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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Rusal seeks Chinese partners to exploit alumina in Siberia
United Company Rusal Plc, the world’s biggest aluminum producer, is seeking Chinese partners to set up joint venture factories in Russia’s Siberia region, the Beijing-based Jinghua Times reported Monday. The Russian company, which accounting 9 percent of global alumina and aluminum output, just...
Rio's threat to close Tiwai Point could delay Mighty River sale
The Government will delay the partial sale of Mighty River Power until early next year while it deals with headaches including Rio Tinto's threat to close the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter and Maori claims over water, sharemarket sources say. The timetable for the Government's partial asset sales...
2.1% reduction in daily aluminium production run-rates in July – Standard Bank
According to data released recently by the IAI, daily aluminium production run-rates decreased 2.1% in July, compared to the record 125.5 ktpd output registered in June. It is mainly due to cutbacks in China but, as Leon Westgate from Standard Bank points out, “with seasonal factors in China likely...
Century says no to alternative power rate proposal for Ravenswood plant
Century Aluminum will not restart its Ravenswood plant if the state Public Service Commission adopts rate plans drawn up by the Consumer Advocate Division or Appalachian Power attorneys, the company said Tuesday. The first round of final briefs in Century's power rate case before the PSC was filed...
Counter-proposal created in Century special power rate case
The state Consumer Advocate Division has created a counter-proposal to Century Aluminum's special power rate request that it says will protect customers from higher rates. Division director Byron Harris said he's dubbed the proposal, filed with the state Public Service Commission Monday, the "do no...
Uncertain future for Tiwai Point smelter
The future of the Tiwai Point smelter is being questioned as falling global aluminium prices and the high New Zealand dollar eat into profits. New Zealand Aluminium Smelters says 100 jobs will be cut in the coming few years and renegotiating the company's electricity deal with Meridian Energy is...
Century Aluminium terminates power contract with Big Rivers
Century Aluminum has issued a 12-month notice to terminate its power contract with Big Rivers Electric Corporation for its Hawesville, Ky., smelter, citing unsustainably high power prices. Chief Executive Michael Bless noted the smelter "is competitive on the global market in every category other...
Nalco cancels coal supply deal for Indonesia power plant
National Aluminium Company Ltd has cancelled the coal linkage plan for its captive power plant in Indonesia. The unit was to power the proposed $4-billion, half a million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province. Nalco recently communicated the decision to Middle...
Century urges for a fairer power rate to save its Hawesville smelter
Century Aluminum officials want Big Rivers Electric Corporation to file new rates with the Kentucky Public Service Commission that would provide them with a lower rate, and they want Big Rivers to use $150 million in reserve funds to offset the impact the cost-shifting would have on the utility's...
Nalco to invest on energy sector
Poised for a big leap in its diversification plan, aluminium giant NALCO is all set to invest around Rs 40,000 crore to make a foray into energy sector besides implementing a host of new projects and expansion works. "The company has taken up several greenfield projects. As part of this drive,...
Nalco shuts down two captive power plant due to coal shortage
Severe coal shortage has forced the authorities of National Alumunium company (Nalco) to shut down two 120 MW units of its captive power plant (CPP), hitting the aluminium output in the process. Nalco’s CPP has 10 units of 120 Mw each. Faced with sharp drop of power generation in its captive power...
Bauxite companies in Jamaica warn against sole dependence on LNG for fuel
Jamaica's powerful bauxite/ alumina partners have warned that it would be a mistake for Government to rely solely on natural gas as an alternative fuel source, and is urging the Government to adopt a diversification strategy that includes coal, compressed gas and renewables. Further diversification...
Century Aluminum electricity rate decision delayed
State regulators have delayed the timeline for deciding whether to approve a special electricity rate for Century Aluminum's Jackson County plant. Appalachian Power and several other parties told the Public Service Commission that they need more time to file additional briefs. They say they haven't...
Ormet Workers future stuck in uncertainty
A complete shutdown of Ormet Corp.'s Hannibal Primary Aluminum Reduction Plant would leave 1,000 employees out of work, a situation Tom Byers said he is doing everything he can to avoid. However, Ormet officials noted they may have to lay off the workers because of metal market pressures and rising...
Chalco to buy 35.3% of Ningxia Power for $318 Million
Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd., the nation’s biggest producer of the lightweight metal, agreed to buy 35.3 percent of Ningxia Electric Power Group Co. for 2.02 billion yuan ($318 million) to increase energy self-sufficiency. The company, known as Chalco, will buy 23.4 percent of Ningxia Power...
Contact Energy earnings may be hit by Meridian's negotiations with Rio smelter
Contact Energy is expected to report a pickup in underlying earnings, but faces headwinds from state asset sales and Meridian's contract negotiations with the Tiwai aluminium smelter. New Zealand's largest private sector electricity company, Contact is due to report results for the year to June 30...
Meridian Energy to accept non-commercial electricity terms for Tiwai smelter
State-owned Meridian Energy won't "take one for the team" and accept non-commercial terms for electricity to keep the Rio Tinto-controlled Tiwai Point aluminium smelter open, says chief executive Mark Binns. He described as "a concern" the London-listed multinational metals firm's desire to...
Rio Tinto plans smelter closures
Rio Tinto's attempt to renegotiate New Zealand's largest electricity contract, for its aluminium smelter at Bluff, comes as the company's chief executive warns of "difficult decisions" ahead if its older smelters cannot be made commercially viable. Rio, the world's third-largest mining company,...
