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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Ball Corporation sets new sustainability targets: 25% carbon emissions reduction for 2020
<p>Ball Corporation has published their fifth biennial sustainability report which aims at implementing science-based carbon targets along with 10 new corporate responsibility targets to be achieved by 2020. The company has already achieved two-thirds of the 22 sustainability targets that they set...
Alba awards Line 6 power distribution system to Siemens
<p>Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), home-base of the Line 6 Expansion Project, announced today, August 23, 2016 that it has awarded Siemens the Power Distribution System (PDS) contract for Power Station 5 (PS 5).<br /><br />Under the terms of this contract, Siemens will be responsible to design,...
South32 unlikely to restart idled aluminium capacity in SA
<p>Mining giant BHP Billion spin-off South32 indicated last week Thursday that it has no plan to restart idled capacity at its aluminium facilities in Southern Africa in the next couple of years. The Australian metals and mining company had idled the aforesaid capacity on being unable to cope with...
Vedanta sticks to FY17 production guidance for aluminium despite power shutdown
<p>Despite a massive power failure that struck one of its plants this month, mining giant Vedanta has maintained the <a href="http://www.alcircle.com/primary_aluminium/newscircle/market/detail/24835/vedanta-to-produce-15-mt-aluminium-in-fy17" target="_blank">production guidance</a> for its...
Future of Portland aluminium smelter uncertain over power contract termination
<p>Portland aluminium smelter’s future is hinged on the decision of one of its three owners- whether to terminate the supply contract it has with its power supplier or not, reported individuals who are aware of the developments in the Victoria plant. The decision, if taken, will put as many...
Alcoa future to remain tied with aluminium prices, Arconic still buffered
<p>Aluminium giant Alcoa is nearing its spin-off scheduled for the second half of 2016. The strategic decision of the company has been received well by its investors ever since it was announced last September. Shares of Alcoa have surged more than 14 per cent. However, there remain many regulatory...
LED lighting demand to drive global HPA market growth during 2016-20
<p>According to the latest Research and Markets publication, the global high-purity alumina market is slated to grow at a CAGR of 27.11 per cent during the period 2016-2020. The growing adoption of LED lighting systems and displays has been identified as a key growth driver for the segment. <br...
Abundant coal gives Xinjiang aluminium smelters competitive edge
<p>Aluminium smelters in Xinjiang, China’s major aluminium producing region, have been enjoying a competitive edge over their competitors in the rest of the country, thanks to abundant coal reserves there. <br /><br />Coal reserves in Xinjiang are estimated at 2.19 trillion tonnes, claiming...
Nalco mulls reducing aluminium CoP by 9%
<p>The state-owned aluminium producer National Aluminium Company (Nalco) is aiming at paring down aluminium output cost by eight-nine per cent to increase long-term profitability in a changed business scenario. The company aims to do that by ramping up production through brownfield expansion and by...
Chinese aluminium smelter remain in profit territory, despite higher costs
<p>Aluminium smelters in China posted big profit in July, despite rising costs, SMM learned.<br /><br />Smelters surveyed by SMM reported average profit to 1,250 yuan per tonne in the week ending July 29.<br /><br />Average cost at smelters in SMM’s survey sample rose 2.1 per cent from June...
Alba awards GE and GAMA consortium as power station 5 EPC contractor
<p>Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), home-base of the Line 6 Expansion Project, has awarded GE and GAMA Consortium the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor for its Power Station (PS 5).<br /><br />Under the terms of the contract, GE and GAMA Consortium will be responsible to...
Tiwai Point aluminium smelter to keep buying 572 megawatts electricity
<p>Southland's Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is going to stick to its electricity purchases at 572 megawatts from Meridian Energy. The smelter's majority owner, Pacific Aluminium, has declined an option to reduce the quantity it buys from electricity generator from 572 megawatts to 400. The...
Technavio landscapes global aluminium foils market from 2016 to 2020
<p>Leading market research firm Technavio has come up with a list of six major aluminium foil manufacturers who are likely to dominate the world market from 2016 through 2020. <br /><br />Presently, there are six vendors including Alcoa, Ess Dee Aluminium, GARMCO, Hindalco Industries, Norsk Hydro,...
Aluminium-based electrochemical cell captures carbon emissions and generates electricity
<p>Two researchers at Cornell University has created an innovative aluminium-based electrochemical cell. The cell captures and separates carbon dioxide while generating a large amount of electricity simultaneously. The researchers, Wajdi Al Sadat and Lynden Archer describe the cell, its benefits...
Aluminium processing capacity in Henan hit by environmental protections upgrade
<p>Aluminium processing capacity in Henan, one of China’s major aluminium processing regions, will be hit by tough environmental protections, SMM learned. <br /><br />Aluminium processors in the province are required to upgrade coal-fired facilities into gas-fired ones out of environmental...
Kitimat transmission line upgrade may see Rio’s aluminium smelter operations getting affected
<p>Power transmission system of Kitmat is undergoing a massive upgrade. BC Hydro has been roped in to replace the transmission lines (between Terrace and Kitimat) that has reached end of life. The new transmission will ensure undisrupted flow of electricity between the two regions. Nevertheless,...
International Aluminium Institute visits Weiqiao Group
<p>Ron Knapp, Secretary General of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) paid a two-day visit to Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group during July 14-15, cnal.com reported. <br /><br />Zhang Bo, Vice Chairman of Weiqiao Group, said two subsidiaries of the group were included in the list of top...
MSETCL plans for Aluminum Conductor Composite Core (ACCC) wires around India's Nashik
The Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL) has planned for high ampacity power supply through cables having aluminium composite core around India’s Nashik city connecting seven of its 132 kv power stations to deliver quality power to the citizens. The decision follows...
