Aluminum, is a light weight, silver-white, metallic element that makes up approximately 7 per cent of the earth’s crust. It weighs about one third as much as steel (7480- 8000 Kg/ cubic meter) or copper (8930 Kg/cubic meter). Aluminium is malleable, ductile, and easily casted and has excellent corrosion resistance and durability. It is mined in the form of bauxite ore and exists primarily in combination with oxygen as alumina. India has nearly 10 per cent of the world’s bauxite reserves and a growing aluminium sector that leverages this. Demand in the domestic market is expected to grow by 8-10 per cent. By 2020, India is expected to have an installed aluminium capacity of 1.7 to 2 million tones per annum.
Ingots are very large casting products, greater in size and shape than blooms, billets and slabs. Ingot generally has rectangular/square cross section, but it is not necessary that it should be uniform throughout its length. (Ingot may have variable cross section.)
India's share in world aluminium market is estimated at around 3%. India ranks fifth in bauxite production after Australia (62 mntonnes), Guinea (17.50 mntonnes), Brazil (16.20 mntonnes) and China (10.75 mntonnes). With a total output of 9.25 mntonnes, the country contributes about 6% of the world's total production of 159 mntonnes, India holds the fifth position in reserves base and is ahead of China with 2300 mntonnes. India ranked seventh in alumina production with a total output of 3 mntonnes, a share of nearly 5% of the global production of 61 mntonnes.
Aluminium has a wide range of applications, from aircraft building to packaging, a major consumer being the electrical industry. The two sectors, electricity and transportation, account for more than half of the total off take. The key consumer industries in India are power, transportation, consumer durables, packaging and construction. Of this, power is the biggest consumer (about 44% of total) followed by infrastructure (17%) and transportation (about 10% to 12%).
The aluminium industry in India is on the verge of witnessing a major leap in consumption over the next five years. Major producers are adding significant capacities and investing in new technologies to add more value to their downstream product portfolios. This, they are doing, in order to cash in on the increasing demand primarily in the building and construction sector followed by transportation (metro and high-speed railway coaches), electrical, electronic consumer durables and next-gen applications like solar reflectors. Defense is another sector where aluminium is being used for making naval ships and surveillance drones.
Few Indian Major Players
1. Aravali Infrapower Ltd.
2. Baheti Metal & Ferro Alloys Ltd.
3. Bothra Metals & Alloys Ltd.
4. Gravita India Ltd.
5. Indo Alusys Inds. Ltd.
6. Namo Alloys Pvt. Ltd.
7. Nealex Alloys Pvt. Ltd.
8. Perfect Alloys & Steel Ltd.
