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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Global Aluminum Smelting Overcapacity Continues to Persist
Global aluminum smelting overcapacity will continue to persist over the next two to three years despite increasing pressure from higher costs, Tony Rizzuto, managing director and head of metals and mining research at Dahlman Rose & Co., said at the American Metal Market Aluminum Summit. "It's going...
Barclays 'not upbeat' on Indian aluminium sector
Barclays Capital initiates coverage of India's aluminium sector, saying they are "not upbeat" about the fundamentals in the sector because of "spiraling" energy costs and "project execution challenges." However, Barclays says find valuations of Hindalco Industries "attractive" and initiates the...
VRA to meet VALCO’s needs by year-end
There is not a deliberate attempt by the Volta River Authority (VRA) to deny Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) additional power to run its second pot-line, says Mr. Kweku A. Awotwi, Chief Executive of the VRA. “We are unable to supply power to enable VALCO run its second pot-line because of...
Nalco plans to hike stake in nuclear power venture
National Aluminium Company Ltd (Nalco) plans to increase its stake in the nuclear power joint venture with Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL). Nalco currently holds 26 per cent in the joint venture — NPCIL Nalco Nuclear Power Co Ltd. Nalco is slated to have 49 per cent. The joint venture...
Aluminium Bahrain BSC will spend US $2.5 billion by 2015
Bloomberg reported that Aluminium Bahrain BSC will spend USD 2.5 billion by 2015 to increase output betting prices of the metal and will rebound from 30% slump in the past year that’s forcing US and European rivals to shutter plants. Mr Laurent Schmitt CEO of Alba said that “Prices reflect the...
Energy from Aluminum Grains to Power Electric Cars
If powering cars with ‘electric powder’ may sound like a scam, think again. Israeli company Alchemy Research offers a new method to power electric cars by using energy stored in aluminum grains. Alchemy Research has developed a method of storage and conversion of energy. Their Alydro technology –...
Alba Plans $2.5 Billion Expansion
Aluminium Bahrain BSC (ALBH) will spend $2.5 billion by 2015 to increase output, betting prices of the metal will rebound from a 30 percent slump in the past year that’s forcing U.S. and European rivals to shutter plants. Alba, as the company is known, plans to invest the money on adding a potline...
Electrolytic Aluminium Output of Ningxia Reaches 502,000 Tons
Ningxia Energy Aluminium Co.,Ltd and Ningxia Jinning Aluminium Co.,Ltd realized full production from January to April and drove substantial growth of the non-ferrous metals industry. From January to April, Ningxia’s non-ferrous metals industry realized industrial added value 1.96 billion RMB, up by...
General Cable To Acquire Alcan Cable from Rio Tinto
General Cable Corp. says it will acquire Alcan Cable, the wire and cable division of Rio Tinto PLC. The purchase price is $185 million in cash, subject to customary adjustments primarily related to working-capital levels at closing as provided in the definitive purchase agreement. General Cable...
Greanbean engineer turns recycling into a game
Whoever says that the reverse vending concept is boring clearly hasn’t met Shanker Sahai yet; the founder of Cambridge start-up Greenbean Recycle. The high-tech machine of his design, which is an arcade game just as much as a recycling depot, attempts to provide the public with with a more...
Special power rate to Century Aluminum could Increase Electric Bill of consumers
Efforts to bring an aluminum plant to Jackson County could mean an increase in your electric bill. Right now, state leaders are working a deal between Century Aluminum and Appalachian Power, but the arrangement could leave you footing the bill. "It adds up! so I think it is out of the question,"...
Coal Leaders urge for Century Restart
The President of the West Virginia Coal Association is supporting an agreement which would pave the way for the reopening of Century Aluminum in Ravenswood. Bill Raney recently penned a letter to the PSC asking for a favorable ruling on a utility rate which would allow the plant to reopen. "When it...
Century Aluminum's special power rate proposal not worth the trouble: Appalachian Power
Appalachian Power has told the state Public Service Commission that the cost of Century Aluminum's proposed special power rate is "staggeringly high" and questioned whether the scheme is worth the trouble. Century is asking the commission to approve a new power rate structure to help it reopen its...
Chalco suffers loss again
The Aluminium Corporation of China Ltd (Chalco) was in the red for the first three months of the year. In its first quarterly report published by the Shanghai- and Hong Kong-listed company, it warned of potential loss for the first half year, citing low aluminium and high raw material prices....
Alcoa, Santee Cooper agree to one-year extension on power rate negotiations
Alcoa and Santee Cooper have agreed to postpone the date by which the aluminum manufacturer must tell the utility whether its Berkeley County plant will continue operating past 2015. The deadline had been June 30, but late Wednesday, the state-owned utility and its biggest industrial customer...
Retirees back special power rate for Century
Century Aluminum retirees are encouraging the state Public Service Commission to approve a special power rate structure that might help the company reopen its Ravenswood plant. Karen Gorrell, spokeswoman for the retirees, submitted a formal letter to the PSC Thursday as part of Century's ongoing...
Essar-Hindalco, Reliance Power gets conditional aproval for mining in coal blocks in Madhya Pradesh
An empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on Wednesday gave Reliance Power and Essar-Hindalco the go-ahead to start mining at two coal blocks allotted to them, albeit with some riders. The approvals were for Reliance Power to start mining coal from the Chhatrasal block and for Essar-Hindalco to start...
700kt of Aluminium Capacity Idled in Henan
A low aluminium price, high raw material and power cost are compelling a number of smelters in China cut their production capacity. Linfeng Aluminium-Power Co in Henan Province has idled 100kt/y of potroom capacity as the company has been running at a loss since the beginning of the year. The idled...
