aluminum

Aluminum Corporation of China

Tonya Hennessey — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 02:12:07 -0500

Company Snapshot:

Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (Chalco) has masterminded its way into mixing alumina and aluminum. Chalco is the only maker of alumina -- which is refined from bauxite and a key material in producing aluminum -- in China. The company produces about 9 million tons of alumina products (including alumina, alumina hydrate and alumina chemicals), which makes it the second-largest maker of alumina in the world. Chalco also produces a million tons of primary aluminum annually. In 2007 the company agreed to acquire sister company Baotou Aluminum for about $2 billion.

BHP Billiton

Ian Elwood — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 00:20:52 -0500

Company Snapshot:

BHP Billiton, known traditionally as Big Australian, is now the largest diversified resource company in the world. Its dual headquarters and dual stock listings in Britain and Australia reflect the fact that the business is the result of the 2001 merger of BHP (formerly Broken Hill Proprietary, a mining giant in Australia) and Billiton of South Africa. Aside from its extensive extractive operations in its home countries, the company is also active in places such as Chile (copper), Colombia (coal and nickel) and Canada (diamonds).

Rio Tinto Group

Ian Elwood — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:44:01 -0500

Company Snapshot:

Rio Tinto, one of the largest mining companies in the world, started out as a copper operation in Spain but now has operations on six continents, with the largest presences in Australia and North America. Its products include aluminum, copper, diamonds, coal, uranium, gold, iron ore and industrial minerals (borates, titanium dioxide, salt and talc). Rio Tinto, which has dual headquarters in London and Melbourne, is one of the most controversial corporations in a controversial industry.

Alcoa

Tonya Hennessey — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 01:46:50 -0400