Alcoa to develop world's lowest-cost aluminum complex in S Arabia news

Alcoa, the largest aluminum company in the US and Saudi Arabia's mining company Ma'aden yesterday agreed to invest $10.8-billion joint venture to develop the world's lowest cost aluminium complex in Saudi Arabia.

Alcoa and its partners will own 40 per cent of the joint venture, while Ma'aden will hold 60 per cent and bring the stalled project back on rails.
The project had stalled in 2008 after Rio Tinto's Canadian aluminum subsidiary; Rio Tinto Alcan, holding a 49-per cent stake had pulled out of the project for lack of financing due to the global credit crisis.
Of its 40 per cent, Alcoa will hold 20 per cent and its partners the rest. Each of Alcoa and the partners will invest $900 million over a four-year period and will be responsible for their pro rata share of the project financing, in addition to specific completion commitments.
The Pittsburgh-based aluminum maker said its share of the project is $2.2 billion.
The joint venture will set up a 1.8 million ton-per-year refinery, a 740,000 ton-per-year smelter, a bauxite mine with an annual capacity of 4 million tons and a rolling mill with a capacity of up to 460,000 tons.
http://www.domain-b.com/industry/Aluminium/20091222_alcoa.html

Scrappers charged with stealing aluminum cable near Joliet

A citizen's tip led Will County sheriff's police to take two would-be scrappers into custody last week for swiping 50 feet of aluminum cable from a ComEd site just outside Joliet, police said.

Brian W. Sniegowski, 38, of the 1800 block of Nicholson Street, Crest Hill, and Gordon N. Neitzel, 46, of the 24700 block of East Street, Plainfield, are charged with misdemeanor theft, police said.

Deputies said they tracked Sniegowski to a metal recycling facility in Joliet as he was transporting cable in Neitzel's sport-utility vehicle. Neitzel, who had been barred from the facility, was waiting at a nearby fast-food restaurant when deputies took him into custody, police said.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/southsouthwest/chi-stolen-cable-blotter-sw-25dec25,0,2765368.story

Century Aluminum Company Announces Successful Completion of Consent Solicitation Related to Its 1.75% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2024

Century Aluminum Company (the "Company") (NASDAQ: CENX) today announced that it has successfully completed its solicitation of consents to amend the indenture governing its 1.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2024, CUSIP Nos. 156431AE8 and 156431AD0 (the "2024 Notes"), to modify certain events of default relating to certain bankruptcies and insolvencies. The Company has been advised by the information and tabulation agent for the consent solicitation that approximately 90% of holders of the 2024 Notes consented to the proposed amendments.
Century Aluminum Company owns primary aluminum capacity in the United States and Iceland. Century's corporate offices are located in Monterey, California.
Cautionary Statement
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. The company has based its forward-looking statements on current expectations and projections about the future; however, these statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, any of which could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed in its forward-looking statements. More information about these risks, uncertainties and assumptions can be found in the risk factors and forward-looking statements cautionary language contained in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date such forward-looking statements are made.
Certified Advisors for the First North market of the OMX Nordic Exchange Iceland hf. for Global Depositary Receipts in Iceland:
Atli B. Gudmundsson, Senior Manager - Corporate Finance, NBI hf.
Steingrimur Helgason, Director - Corporate Finance, NBI hf.

Contacts:
Media
Mike Dildine
831-642-9364
Investors
Shelly Lair

831-642-9357

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0559251.htm

Chinese aluminum output may increase by 9pct in 2010

Bloomberg reported that China's aluminum production may gain 9% to 14.5 million tonnes in 2010 as capacity idled because of the financial crisis is restarted after prices rebounded.

Mr Peter Deneen an industry consultant with New Jersey based River Edge said that "Chinese aluminum production has come roaring back and is likely to reach 13.3 million tonnes 2009."

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association has said that output of 2008 was 13.2 million tonnes.

Aluminum output in China, the world's biggest consumer and producer has gained after CNY 4 trillion government stimulus plan boosted demand and prices. Smelters had reduced output of the metal used in aircraft and cars after aluminum prices plunged 36% in 2008.

Mr Wang Feihong analyst at a unit of China Minmetals Corporation said that aluminum production in 2009 might be flat to even higher than 2008's 13.2 million tonnes because smelters have been bringing back idled capacity since the Q2 at a faster speed than the market had anticipated.

Mr Huang Zichao president at the consultancy Guangzhou KCTH Trading Company said that the effect of the financial crisis will likely cut output of primary aluminum to 12.75 million tonnes 2009.

According to the statistics bureau, China posted an 8% increase in output of the metal in September compared with the previous month to 1.2 million tonnes. Aluminum Corporation of China Limited posted its first profit in Q4 on increased demand and prices.

Mr Deneen who was attending a conference in Hong Kong said that as with aluminum production, China's alumina output will be flat at 24 million tonnes 2009 before rising to 28 million tonnes 2010 leaving little scope for alumina imports. 2 tonnes of alumina is needed to produce one ton of aluminum. He said that China will rely on bauxite to feed its growing alumina production capacity, which is forecast to rise 11.1% to 40 million tonnes in 2010.

Mr Paul Messenger CEO at Cape Alumina Limited said that "China has achieved self sufficiency in aluminum and effectively in alumina but has been unable to do so in bauxite."
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/11/05/MTE5MDM5/Chinese_aluminum_output_may_increase_by_9pct_in_2010.html

Experts: Aluminum bats no more dangerous than wood bats

A decision made by a Montana jury could change the face of baseball in America. Jurors are listening to evidence in a case about the death of an 18-year-old pitcher. In 2003, Brandon Patch was hit in the temple from a hard line drive. He died 5 hours after the impact due to a blood clot. Patch's family is suing Hillerich & Bradsby, makers of the aluminum bat, arguing the bat is "unreasonably dangerous.”
The parent company of the Louisville Slugger has been making wooden bats for more than 100 years and aluminum bats since 1970. In this case, the Montana jury is looking into whether aluminum bats are safe for baseball players to use. In court, the attorney representing Hillerich & Bradsby said aluminum bats are not any more dangerous than wooden bats.
University of Louisville head baseball coach Dan McDonnell is not involved in the Montana case, but spoke with WAVE 3 about the differences between wooden versus aluminum bats. McDonnell said injuries can happen regardless of the bat being used.
"We have pitchers that get hit. Just throughout this fall, we've had 5 or 6 pitchers that have gotten hit with a ball coming off a bat," said McDonnell, whose team uses aluminum bats.
Like any other contact sport, McDonnell said baseball can be dangerous and injuries can happen.
"Whether it's a wooden bat, an aluminum bat, any bat - it's just the pitchers are always at risk because they are so close to the plate," McDonnell said. "The last thing anybody wants is for somebody to get hurt, but it happens."
McDonnell said bat companies are doing a good job of following regulations. "Knowing Louisville Slugger and the type of people they are and the family-owned business, I know they're doing everything in their power. [They are doing everything] in compliance with college baseball, high school baseball -whatever the rules are and the standards."
McDonnell wants to keep the standards the same. He said aluminum bats are a good fit for high school and college players and the wooden bats should be left for the pros. McDonnell said when it comes to speed it has to do with hitting the ball with the "sweet spot" of the bat and aluminum bats give players a better chance to do that.
"For it to come off with any velocity, you're going to have to hit it on the sweet spot whether it’s an aluminum bat or a wooden bat," he said.
Coach McDonnell said a batter swinging with a wooden bat can also hit a pitcher.
Meanwhile, “The Don't Take My Bat Away Coalition” supports players choosing what bats they want to use for a game. Coalition representative Mike May said it doesn't matter if a ball is hit using an aluminum or wooden bat, the speed is the same. May did say that with aluminum bats, "you do get a few more well hit balls, but they are not harder hit balls."
In regards to the Montana case, while May said Brandon Patch's death was a tragedy, he doesn't think you can blame everything on the bat. According to May, just because the batter was using an aluminum bat, it’s a bigger deal. “The immediate criticism is negative and they start blaming the bat and that's not accurate and that's not fair."
Also in court, the attorney representing the Patch's family said Brandon did not have enough time to get his glove in place after the pitch to protect himself. Experts clocked the ball hit by the aluminum bat at 99.8 mph.
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=11370259

Comex delists aluminum, ponders future product

After 10 years of spotty trading and incessant illiquidity, CME Group's aluminum futures contract has expired with more of a whimper than a bang. But that hasn't stopped the exchange from considering taking a fresh stab at the market.
"I can't say people were upset about (the contract's demise)," according to Bob Levin, managing director for energy and metals research and development at CME Group, which operated the contract after its 2008 takeover of the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex). "I'm not aware of anybody voicing anything very negative at all, except perhaps some disappointment that it hadn't worked as successfully as we all would have liked. If they had wanted it that much, they would have been trading it more."
CME Group announced in June the decision to delist the futures contract upon the expiration of the September 2009 contract month and the options contract at the end of August. The contract launched in May 1999 against the backdrop of a roaring aluminum product on the London Metal Exchange but struggled to attract volumes from the start.
Traders of the light metal told AMM that the decision to delist didn't come as a surprise, and, if anything, came too late. "They could have done that a long time ago. It's definitely been obsolete for some time," one trader said.
A second trader agreed. "I think that contract just hasn't been used for so long it's just irrelevant. What it became was just like a joke," he said, noting that his trading company hadn't held positions on the...
http://www.amm.com/login/denied_empty/2009-10-06__15-42-11.html/Comex+delists+aluminum+ponders+future+product

Newport introduces aluminum breadboards

ewport, a lasers and photonics manufacturer, has introduced the Labasix SA2 series of low-cost aluminum breadboards for basic photonic research and OEM optical assemblies.
The new, solid aluminum breadboards, machined from 0.5in 6061 aluminum, provide a stable yet lightweight platform for optical components and sub-assemblies.

The LABasix SA2 aluminum breadboard provide a stable yet lightweight platform for optical components and sub-assemblies

The durable SA2 Series incorporates several unique design features that improve the flexibility and ease-of-use compared to traditional aluminum breadboards.
The standard grid of tapped holes extends to within 0.5in of the plate edges, providing more mounting surface than competitive products.
Newport's SA2 also features 'in-grid' counter-bored holes and deep edge chamfers for easier lifting, aligning, and integration of the SA2 onto standard optical tables.
The SA2 Series is offered in the most popular standard sizes with custom sizes and shapes also available.
The imperial standard models feature 1/4 - 20 tapped holes on a 1-inch grid.
Metric models feature M6 tapped holes on a 25mm grid.
Both imperial and metric versions are anodized deep black to minimise surface reflections, with other surface finishes available upon request.
http://www.engineeringtalk.com/news/mcr/mcr178.html