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...
109% rise in aluminium imports & 28% drop in domestic output lead New Zealand extruders to seek urgent actions
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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New bauxite lease to XINFA Aurum Exploration to benefit villagers in Bua
A new mining lease has been granted to the XINFA Aurum Exploration Fiji Limited for the bauxite mining site in Lekutu, Bua. XINFA Managing Director, Sireli Dagaga confirmed the news further saying that 20 landowners would be employed by the company from the Mataqali Naita in Votua Village and the...
Bauxite mining license for Rennell deposits granted to APID
Asia Pacific Investment Development (APID) Ltd has been granted the mining lease for the Rennell bauxite deposit, which was very much in demand, while Indonesian company Bingtang Borneo Ltd’s license was cancelled by the Solomon Islands government. The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Mines,...
Alcoa's Point Henry and Yennora rolling mills close down
Alcoa Australia Rolled Products permanently closed its Point Henry and Yennora rolling mills this week, after five decades of operation. “There is no doubt it is a sad week for our 430 employees, their families and the Geelong and Yennora communities,” said AARP Managing Director Malcolm Murphy. “I...
BHP Billiton’s spin-off is named South32
BHP Billiton has finally announced the name of its spin-off company to be ‘South32’, which will hold all of BHP’s non-core assets like aluminium, nickel, silver and manganese mines, as well as some of its coal assets. The name was suggested by an employee driven by the fact that most of the...
Fiji land minister confirms rehabilitation work at Nawailevu
As recommended by the Environmental Impact Assessment report, the Nawailevu Bauxite Mining site in Vanua Levu is going through rehabilitation works that is being carried out by the Aurum Exploration Fiji Limited. The Lands Minister, Mere Vuniwaqa has confirmed this in the parliament on Monday after...
Breakaway Research publishes report on Altech Chemicals’s HPA project
Breakaway Research publishes report on Altech Chemicals’s HPA project. Following a change of management and name, Altech Chemicals (previously Australian Minerals and Mining Group) has recently commenced a BFS on its 4,000tpa HPA project. Work over recent years has developed a patented, low cost...
BHP demerger progressing very, very well : Graham Kerr
Graham Kerr, the CEO-elect for the proposed new company ( Newco) said in a press conference on Monday that the progress of the BHP demerger is going “very, very well.” They are now at a stage of seeking approvals from Australia, South Africa and other jurisdictions at the same time engaging with...
A third company contests for Rennel bauxite deposits among disputes
The bauxite deposits at Rennell Island is attracting a lot of attention and the newly established mining company, which is a joint venture of Mugava and Solomon Mining Limited, is the third company to show interest in this project. Asia Pacific Investment Development (APID) and Bintang Borneo...
Land lease approved for new bauxite minning site in Bua
Another 20 year land lease has been approved to XINFA Aurum Explorations Fiji Limited for a new bauxite mining site at Votua, Lekutu in Bua. Mine Manager Basilio Vanuaca said 400,000 tonnes of bauxite is expected to be extracted from that piece of land which is 500 metres away from the current site...
HMAS Bundaberg fire forces Aluminium Boats Australia into voluntary administration
A Fire which gutted a $54 million Australian Navy patrol boat has been blamed for the demise of a Brisbane-based boat manufacturing and servicing company. Aluminium Boats Australia today announced it had been placed into voluntary administration after the HMAS Bundaberg was destroyed while...
Tiwai Point Smelter’s future to decide Meridian Energy’s fate
Meridian Energy says, in the possible scenario of Rio Tinto not renewing their contract post July 1 next year, they will watch for the closures of fossil-fuel powered stations before making a decision about their response. Rio Tinto is the major owner of the Tiwai Point Aluminium smelter. According...
AMMG releases update on High Purity Alumina (HPA) Market
Highlights • Global HPA market estimated at 19,040tpa in 2014 with increase to 48,230tpa anticipated by 2018 • Market growth forecast at a CAGR of approximately 28% • Asia Pacific region HPA market share 70% • Asia Pacific potential location for AMMG’s HPA plant – best geographic position to...
Boyne Smelters to continue at full capacity
Business hasn't been easy in the world of manufacturing. Australia has been left with just four aluminium smelters after yet another one closed down in recent weeks. But Boyne Smelters Ltd has continued to work on ways to cut costs and keep its 1200 employees in a job. The biggest unknown is a...
AP Investment associate calls for investments on Renbel bauxite
An associate of Asia Pacific Investment Development (APID), Henry Star Dora says the Renbel Government and people should encourage investment of the Renbel bauxite. He made the statement in Honiara yesterday following the recent revocation of a mine prospecting license and a mine lease granted to...
The Australian Trellis Door Company launches new aluminium security barrier
The Australian Trellis Door Company (ATDC) is proud to announce the launch of its retractable all aluminium security barrier. Following extensive R+D by ATDC’s design engineers the all aluminium retractable security barrier is now available for sale in Sydney,Melbourne,Brisbane,Adelaide,Perth and...
High-tech 'jackets' to help aluminium producers regulate energy use
New research at the University of Auckland developing retrofit technology for the production of aluminium would be the first in the world to allow the industry to more easily regulate electricity use. Professor Mark Taylor and Dr Golbon Zakeri from the University’s Faculty of Engineering will...
Portland aluminium smelter encouraged by ALP's RET exclusion pledge
The operator of the Portland aluminium smelter has applauded the Federal Opposition's move to exclude the sector from Renewable Energy Target (RET) negotiations. The Federal Government and Labor are in negotiations over the future of the 20 per cent by 2020 renewable target. Aluminium smelters are...
New Zealand First open to government stakes in the aluminium smelter
In a speech held at the Invercargill Workingmen’s Club on Sunday, the leader of New Zealand First, Winston Peters, said that he was open to the government holding stakes in the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. He said that the future of the smelter is not yet certain but if a direct government...
