Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the world’s largest producer of premium aluminum, has adopted a hybrid cloud infrastructure managed by Azure Arc to enhance operational efficiency and optimize production. The approach integrates on-premises datacenters with Azure’s public cloud, enabling advanced AI and automation solutions. “We use the best of the Azure public cloud but we also...
READ MOREChina’s lithium carbonate production reached 64,100 tonnes in February, marking a 0.8% increase from the previous month, according to Mysteel’s updated survey, which covers 68 companies and 83 production bases. The slight monthly increase was driven by ramped-up output from new production capacities and steady operations at major refineries optimizing costs. Additionally, refineries processing outsourced...
READ MOREChina’s electrolytic cobalt production reached 5,370 tonnes in February, reflecting a 5.85% month-on-month increase and a substantial 120.99% surge compared to the previous year. The rise was driven by major cobalt manufacturers resuming normal operations after the Chinese New Year holiday to fulfill long-term orders. However, raw material price fluctuations, influenced by export control policies...
READ MORETaiwanese aluminum extrusion manufacturer Alformer Industrial Co. will invest nearly NT$1 billion ($31.6 million) to establish a new factory in Beidou, Changhua. The facility will focus on producing high-strength aluminum alloy formwork, integrating smart manufacturing and automation technologies, and adopting MES warehouse management and robotic arm welding systems. Initially specializing in aluminum doors and windows,...
READ MOREResearchers at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering are leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance metal 3D printing, optimizing the production of high-performance titanium alloy components. Their AI-driven approach accelerates the manufacturing process for Ti-6Al-4V, a widely used titanium alloy valued for its strength and low weight. “The...
READ MOREFrontier Lithium has secured commitments from both the federal and Ontario governments to support the development of a lithium conversion facility in Thunder Bay. The project aligns with Canada’s goal of establishing a complete critical minerals supply chain. The facility will process lithium from Frontier’s PAK project, producing about 20,000 tonnes of lithium salts annually....
READ MOREChina’s copper production is expected to reach another record in 2025, even as smelters face increasing financial strain. The sector has continued expanding despite a sharp decline in processing fees, prompting government scrutiny and plans to curb new capacity. However, existing projects will proceed as planned, driving further output growth in the coming years. A...
READ MOREAround 20 aluminum-related projects were launched or commenced operations across China in February, according to Mysteel. These developments include four projects dedicated to aluminum alloy products, while the remaining 16 focus on alumina, secondary aluminum, aluminum-based new materials, and semi-finished aluminum products. The largest project by both capacity and investment is a fine alumina production...
READ MOREChina’s aluminum industry remains the largest globally, supported by high production capacity and growing downstream demand. However, market dynamics are shifting due to increasing inventories, fluctuating raw material costs, and cautious buyer sentiment. Despite these challenges, facility expansions and policy adjustments continue to shape the long-term outlook of the sector. Over the past week, the...
READ MOREGlobal aluminum producers have proposed premiums of $245 to $260 per metric ton for April-June primary metal shipments to Japan, marking a 7% to 14% increase from the previous quarter, according to sources involved in the pricing discussions. Japan, a key importer of aluminum in Asia, sets a regional benchmark for quarterly premiums over the...
READ MOREChilean lithium producer SQM plans to reduce its investment budget to $1.2 billion in 2025, down from $1.6 billion in the previous year. Capital expenditures for lithium assets will decrease from $1.3 billion to approximately $900 million, with $550 million allocated for projects in Chile and $350 million for international developments. SQM’s revenue from lithium...
READ MOREThe lithium industrial complex in Llipi, located in the department of Potosí, produced just 2,064 tons of lithium carbonate in 2024, falling well short of its planned annual capacity of 15,000 tons. This output represents only 13.7% of the facility’s expected production. Omar Alarcón, executive president of Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos (YLB), provided a breakdown...
READ MOREVedanta Group firm Hindustan Zinc plans to double its metal production capacity to 2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) within the next five years, according to Chairperson Priya Agarwal Hebbar. The company’s current capacity stands at 1.1 MTPA, with expansion driven by India’s growing steel sector and infrastructure development. “With India’s expanding steel capacity and...
READ MOREAccording to SMM statistics, China’s aluminum production in February 2025 increased by 0.4% year-on-year but fell by 95,000 tonnes compared to January. The monthly decline was attributed to lower casting ingot output during the Chinese New Year holiday, while the overall operating capacity increased due to production resumptions and new replacement projects following an improvement...
READ MOREChina’s production of battery-grade lithium carbonate reached 670,000 metric tons in 2024, marking a 45% increase from the previous year, according to data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Thursday. The lithium market continues to face turbulence, with the most traded lithium carbonate contract on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange closing...
READ MOREPalladium prices have plummeted from a peak of approximately $3,440 per ounce in March 2022 to around $921 per ounce, significantly impacting profitability. As a result, Implats’ first-half profit fell 43% to 1.85 billion rand ($100.23 million), leading the company to halt dividend payments. Last year, Implats announced plans to reduce the lifespan of the...
READ MORETaseko Mines recorded revenues of $608 million in 2024, selling 108 million pounds of copper and 1.4 million pounds of molybdenum. Adjusted EBITDA for the year was $224 million, with earnings from mining operations before depletion and amortization at $244 million. Despite cost control measures, the company reported a net loss of $13 million ($0.05...
READ MOREHerbert Ortner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at AMAG Austria Metall, will leave his position at the conclusion of the company’s 14th Annual General Meeting on April 15, 2025. Ortner, who has served on the Supervisory Board since 2018 and as its Chairman since 2019, cited personal reasons for his decision not to seek re-election....
READ MORETitan Mining has announced plans to expand production at its Empire State Mines (ESM) project, with the addition of 12 million payable pounds of zinc annually from the N2D Zone. Equipment has been secured for expansion, with mobilization expected by Q2 2025 and production from N2D beginning in the second half of the year. For...
READ MORENovelis has successfully conducted tests using hydrogen fuel to power a recycling furnace at its Latchford plant in the UK. The trials, carried out as part of a UK government decarbonization programme in collaboration with Progressive Energy, involved installing new burners, regenerators, and furnace lining material. According to Novelis, replacing natural gas with hydrogen in...
READ MOREEnersense is contributing Finnish expertise to the expansion of a zinc plant in Odda, Norway, enhancing one of Europe’s largest zinc factories. Zinc is a key material for the construction and chemical industries, particularly in protecting steel from corrosion. Historically, zinc production has been associated with high carbon dioxide emissions and heavy metals, but Boliden’s...
READ MORETMC and PAMCO have successfully demonstrated the production of high-grade nickel-copper-cobalt alloy and manganese silicate using polymetallic nodules collected from the deep seafloor. The 2,000-tonne sample, gathered during TMC’s 2022 test mining, was processed at PAMCO’s facility in Hachinohe, Japan, over a 14-day continuous smelting campaign. This achievement marks a significant step toward commercial production,...
READ MOREUmicore experienced a difficult 2024, with its performance affected by weaker demand for electric vehicles, declining metal prices, and economic challenges in the European industrial sector. Despite these pressures, the company’s core businesses remained stable, and efficiency measures helped mitigate some financial difficulties. Group revenues for 2024 were €3.5 billion, down from €3.9 billion in...
READ MOREAlbemarle Corporation posted its financial results for Q4 and the full year of 2024, reflecting the impact of lower lithium prices despite cost reduction efforts. The company implemented efficiency measures to remain competitive but did not meet analyst expectations due to a lithium supply glut driven by overproduction in China. Chairman and CEO Kent Masters...
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