Energy & Resources

Chinalco’s diversifying away from aluminium

Nov 12, 2010 (WiC 85)

"Many of them that in the past were great have become small,” warned the Greek historian Herodotus, “and those that in my time were great previously were small.” He was writing about the war between Persians and Greeks, but his words could ...

CNOOC to buy stake in Texan shale oil field

Oct 22, 2010 (WiC 82)

"If you don't review this one, that law is meaningless," Democratic senator Ron Wyden told then US treasury secretary, John Snow in 2005. He was talking about legislation designed to veto foreign takeovers that threatened American interests. “I ...

Japan discovers the dangers of China’s control over rare earth metals

Oct 8, 2010 (WiC 81)

Throughout its history, China has enjoyed virtual monopolies over many highly sought-after goods and commodities. First off, its emperors kept a tight hold on sericulture, so as to ensure that they could dominate the manufacture and trading of ...

How one company came to dominate China’s wind turbine market

Oct 1, 2010 (WiC 80)

Shanghai’s busy Nanjing Road is known for its trendy cafés and boutique shops – not a place many would associate with a determination to invest in renewable energy. But that’s all about to change. In a few months time shoppers who raise ...

Why mining firm Zhongchuan’s hitting headlines

Sep 24, 2010 (WiC 79)

A month or two ago, before BHP’s bid for the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, how many of us even knew what potash was? Now headline writers are depicting it as the new frontline in the struggle for resources between China Inc and the global ...

BP battered by press, but PetroChina spared

Sep 10, 2010 (WiC 77)

"Not completely our fault’ is the four word summary of the report released by BP on Wednesday into the Gulf of Mexico disaster. It’s only the opening salvo. The oil flow may have been plugged but the legal fees will likely gush for ...

Aluminium boss must avoid losses this year

Sep 3, 2010 (WiC 76)

For eight years after it was established, the Aluminium Corporation of China (Chinalco) was a gleaming success story – an ascent crowned by its acquisition of a 9% stake in Rio Tinto in early 2008. But last year things started to go wrong ...

A wave of consolidation is sweeping China’s steel sector – led by Wang Yifang

Aug 20, 2010 (WiC 74)

In 1957 China’s steel industry produced a mere 5.3 million tonnes a year. This bothered Mao Zedong, who viewed steel output as a proxy for national virility. Sitting by his swimming pool in Zhongnanhai, he decreed that output should be doubled ...

Why the Chinese are shopping for uranium mines

Aug 20, 2010 (WiC 74)

For much of the last decade, the metal to own has been gold. Enjoying steady price increases until 2008, its value soared with the bursting of the commodity bubble and the onset of the financial crisis. But with an ounce of gold now worth around ...

COFCO recycles vision for biofuel

Jul 30, 2010 (WiC 71)

You know fears about the long term price of oil are serious when you hear talk of relying on corn stalks to keep car engines running. It’s no longer such a distant prospect. New technology from the corn fields of northern China aims to turn ...