Caustic soda may not be the most visible ingredient in aluminium production, but without it, the journey from bauxite to alumina would look very different. The chemical, also known as sodium hydroxide, is a crucial reagent in the Bayer process, where it helps dissolve alumina-bearing material in bauxite and separate it from impurities. The dissolved material is then processed to recover alumina, which ultimately feeds aluminium production. That makes caustic soda more than just another industrial chemical. Its availability, price and efficient use can influence the economics of alumina refining and, by extension, the wider aluminium value chain. As India expands its alumina and aluminium capacity, the requirement for this chemical is also becoming increasingly important. For companies...
The Ball Foundation and SKILLED Nation have extended their scholarship partnership for a third year, with 60 students set to receive $2,500 awards in 2026. The Ball Foundation and SKILLED Nation have extended their scholarship partnership for a third year, bringing the foundation’s cumulative investment in the program to $300,000. Through the Ball Foundation SKILLED Scholarship, another 60 students will receive $2,500 awards in 2026 to support education and training for careers in advanced manufacturing and other technical fields. More than 100 scholarships will have been supported over the three years of the partnership. “Three years and $300,000 reflect The Ball Foundation’s sustained commitment to creating real opportunities for students pursuing skilled careers,” said Alvin Townley,...
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The Pentagon has announced a USD 174 million financing package for the aluminium producer Alcoa to set up a gallium production facility at its Wagerup alumina refinery in Western Australia, bringing critical mineral production into the refinery’s operations. The new facility is expected to produce approximately 100 tonnes of gallium metal annually. Construction began last month, marking a significant step towards expanding production of the critical metal and strengthening supply capabilities. The initiative is a multinational partnership with Export Finance Australia (EFA), the Government of Japan, and Sojitz Corporation. To learn about the market potential of aluminium dross, explore " ALuminium Dross Processing: Generation, Recovery & Strategic Roadmap " Gallium is not generally mined...
Asia’s alumina exports entered 2026 on a strong footing, with shipments to global markets reaching 7.05 million tonnes worth USD 2.76 billion in H1 2026 , up 27.36 per cent year-on-year . The sharp rise in H1 was driven by a quarter-on-quarter surge by a considerable margin. This indicates an acceleration in aluminium production, translating into an increased demand for alumina in the market. The key question for H2 2026 is whether Asia can maintain this pace despite geopolitical disruptions, evolving refinery capacity and changing market demand. H1 2026 sets a strong export benchmark Comparing the H1 export graphs of Asia across 2026, 2025 and 2024, the Y-o-Y improvement remains consistent. H1 2026 – 7.05 million tonnes, up 27.36 per cent Y-o-Y from H1 2025 H1 2025 – 5.54 million tonnes,...
Canada will raise tariffs on US steel and aluminium to 50 per cent from September 8 as part of a CAD 27.6 billion (USD 19.88 billion) retaliatory package, while Ottawa introduces CAD 7.5 billion (USD 5.4 billion) in support for workers and businesses affected by the trade dispute. Canada will double its tariffs on US steel and aluminium from 25 per cent to 50 per cent , while imposing additional duties on more than 700 American products as trade tensions between the two countries intensify. The measures, which take effect on September 8, form part of a CAD 27.6 billion (USD 19.88 billion) retaliatory package. The federal government said the measures are intended to match the latest round of US tariffs on Canadian goods dollar for dollar. The new duties will also cover products including...
Aluminium prices settled 0.35 per cent higher at INR 345.6 (USD 3.64), backed by declining exchange inventories, expectations of additional fiscal measures in China and concerns over constrained supply from the Middle East. However, improving production prospects in the region limited further gains. Aluminium warehouse scenario Aluminium inventories in Shanghai Futures Exchange ( SHFE )-monitored warehouses declined by 3 per cent from the previous week. Stocks at three major Japanese ports also fell 8.8 per cent month-on-month to 201,000 tonnes at the end of July, partly reflecting lower imports from the Middle East amid tensions resulting from the US-Iran conflict. China's economic outlook has also supported expectations of further policy measures. The country's GDP growth slowed to 4.3...
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have advanced the use of DuAlumin-3D for high-temperature automotive components, opening new possibilities for stronger, lighter 3D-printed aluminium parts in engines and beyond. Aluminium has long been attractive for automotive components because it combines low weight with useful thermal properties. But when manufacturers try to push aluminium into demanding, high-temperature applications using additive manufacturing, the material can run into a major problem: cracking during the printing process. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have now demonstrated that DuAlumin-3D, an innovative aluminium alloy, could help overcome that limitation. The alloy performed better than traditional aluminium alloys during laser powder bed...
Epsilon Advanced Materials has secured INR 1,450 million (USD 15.24 million) in government CAPEX support under India's Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme, strengthening plans to scale domestic graphite anode production for batteries. India's push to build a self-reliant battery materials supply chain has received a fresh boost after Epsilon Advanced Materials secured government approval for its graphite anode material project under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS). The company has been approved for INR 1,450 million (USD 15.24 million) in capital expenditure support, equivalent to 25 per cent of the project's total capital investment, from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The approval is particularly significant because Epsilon...
New Zealand’s aluminium extrusion industry is calling for urgent government action as it faces growing pressure from low-priced imports. The Aluminium Extruders Association of NZ (ALENZ) says a rise in imported aluminium extrusions, particularly from China, is affecting local manufacturers, with some products entering the market at prices below the cost of the raw aluminium billet used by domestic producers. ALENZ applied for a safeguard investigation into aluminium extrusion imports, and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Cameron Brewer initiated the investigation on May 27. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is required to report to the minister by late September under the statutory 85-working-day timeframe set out in the Trade (Safeguard Measures) Act. The...
Inventory overview: 850,000 tonnes arrives as expected; destocking pace slows marginally China’s aluminium ingot social inventory fell steadily from a phase high of 1.13 million tonnes in early July, with destocking of more than 170,000 tonnes in July alone. In August, the pace of destocking slowed marginally, with cumulative destocking of 106,000 tonnes for the full month. As of August 27, aluminium ingot inventory in major consuming regions stood at 852,000 tonnes, down 8,000 tonnes from Monday and down 23,000 tonnes W-o-W from the previous Thursday. Cumulative destocking since July reached 278,000 tonnes, bringing the absolute volume down to around 850,000 tonnes, in line with earlier market consensus expectations, but it still remained at a high level for the same period in nearly...
Ireland’s Department of Enterprise has refused to release correspondence with Aughinish Alumina, saying the information was provided in confidence and could potentially affect the Limerick refinery’s business if disclosed. The decision follows the Irish government’s earlier review of allegations concerning alumina exports from the refinery to Russia. That review found no adverse findings against Aughinish Alumina. It said the Department found “no evidence corroborating the media assertions” after seeking information from bodies inside and outside Ireland. The latest issue relates to correspondence between the Department of Enterprise and Aughinish Alumina management. A Freedom of Information request was submitted on June 17 seeking access to the documents, but the Department refused to...
Domestic alumina spot prices continued to edge lower last week, while transactions benchmarking the futures market remained relatively active. On the supply side, domestic operating capacity of alumina stands at approximately 99 million tonnes per year. Recent operating rates have remained at a stage-high level, with refineries in some regions continuously improving competitiveness through cost reduction and efficiency enhancement. No signs of large-scale production curtailment have emerged for now. Persistent heavy rainfall in parts of Guangxi has restricted shipments from some alumina refineries, while production has not been significantly affected. In addition, the commissioning progress of a new project in Beihai, Guangxi, has been slower than expected; specific subsequent...
India’s green hydrogen push is gradually moving from targets and project announcements towards building the infrastructure needed for large-scale production. Manufacturing facilities, renewable power projects, ammonia plants and port infrastructure are becoming important parts of the next stage of development. The country aims to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. So far, the government has awarded 3 GW of annual electrolyser manufacturing capacity to 15 companies and 862,000 tonnes per year of green hydrogen production capacity to 18 companies. Another 724,000 tonnes per year of green ammonia supply has been allocated for 13 fertiliser units across the country. Gujarat is emerging as a major location for these investments. Around...
In August, China's aluminium processing industry composite PMI recorded 48.7 per cent, up slightly from July but still below the 50 mark, with the industry overall showing "weak recovery" characteristics and significant divergence across segments. Aluminium wire and cable was the strongest performer, with a PMI of 54.5 per cent, up 10.1 percentage points M-o-M; accelerating implementation of power grid orders combined with front-loaded stockpiling for the September-October peak season drove sharp rebounds in the new orders index and new export orders, and producers actively prepared materials and restocked, with only the production-side recovery pace slightly lagging the recovery in orders. Aluminium foil recorded a PMI of 52.1 per cent, as the completion of maintenance and production...
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price chart recovered on the August 28 trading session across the pricing and contract segments compared to the August 27 close. On the inventory side, opening stocks and live warrants remained stable for three consecutive sessions. The LME aluminium cash bid and offer prices gained 0.3 per cent day-on-day on August 28. The bid shifted from USD 3,212 per tonne to USD 3,221.5 per tonne, and the offer surged from USD 3,212.5 per tonne to USD 3,222 per tonne . Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook On August 28, the LME aluminium three-month bid and offer prices reported a 0.78 per cent rise over the August 27 session. The...
According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC), China's aluminium wire and cable exports reached 102,800 tonnes in July 2026, representing a year-on-year surge of 481.8 per cent but a month-on-month decline of 8.5 per cent . From January to July 2026, cumulative exports of aluminium wire and cable totalled 386,300 tonnes, up 152.78 per cent year-on-year. Among these, exports of other non-insulated aluminium stranded wire, cables, braids, and similar products (HS code 76149000) totalled 84,600 tonnes, while exports of non-insulated steel-core aluminium stranded wire, cables, braids, and similar products (HS code 76141000) reached 18,200 tonnes. In July, the price spread between domestic and overseas markets narrowed,...
What happens when an automaker starts building a business beyond cars? For Hyundai Motor Co., robotics is becoming a key part of that shift, with the company moving from using robots in its factories to developing, manufacturing and deploying them at scale. Hyundai is laying the groundwork to become a physical AI and technology company following its takeover of robotics maker Boston Dynamics. The move comes as the company looks to diversify its revenue, with its automotive business currently accounting for nearly 80 per cent of revenue. The next step is already taking shape at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Savannah, Georgia, where the company manufactures all-electric vehicles. Hyundai opened its Robot Metaplant Application Center there in June. The centre simulates real...
Global bauxite flows rose to 20 million tonnes in July 2026, up more than 3 per cent year on year, as a sharp increase in shipments to China offset declines across almost every other region. However, the strength in July may not fully carry into the coming months, with Guinea’s expected export restrictions prompting buyers to bring purchases forward. Bauxite flows destined for China increased by 5 per cent in July, providing the main support to global volumes. India, despite recording a surge in bauxite imports during 2026, saw shipments destined for the country fall by 2 per cent in July. This was only the second monthly decline recorded so far this year. Flows to the UAE remained under pressure as the conflict in the Arabian Gulf region continued to affect shipments. July marked the...
Aluminium billet inventory fell to 139,500 tonnes, warehouse withdrawals recovered and processing fees were broadly under pressure. According to SMM statistics, China's aluminium billet inventory in major consumption areas recorded 139,500 tonnes on August 27, down 5,000 tonnes from last Monday and down 3,500 tonnes from last Thursday, ending the previous continuous inventory buildup trend and turning to a slight decline during the week. Compared with the same period, inventory was 5,500 tonnes higher than in 2025, 29,400 tonnes higher than in 2024, and 69,900 tonnes higher than in 2023, with total inventory still at a high level for the same period in recent years. From the perspective of warehouse withdrawals, aluminium billet withdrawals recorded 36,500 tonnes from August 17 to August...
PV aluminium extrusion: In this week's survey sample, the operating rate of PV frame enterprises consolidated on a strong note. Affected by the expected implementation of the US Section 232 PV new regulation, policy-driven advance stockpiling demand was mainly concentrated in the upstream solar cell sector. Order-taking and production schedules at the end-user module export side remained relatively cautious, with no large-scale concentrated market trend emerging. As a result, growth in supporting orders for PV frames was limited, only marginally improving the industry's operating rates and failing to create a trend rebound momentum. Looking ahead in the short term, production schedules of downstream PV module enterprises are relatively stable, and with the gradual absorption of the...
