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Aluminium News
Alcoa CEO sees ‘game changer’ in China’s aluminium curbs
By: Bloomberg 25th March 2021 Signs that China is taking meaningful steps to rein in aluminum production are a “game changer” for the long-term outlook after years of gluts in the industry, Alcoa’s CEO said. Companies that rely on coal-fired power are in the government’s crosshairs as the Asian nation tries to meet a goal of... →
EV battery startup poaches oil veterans to build Arctic factory
By: Bloomberg 24th March 2021 A Norwegian battery maker is giving executives from the oil, gas and aluminum industries a new lease of life, tapping their experience to gain an edge in the race to electrify cars. Freyr plans to start a pilot plant near the Arctic Circle in Norway by next year after hiring a handful of... →
Master Drilling advancing mechanisation for two top-tier local clients 
By: Martin Creamer 23rd March 2021 Mine mechanisation is being advanced for two top-tier local clients of Master Drilling, the CEO of the JSE-listed company, Danie Pretorius, said on Tuesday. Speaking to Mining Weekly in a Zoom interview after reporting 72.7%-higher 2020 net cash generation of $25.5-million, 18%-lower debt to... →
Remote-operation drilling footprint providing sizeable benefit – Master Drilling
By: Martin Creamer 23rd March 2021 An increased remote-operation drilling footprint is providing considerable benefit for Master Drilling, the JSE-listed drilling services company said on Tuesday, when it reported 72.7%-higher 2020 net cash generation of $25.5-million, 18%-lower debt to $42.1-million, and a halved gearing ratio to... →
Master Drilling in muted but resilient 2020 performance
By: Martin Creamer 23rd March 2021 Drilling services company Master Drilling, which operates in 23 countries and which is continuing to grow its presence in new global markets, on Tuesday reported a “muted but resilient performance” for the full year ended December 31, thanks to what it described as a “flexible business model and... →
Master Drilling CEO Danie Pretorius.
QPM raises A$15m for TECH
By: Esmarie Iannucci 22nd March 2021 ASX-listed Queensland Pacific Metals has completed a A$15-million capital raising through share placement to institutional and sophisticated investors. The company on Monday told shareholders that it has placed more than 187.5-million shares, at a price of 8c each, with the shares to be placed... →
Portland future secure until 2026
By: Esmarie Iannucci 19th March 2021 The future of the Portland aluminum smelter, in Victoria, has been secured until 2026, following agreements with multiple power generators. US major Alcoa on Friday said it struck five-year agreements with AGL, Alinta Energy and Origin will each commence August 1, 2021, when an existing... →
Aluminium industry aims to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050
By: Schalk Burger 16th March 2021 Global industry organisation the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) has published three main pathways that the industry can take to reduce its emissions by 80% by 2050 and meet internationally agreed climate goals, supply demand for primary aluminium that will increase by up to 40% and more... →
Local battery material champions planning first-mover advances into new geographies
By: Martin Creamer 15th March 2021 South Africa’s team of local battery material champions are planning first-mover advances into new geographies. Mining Weekly can today report that Thakadu Battery Materials, which is producing high-purity battery-grade nickel sulphate for export, has a pipeline of new projects in place that will... →
Australian resources still abundant - AIMR
By: Esmarie Iannucci 15th March 2021 The latest edition of Australia’s 'Identified Mineral Resources' (AIMR) report has reaffirmed Australia position as one of the world’s top producers of key critical minerals. Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt at the end of last week said that Geoscience Australia’s... →
Just clearing exploration backlog would be huge leap forward – Miller
By: Martin Creamer 12th March 2021 Ahead of tackling policy issues, incremental ongoing effort must be prioritised to clear South Africa’s huge mineral exploration and mining rights backlog, says AmaranthCX director Paul Miller. The backlog currently stands at more than 5 000 unprocessed exploration applications and 235... →
Canada targets 31 critical minerals for domestic production
By: Mariaan Webb 12th March 2021 Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan has announced the release of a Canadian critical minerals list, signalling to investors where the country’s focus will be in the global race to shore up supply of minerals that will drive the transition towards a low-carbon future. The list, announced... →
Norsk Hydro strikes $1.6bn deal to sell assets to KPS
By: Bloomberg 8th March 2021 Norsk Hydro, one of the world’s largest aluminum producers, is selling its rolling business to private equity firm KPS Capital Partners in the hope of improving profitability. Hydro will sell the operations, which include seven plants and about 5 000 employees, to KPS for an enterprise value of... →
Mines anywhere, everywhere can go green – Hydrogen Optimized
By: Martin Creamer 8th March 2021 Owing to the ubiquity of the world’s sun and the wind, all mines have the opportunity to generate their own green electricity no matter where they are located in the world, Hydrogen Optimized CEO Andrew T Stuart emphasised during last week’s Fasken online panel discussion on hydrogen. In this... →
Fasken panel that discussed hydrogen.
Green revolution gets more expensive as copper price surges
By: Bloomberg 4th March 2021 Look just beneath the surface of many of the technologies powering the energy transition and there’s a red metallic glint. Copper is a vital part of green infrastructure from grids to wind turbines, and a recent price surge threatens to make decarbonization more costly. Copper has doubled from... →
Test mine study under way for Fourth Industrial Revolution try-outs
By: Martin Creamer 24th February 2021 A feasibility study is under way on a mine selected for the testing of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies ahead of their implementation, Minerals Council South Africa senior executive modernisation and safety Sietse van der Woude said on Wednesday. Van der Woude was answering... →
The fight to save the LME ring begins as traders warn on pricing
By: Reuters 24th February 2021 The London Metal Exchange is facing broadening resistance to a plan to close its iconic open-outcry trading floor, with German traders and manufacturers joining some members to warn that closing “the Ring” would hurt pricing and volumes. The LME suspended trading on the floor in March, and last... →
Coal to China set to continue while Asian giant not buying from Australia – Glencore
By: Martin Creamer 17th February 2021 The export of South African coal to China is poised to continue while China decides not to buy Australian coal, Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg said during this week’s Glencore media conference. “China still imports round about 185-million tons to 190-million tons of seaborne coal. They like to... →
Glencore heading for a future without any coal production.
Rio Tinto and Hydro to close Netherlands anode plant
By: Creamer Media Reporter 16th February 2021 The Aluchemie anode production facility, in Netherlands, will be closed at the end of the year, partners Rio Tinto and Hydro announced on Tuesday, citing its weak competitive position and challenging market conditions. The plant, opened in the mid-1960s, employs 220 employees and produces 216... →
Glencore ready to support transition to low-carbon economy – Glasenberg
By: Martin Creamer 16th February 2021 Diversified mining and marketing company Glencore is ready to support the transition to a low-carbon economy, CEO Ivan Glasenberg said on Tuesday when the company reported finishing 2020 with earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) of $11.6-billion, Covid-19... →
Rio Tinto reaches new power agreement for Iceland smelter
By: Creamer Media Reporter 15th February 2021 Diversified major Rio Tinto on Monday announced an amended power contract that would allow the ISAL aluminium smelter, in Iceland, to continue operating with an improved competitive position. The agreement with power supplier Landsvirkjun would deliver a more competitive power price and energy... →
Qld HPA project a step closer
By: Esmarie Iannucci 11th February 2021 The Queensland Coordinator General has approved ASX-listed Alpha HPA’s plans for a A$300-million high purity alumina (HPA) plant which could create120 jobs. A previously completed definitive feasibility study estimated that the project could generate free annual cash flows of A$280-million a... →
Aluminium producer Norsk Hydro sued by Brazilian group over alleged pollution
By: Reuters 9th February 2021 Some 40 000 Brazilians are bringing a group-action lawsuit against Norwegian aluminium producer Norsk Hydro for what they say is toxic waste pollution the company is causing in northern Brazil. The lawsuit is brought by a group of communities who live in the lower Amazon region in the Brazilian... →
Rusal says aluminium demand healthy despite pandemic
By: Reuters 9th February 2021 Demand for aluminium is extending its recovery so far this year despite a second wave of Covid-19 lockdowns, an executive at Russian aluminium producer Rusal said this week. "Demand is still strong in many sectors, especially automotive, packaging, construction," Roman Andryushin, head of sales... →
Glencore, Century Aluminum ink sale of 150 000 t of Natur-Al aluminium
By: Simone Liedtke 4th February 2021 Glencore and Century Aluminum Company have finalised the sale of 150 000 metric tons of Natur‐Al aluminium over five years to Austrian firm Hammerer Aluminium Industries (HAI). Natur‐Al products are made with energy from 100% renewable sources at Century’s Norðurál Grundartangi aluminum plant in... →
Mining has a role to play in supporting the global population, says Cutifani
By: Simone Liedtke 3rd February 2021 The global human population – almost nine-billion people – cannot be supported without mining, diversified miner Anglo American CE Mark Cutifani said during a panel discussion at the virtual Investing in African Mining Indaba on February 2. Speaking during an environmental, social and governance-... →
‘We need exploration to grow our industry’ – Minerals Council
By: Martin Creamer 1st February 2021 “We need exploration to grow our industry,” Minerals Council South Africa president Mxolisi Mgojo said on Monday during a virtual State of the Mining Nation media briefing in which he described exploration as one of the low-hanging fruits that could change South Africa’s economic trajectory in... →
ICMM announces equivalency benchmarks
29th January 2021 Last month, the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), an international organisation dedicated to a safe, fair and sustainable mining and metals industry, published a series of equivalency benchmarks that compare the requirements of ICMM’s Mining Principles with several mining and... →
Rio Tinto enters scandium market with Canada plant
By: Mariaan Webb 15th January 2021 Diversified major Rio Tinto is set to become North America’s first producer of scandium oxide, with the construction of a commercial scale demonstration plant at its Rio Tinto Fer et Titane (RTFT) metallurgical complex in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. Rio Tinto is investing$6-million in the construction... →
Rio extends life at NZ smelters
By: Esmarie Iannucci 14th January 2021 Diversified miner Rio Tinto has settled on a new electricity agreement with ASX-listed Meridian Energy that allows New Zealand’s Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) to continue operating the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter until the end of December 2024. The extension provides certainty to employees, the... →
Net-zero emissions commitments hold benefits, but also downsides, for miners
By: Simone Liedtke 6th January 2021 Miners are targeting massive carbon reductions over the next 10 to 15 years on the path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with equity research company Jefferies warning that this implies higher costs and capital expenditure (capex), but also a trend of less supply, higher commodity prices,... →
Rio invests in Canadian aluminium
By: Esmarie Iannucci 18th December 2020 Diversified major Rio Tinto has announced a $8.4-million investment to expand the recycling capacity of its aluminium operations in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. The expansion would offer rolled product customers in North America a new, sustainable solution combining low-carbon and recycled... →
Oleg Deripaska’s Rusal role spurred Europe sanctions warning to US
By: Bloomberg 17th December 2020 European officials have provided information to the US government indicating that Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska continued to exert control this year over United Co. Rusal International, which the officials say was a breach of a US sanctions agreement reached in 2018. An assessment sent to... →
Portland smelter given a lifeline
By: Esmarie Iannucci 14th December 2020 The Australian government has offered aluminium major Alcoa a A$76.8-million commitment over a four-year period to support the Portland aluminium smelter, in Victoria, as the state struggles with energy supplies. Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor on Monday pointed out that... →
Steps South Africa needs to take to attract global exploration investment
By: Martin Creamer 10th December 2020 Countries wanting to attract exploration investment need readily available geophysics data to offer to prospective investors. “Geophysics is now key to the exploration industry, particularly for metalliferous-type deposits, which have the largest value,” Exploration Geological Consultancy MD... →
Exploration Geological Consultancy MD Regina Molloy
Metal prices expected to average higher in 2021 amid recovery from Covid-19 – Fitch Solutions
By: Donna Slater 1st December 2020 Financial risk management, solutions and insights company Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research (Fitch Solutions) expects miners and metal producers to experience a more favourable pricing environment in 2021 with nearly all mineral and metal prices forecast to average higher on a... →
Climate-driven surge in scrap use could slash primary metal demand - Woodmac 
By: Reuters 27th November 2020 A surge in the use of scrap metal due to strict environmental policies could slash global demand for primary aluminium by almost half and cut demand for primary copper and iron by more than a third by 2040, Wood Mackenzie said on Thursday. In a report on the future of mining, the consultancy... →
Govt study into local lithium-ion battery value chain almost complete
By: Irma Venter 27th November 2020 A study into the possible development of a lithium-ion (li-ion) battery value-chain in South Africa will be completed by the end of the year. The study is being undertaken by Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), on behalf of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC). It... →
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