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...
New Zealand’s aluminium extrusion industry is calling for urgent government action as it faces growing pressure from low-priced imports. The Aluminium Extruders Association of NZ (ALENZ) says a rise in imported aluminium extrusions, particularly from China, is affecting local manufacturers, with...
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According to a report on October 23, the global miner Rio Tinto Limited has flagged a possibility to close production at its New Zealand’s Aluminium Smelter (NZAS), citing weakness in the aluminium market and high energy costs. NZAS is a joint venture between Rio Tinto (79.36%) and Sumitomo...
FYI Resources Limited, an Australian Listed resources company, reportedly announced this week that it completed the trial production of high-purity alumina (HPA) at its pilot plant in Welshpool, Western Australia. This marks significant progress in FYI’s high-purity alumina development strategy. As...
Australian Bauxite Ltd published the half yearly report for the period ending June 30, 2019. The company reported a $1.57 million loss for the half‐year ended 30 June 2019. Revenue stood at $2.08 million, up from $95,000 in the corresponding period last year. Australian Bauxite shipped 32,477...
Fire erupted at the Rio Tinto Alcan’s ISL aluminium smelter in Straumsvík, Southwest Iceland at night on September 3. According to Bjarni Már Gylfason, PR person for Rio Tinto in Iceland, workers managed to extinguish the fire without much injuries and minor damages. The fire erupted mainly at the...
International packaging manufacturer Jamestrong Packaging has inaugurated a $15 million can facility in Auckland, NZ, following increased demand for New Zealand baby formula. The facility will manufacture 50 million cans per annum, and at the appropriate time a second line can be dropped into the...
Coopers Brewery has released its Sparkling Ale, one of its foundation beers, in bold red 375 ml cans. Sparkling Ale will be available in mid-August to coincide with the release of Coopers XPA in cans. Sparkling Ale and XPA join Coopers Original Pale Ale, Session Ale and Mild Ale in cans. Coopers...
According to a recent report, Western Australia will launch its much-awaited container deposit scheme in 2020, with a 10 cent refund on offer for every eligible container returned. This initiative is designed to encourage people to recycle empty containers and reduce litter. Aluminium containers...
Incat Crowther, a leading naval architect and engineering service specializing in catamaran and monohull designs, announced that it bagged a contract to design a 65-metre catamaran passenger ferry, tentatively named Dolphin 3. The ferry, to be built by Khan Co. Ltd. of Geoje-si with marine grade...
Alcoa Corporation, the world’s eighth largest aluminium producer, has reportedly launched its 2020 apprenticeship recruitment campaign. Through this campaign, which will run until July 15, Alcoa hopes to recruit more than 20 apprentices. Four-year apprenticeships are on offer in the trade...
The Australian firm Pure Alumina Limited is on track to acquire Canada-based Polar Sapphire that owns one of the world’s most efficient and effective processes for making high purity alumina (HPA). Scott Nichol, the founder and chief executive of Polar Sapphire, who is soon becoming the Pure...
A major shareholder of the Portland aluminium smelter has reportedly revealed that the high cost of electricity is threatening the future viability of the plant. According to Alumina Limited managing director Mike Ferraro’s report to The Australian Financial Review , “Prices (for electricity) have...
The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) Chair Gervais Jacques said IAI Board of Directors has selected Miles Prosser as the next Secretary General of the IAI. He will take over from the current Secretary General, Ron Knapp, in January 2020. IAI said Miles is currently the Executive Director of...
Pacific Aluminium (New Zealand) Limited (PacAl NZ), a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, has reported its interest in the Tiwai Point smelter operated by New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited (NZAS). Smelter’s underlying earnings came in at NZ$22 million in 2018, down NZ$53 million from NZ$75 in 2017. This...
The U.S. total imports of aluminium for consumption during the first 3 months of 2019 stood at 1.44 million tonnes, 20% less than 1.81 million tonnes in the same period in 2018, according to the latest Mineral Industry Survey report from US Geological Survey. The U.S. imported 509,000 tonnes of...
Reacting to a report from The New York Times, claiming that Trump administration was advised on imposing tariffs on Australian steel and aluminium, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday that the country has been complying with the terms of the trade deal with the U.S. It was...
According to the New York Times report, some of the United States top trade advisers including Robert Lighthizer, the US trade representative, and Peter Navarro, the director of the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, had urged the Trump administration to impose tariffs on...
A Queensland woman recycling containers to raise money for her dream destination wedding has taken the internet by storm. Leonie Starr from the Sunshine Coast has already reportedly recycled 51,455 containers at the TOMRA Recycling Centre in last five months, while she needs to recycle about...
Hobart ship-building company Taylor Bros is currently constructing two 16.3 metre-long and 6.2 metre-wide aluminium ‘heavy-lift’ barges for Australia’s Antartic flagship RSV Nuyina. These two barges and a fleet of small watercraft will reportedly support RSV Nuyina when the icebreaker voyages...
