. "The Swiss multinational (Glencore) confirmed its interest in discussing the Alcoa question, asking for clarifications...
Energy cost reduction can boost aluminium sector: Qatalum
The GCC region’s aluminium industry can make significant gains if production costs can be reduced by containing energy expense, Qatalum says. This will help the industry maintain the highest quality standards in production, meet the requirements of improved competitiveness and enter new markets, it...
PSI Metals to Demonstrate Production Management Solutions at ALUMINIUM 2012
PSI Metals Non Ferrous has announced that it will be showcasing production management solutions designed for the metal industry at the “ALUMINIUM 2012” industrial fair to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany. The company’s PSImetals solution helps companies that deal with production and processing of...
USA: Novelis moves closer to 80% recycled content
Atlanta-based Novelis, a world-leader in rolled aluminium products, has today announced that it has moved a step closer to achieving its goal of using 80% recycled metals in its production processes. The company's second annual sustainability report shows an increase in the recycled content of its...
Reply briefs filed for Century Aluminum rate case
All eyes are now on the West Virginia Public Service Commission to make a decision in the electricity rate case for Century Aluminum. Thousands of pages of testimony, letters of protest and most recently reply briefs from the five parties to the case have been filed since May. The Ravenswood...
Meridian Energy makes future strategy
Meridian Energy is reviewing what it would do with massive amounts of electricity if Southland's aluminium smelter closes. New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS), which runs the operation at Tiwai Point, near Invercargill, is now in discussions with the state- owned power company over what Meridian...
China commissions massive new aluminum capacity
While major aluminum producers are cutting back on production to rescue slumping prices at a time of weak demand, China is pushing ahead with a major new development to produce more of the light metal in the country's western regions. Xinjiang Qiya Aluminum & Power Ltd., a subsidiary of a mid-sized...
Ormet Blames AEP For Cutbacks
Ormet Chief Executive Officer Mike Tanchuk said the aluminum producer must curtail operations. American Electric Power will raise the company's electric bill by $20 million a year. In conjunction with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice Ormet filed last month, Tanchuk's...
Century would profit at ratepayers expense: Consumer advocate
In a brief filed Tuesday, Century Aluminum officials said its shuttered aluminum smelter in Ravenswood "simply will not restart or operate" under a plan proposed by the Public Service Commission's Consumer Advocate Division. But if the PSC were to accept Century's special electric rate proposal,...
U.S. Aluminum-Can-Recycling Rate at 65% in 2011
The share of aluminum containers that were recycled in the U.S. in 2011 reached the highest point in 14 years, as can makers sought to reduce costs, a group of trade organizations said Monday. Recycled aluminum represented a 65.1% share of reported U.S. shipments of aluminum beverage cans last...
Rusal Output Cuts Intensify Shareholder Strife
Pressed by a downturn in metal prices, Russian aluminum giant United Co. Rusal PLC said Monday it will cut production at its less effective smelters, causing renewed strife between shareholders but gaining support from analysts. As Rusal reported a 95% drop in its first-half net profit, the...
