Related Party Transactions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

The significant related party transactions occurring during the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 are described below.

Sales to Glencore

We sold primary aluminum under spot and long-term sales contracts with Glencore at prices based on the LME price for primary aluminum, as adjusted to reflect the Midwest premium (a premium typically added for deliveries of aluminum within the U.S.) and product premiums. In addition, we received tolling fees from Glencore under tolling agreements that provide for delivery of primary aluminum produced at Grundartangi. The fee paid by Glencore under these tolling agreements is based on the LME price for primary aluminum, as adjusted to reflect the exemption from the European Duty Paid premium for Icelandic primary aluminum. We believe that all of the transactions with Glencore were at prices that approximate market. See Note 16 Forward contracts and financial instruments for additional information about our forward physical delivery contracts and tolling agreements with Glencore.

We had a long-term contract to sell Glencore primary aluminum, at a variable price based on the LME, adjusted by a negotiated U.S. Midwest market premium with a cap and floor as applied to the current U.S. Midwest premium, which expired at the end of 2013. In addition, we had a contract to sell Glencore all U.S. produced primary aluminum, less existing sales agreements and high-purity metal sales, which expired at the end of 2013. We sold high-purity metal in 2013 on a spot basis at variable prices based on the LME, plus U.S. Midwest premium and product premiums.

See Note 22 Subsequent events for additional information about a new aluminum supply agreement with Glencore.

Purchases from Glencore

We purchase alumina from Glencore on both a spot and long-term contract basis. We believe that all of the alumina purchased under these long-term contracts was purchased at prices which approximated market. For alumina purchased from Glencore on a spot basis, we determined the market price for the spot alumina we purchased based on a survey of suppliers at the time that had the ability to deliver spot alumina on the specified terms. Based on this survey, we believe that all of the alumina purchased on a spot basis from Glencore was purchased at prices that approximate market.

Alumina contract and amendments. We are party to a long-term alumina supply agreement with Glencore, in which Glencore has agreed to supply us with alumina through 2017 at prices indexed to the LME price of primary aluminum. In 2014, upon mutual agreement, approximately half of the purchases under this agreement was priced based on a published alumina index. For 2015, we have agreed to price all of the purchases under this agreement based on a published alumina index. We had additional agreements to buy alumina from Glencore, which expired at the end of 2014 and 2013. In 2014, 2013 and 2012, the pricing on these alumina purchase agreements for Grundartangi was indexed to the LME price for primary aluminum. We believe that the alumina purchased from Glencore under these contracts was purchased at prices that approximate market.

Primary aluminum put options

During 2011, we entered into primary aluminum put option contracts with Glencore that settled in 2012. We paid cash premiums to enter into these contracts. We believe that the cash premiums paid to Glencore under these contracts were purchased at prices that approximate market.

Transactions with BHH

We own a 40% stake in BHH, a carbon anode and cathode facility located in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of south China. We have a long-term agreement with BHH to provide carbon anodes to Grundartangi through December 31, 2015. We believe that the carbon anodes purchased from BHH were purchased at prices that approximate market.

Summary

A summary of the aforementioned related party transactions for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 is as follows:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Net sales to Glencore	$	1,262,101	$	511,051	$	552,299
Purchases from Glencore	285,167		173,693		145,589
Purchases from BHH	47,804		86,678		39,337

- Definition

The entire disclosure for related party transactions. Examples of related party transactions include transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiary; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) and entity and its principal owners; and (d) affiliates.

+ References+ Details