BLACK CHINA BLOG

The issue of China’s continuing export of aluminum into export markets is top of mind in many corners of the world. Fake semis, as they are called, are the hottest topic in many aluminium circles. So it is worth looking just a little deeper into the data to understand what is really happening. I […]

If you know Australia’s Rugby League teams, then you know it takes a special group of people to support the Cronulla Sharks. Cronulla is a suburb on the southern beaches of Sydney, and folk who hail from there are said to be from “the Shire”. It is not common for Sharks fans to hail […]

Aluminium Corporation of China Limited (Chalco) chairman Ge Honglin has resigned. The company’s vice president Qiao Guiling also quit on the same day. Their departure follows Chalco CEO Luo Lanchuan and Vice CEO/CFO Xie Weizhi who both departed at the end of 2015, just 6 weeks prior. Mr Ge’s resignation was unexpected by the marketplace. Mr. Ge was previously […]

An Australian newspaper has run a story suggesting that the Alcoa Portland smelter is under threat of closure. The Melbourne Age says that the smelter will lose A$40 million this year, and faces a huge spike in electricity costs at the end of the year. According to the paper, Portland’s power contract is due to expire […]

After months of being in a rut, China’s aluminium price has broken through the RMB11,000. On 16th February, the SHFE active price was RMB11,045. Cuts to operating capacity are the primary driver. The production reduction in recent months was around 2mt. Plus the 1mt stockpiling plan in January. It gave a positive market sentiment. Outside China, Rusal’s Q4 […]

It’s Thursday morning in Nashville, and TMS is wrapping up. There’s a few technical papers still scheduled, and one or two commercial people still have meetings this morning, but the vast majority of attendees are now harden for the airport. TMS 2016 can largely be remembered for: The horrible weather. Snow, wind, freezing rain, cold […]