Aluminum

India-focused miner Vedanta Resources (VED.L) posted a 29 percent jump in full-year earnings per share, on the back of strong metal prices and a background of robust demand for commodities. Vedanta, with operations in India, Australia and Zambia, said on Thursday basic EPS came in at 283 cents.

Rio Tinto , the world's third-largest miner, expects global markets to remain fragile in the near term and sees itself in a strong position to weather any turbulence, its chairman said on Thursday. The company said that it expected little impact on demand for commodities following the earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan, and said in the long run demand may increase as Japan moved to rebuild.

Indian state-run National Aluminium Co Ltd (NALCO) has raised the domestic prices of its aluminium products by 4,000 rupees ($90) per tonne, except for rolled products, a senior company official said on Tuesday. The prices have been increased in line with the London Metal Exchange (LME) rates, the official who did not wish to be identified due to company policy, told Reuters.

Hydro had underlying earnings before financial items and tax (EBIT) of NOK 1,448 million in the first quarter, up from NOK 588 million in the fourth quarter. Higher realized aluminium prices and premiums, higher volumes and lower operating costs lifted underlying results for the quarter.

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (NYSE:RS) reported today its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011. For the 2011 first quarter, Reliance reported net income of $92.3 million, up 107% from 2010 first quarter net income of $44.7 million, and up 134% from $39.5 million in the 2010 fourth quarter. Earnings per diluted share were $1.23 in the 2011 first quarter, up 105% from 2010 first quarter earnings per diluted share of $.60 and up 132% from $.53 for the 2010 fourth quarter. Sales for the 2011 first quarter were $1.91 billion, up 32% from 2010 first quarter sales of $1.45 billion, and up 21% from 2010 fourth quarter sales of $1.58 billion.

China has called on central and provincial authorities to stop approving the construction of new aluminium smelting capacity as over-capacity in the industry is expanding. Nine ministries and departments jointly issued an urgent circular reinforcing Beijing's policy to restrict aluminium capacity expansion. The circular was published on the website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Wednesday. (www.miit.gov.cn). Picture, a German aluminium coin from the time of the hyperinflation, is from Images of Elements.

Exploration Orbite (TSX VENTURE:ORT.A) is pleased to announce the presence of high-value by-products such as scandium, gallium and other important rare earth elements in its Grande-Vallée deposit, all of which offer strong economic potential for the company and for Canada. The Company is also pleased to announce its filing of a provisional U.S. patent application that extends protection for its existing patented technology to the extraction of scandium, gallium and other rare earth elements from aluminous clay.

Indian-focused miner Vedanta Plc (VED.L: Quote) saw record aluminium production in its fourth quarter and a 29 percent jump in refined zinc from its Indian operations, helping it take advantage of rising metal prices.

As copper prices reach greater highs, Forbes says that manufacturers are looking at substitutes and choosing aluminum. After the financial crisis in […]