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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Alcoa starts 2017 with uncertainty over Portland smelter and Suralco shut down
<p>Alcoa started 2016 on a 52-week low like any other mining companies and the stock continued with rise and fall throughout the year with the volatile commodity market. During November 2016, after the split into Alcoa Corporation and Arconic and Donald Trump’s election Alcoa saw some upward...
EGA applies for patent in relation to their preheating frame for anode assemblies
<p>EGA has announced that they have applied for patent for the preheating frame for anode assemblies by their in-house experts which enables safe and rapid preparation of cells for preheating and allows achieving low energy consumption after start-up.<br /> <br />For leading primary aluminium...
Tiwai Point aluminium smelter expected to be operating despite the shutdown option
<p>Southland's Tiwai Point aluminium smelter which employs 800 people and brings $500 million annually to the region's economy now has an options in its power contract to terminate its contract with the power provider by giving one year’s notice. </p> <p>However, the smelter is expected...
Recap 2016: Aluminium is booming in the electrical sector
<p>Aluminium has been used as a conductor material in electrical applications since long. Yet, its use never really took off on a commercial scale until 1960s and 1970s when sudden price rise of copper forced people to replace it with aluminium on an experimental basis.</p> <p>Today, aluminium and...
Recap 2016: The Year of Focused Sustainability for Primary Aluminium
<p>2016, for the global primary aluminium industry, was the year of price stabilization (rising from the 2015’s lows), surging aluminium exports from China, increasing surveillance by the industry bodies on improper international trade practices, downfall of the once influential U.S. primary...
Wisconsin Oven's aluminium age-hardening oven ensures improved temperature uniformity
<p>Leading industrial oven and heating equipment manufacturer Wisconsin Oven Corporation successfully shipped a natural-gas fired walk-in oven for aluminium age hardening earlier this month to an undisclosed buyer. <br /><br />The oven meant for aluminium age hardening has a maximum temperature of...
Alcoa says Australia aluminium smelter running at 30% capacity
<p>Australia's 300,000-tonnes-per-year Portland aluminium smelter is operating at below a third of its capacity after power to the plant was temporarily knocked out three weeks ago, operator Alcoa Corp said on Wednesday.</p> <p>The smelter was hit when a power interconnector between the states of...
Vedanta to pare down aluminium making cost
<p>Metals and mining giant Vedanta is planning to revisit its cost structure keeping it optimally below $1,400 per tonne in the wake of lower costs of alumina and coal. The aluminium producer said its estimated aluminium-making cost for the September quarter stood at $1,473 per tonne, while its...
Throwback 2016: Developments that moulded the downstream aluminium sector
<p>The year 2016 is marked by a continued slowdown in primary aluminium sector in the west and a distinct shift towards value added applications in aluminium. Aluminium producers around the world fought out to find ways and means to survive the slump in the commodity market. Cost...
Novelis reports significant gains in sustainability
<p>Novelis, the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, published its fiscal year 2016 sustainability report today, detailing significant progress toward increasing the use of recycled aluminum and minimizing the use of natural resources. Recycling aluminum produces 95 percent fewer...
EGA innovation minimises weld faults and reduces down time when cells must be replaced
<p>From its inception in 1979, Emirates Global Aluminium (“EGA”) has been committed to continuous innovation in the aluminium smelting process with the aim of increasing productivity, while simultaneously reducing its operations’ impact on the environment through improved...
“RA-550 technology is a great contribution in our pursuit for more efficient and more environmentally friendly aluminium production”- Mr. Viktor Mann, Technical Director, UC RUSAL
UC RUSAL, the global leader in aluminium production, recently launched the first RA-550 pot of new generation running at over 550 kA at the Sayanogorsk aluminium smelter. According to design documents, an RA-550 cell of the energy-efficient new pot consumes around 12 kW*h/kg of aluminium- around...
Growing adoption of LED lighting to drive HPA market growth through 2020
<p>According to a recently published market report, the global high purity alumina market is slated to grow at a CAGR of 27.11% by the period 2016-2020. The growing adoption of LED lighting systems and displays, changing Government regulations encouraging energy-efficient lighting systems across...
Rusal and Rushydro to decide on Boguchansk smelting capacity increase in Q1 2017
<p>Russian aluminium behemoth Rusal and power generator Rushydro will be deciding on the proposed capacity enhancement of their Boguchansk aluminium smelter in the first quarter of 2017, Rushydro said in on Thursday.<br /><br />The companies had earlier decided to increase the capacity of the...
PESU replacing old aluminium wires with insulated aluminium cables in Bihar, India
<p>Patna Electric Supply Undertaking (PESU)- the state government-owned electricity supplier of Bihar, India, is planning to replace the old loose hanging aluminium wires in many areas across the state with insulated bunched aluminium cables, said senior officials of the firm. The plan is being...
Power failure causes production halt at Alcoa’s Portland smelter
<p>A fault on the Victorian transmission network on November 30 cut power to the potlines of Alcoa’s Portland smelter for more than five hours. Alcoa as a result has curtailed production at one of the potlines at its smelter to ensure safety of the workers.<br /><br />"Efforts are focused on...
NRG Energy holds Sherwin Alumina responsible for cogen plant operations disruptions
<p>NRG Energy's Gregory Power Partners LLC objected to the bankrupt company Sherwin Alumina's November 10 emergency motion at the bankruptcy court to expedite the hearing and objection deadlines on its bankruptcy reorganization and asset sale plan.<br /><br />Alumina producer Sherwin Alumina has...
China coal price spike unlikely to rein in aluminium overcapacity
<p>Higher coal prices in China threaten primary aluminium smelters by shrinking margins. But higher coal prices do not affect all smelters equally. More than half of China’s output of aluminium is sensitive to coal price increases. The balance is either immune or the impact will be...
