- Vedanta Aluminium patents tech to recover graphite from waste
- US aluminium industry aims to boost self-sufficiency
At close of trading on 9 May 2025, base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) showed an uptrend, with aluminium witnessing the highest gain of 2.67% w-o-w. Meanwhile, LME warehouse stocks exhibited negative trends w-o-w, with zinc falling the steepest, by 3.60%.
On the LME, three-month aluminium stood at $2,482/tonne (t), up by 2.67%, while nickel prices decreased by 0.99% w-o-w to $15,648/t. Copper prices were at $9,448/t, up by 0.03% w-o-w, while zinc increased by 1.45% w-o-w to $2,692/t. Lead was up by 0.96% w-o-w to $2,000/t.
India’s imported aluminium scrap prices saw mixed trends w-o-w due to strong demand in the global market amid fluctuating LME prices and supply tightness as participants await ADC price announcements.
BigMint’s latest assessments indicate that Tense scrap from the US stood at $1,970/t down by $20/t, while Wheels from the UK stood at $2,500/t, up by $45/t, both CFR west coast India.
In the domestic market, Tense scrap prices in both Delhi and Chennai inched up by INR 1,000/t compared to last week. According to BigMint’s assessment, domestic Tense scrap stood at INR 196,000/t ex-Delhi-NCR and INR 197,000/t ex-Chennai.
India’s OEM-approved ADC12 aluminium prices for May stood at INR 228,000/t in Delhi and INR 230,000/t in Chennai, reflecting a m-o-m increase of INR 2,000/t from April, as per BigMint’s assessment. This rise was driven by ongoing scrap shortages and robust demand. Additionally, scrap-to-semi-finished spread also widened by INR 5,000/t to INR 33,000-34,000/t m-o-m.
Copper
India’s copper scrap prices remained range-bound this week.
Copper armature scrap was assessed at INR 792,000/t ex-Delhi, stable w-o-w, while motors mix remained steady w-o-w at $1,170/t.
Secondary continuously cast rods (CCRs) (99.90%) were assessed at INR 846,000/t ex-Delhi, reflecting an increase of INR 2,000/t w-o-w. Meanwhile, primary CCR prices stood at INR 880,000/t, up by INR 20,000/t w-o-w.
Zinc
Imported zinc diecast from the Middle East was assessed at $2,150/t CFR Mundra, steady w-o-w, while domestic zinc ingots inched up by INR 4,000/t w-o-w to INR 268,000/t up by INR 8,000/t.
Zinc ingot prices of Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) increased by INR 12,100/t w-o-w to INR 270,100/t ex-Jodhpur.
Lead
Domestic primary lead ingot prices stood at INR 200,000/t, while re-melted ingots were at INR 181,000/t. Meanwhile, HZL lead ingots were up by INR 8,900/t w-o-w to INR 203,300/t ex-Jodhpur.
Other updates
Vedanta’s breakthrough in aluminium waste recycling: Vedanta Aluminium has patented a new technology to recover high-purity graphite from aluminium industry waste, such as spent pot lining and shot blast dust. This innovation supports India’s circular economy goals, reduces dependence on imported graphite for batteries, and strengthens the nation’s self-reliance in critical minerals essential for high-tech and green industries.
US aluminium industry charts path to self-sufficiency: The US Aluminum Association’s new roadmap outlines strategies to reduce reliance on imports and bolster domestic aluminium production. Key initiatives include building new smelters, enhancing recycling efforts, and strengthening trade partnerships. Achieving self-sufficiency will require coordinated efforts between the public and private sectors, significant investments, and supportive energy and trade policies to ensure a resilient and sustainable aluminium supply chain.
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