Domestic spot alumina prices edged down slightly last week amid flat trading activity. Recent alumina price movements were mainly attributed to earlier concentrated restocking by downstream buyers, which has led to accumulating inventories at rail stations and smelters. Coupled with supply-side maintenance-driven output cuts that are still building, readily available spot volumes have tightened relatively. Only sporadic tender deals were heard recently, leaving prices in a temporary steady phase. On the bauxite front, domestic ore prices saw limited movement last week. Supply-side bottlenecks are unlikely to ease in the near term, with mines prioritising captive supply, leaving little excess spot material available. For imported ore, freight rates rebounded slightly and consecutively last...
The global aluminium supply chain is facing a series of changes that extend from bauxite mines and alumina refineries to smelters, regional premiums and finished-metal trade. In 2026, the market’s direction is being shaped not only by production volumes but also by freight costs, export restrictions, shifting Chinese demand and tariffs. Developments across Guinea, Australia, China, Europe and North America point to a market where access to supply is increasingly as important as the availability of raw materials. Bauxite supply: Guinea’s cap meets a well-stocked China, but is it stable? Guinea remains central to the seaborne bauxite market, with its shipment connections to China demonstrating the importance of reliable logistics. A new sea-rail route has enabled a Guinea bauxite shipment...
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The US federal government shutdown that started on October 1, 2025, has stalled the review deadline of Hindalco Industries Ltd’s USD 125 million acquisition of alumina firm AluChem Companies Inc. The metal major’s deal is among several cross-border transactions affected. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has paused all statutory deadlines, putting the review process on hold until operations resume. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain The company confirmed in a regulatory filing on October 23, 2025, that the CFIUS process for the AluChem acquisition remains on hold until normal operations resume. Once the agency formally reaccepts the filing, the review period may stretch up to 105 days, the filing...
Alireza Jaanabadi, the Managing Director of an Iranian nanotechnology company, unveiled a significant step forward in welding material technology, copper–alumina nanocomposite tips designed to replace conventional copper alloys in resistance welding. Image for representational purposes only Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Jaanabadi stated that the nanocomposite structure used in the product has been able to provide a more stable and resistant alternative to conventional alloys in resistance welding . He explained that one of the biggest challenges in traditional copper alloys is their loss of strength at elevated temperatures. The softening of the crystal structure often limits electrode performance in high-heat industrial...
Evonik has launched Alu5, the business’s first fumed alumina manufacturing plant in Yokkaichi, Japan. It is a remarkable step forward for the company’s expansion across Asia, strengthening its ability to deliver high-quality aluminium oxide solutions for a wide range of industrial applications. The facility, backed by a bulky investment, highlights Evonik’s ongoing commitment to innovation, dependable supply chains, environmental responsibility, and closer collaboration with customers throughout the region. Image source: https://thebamabuzz.com/ Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Strengthening access to advanced aluminium oxide products In the words of Emmanuel Auer, Head of Evonik’s Smart Effects business line, “The launch of...
China’s economic rise across Latin America and the Caribbean has quietly redrawn the map of global influence. What began as scattered infrastructure projects has evolved into a network of ports, energy facilities, and data hubs that increasingly serve Beijing’s strategic interests. For years, Washington paid little attention. Successive administrations focused elsewhere, assuming geography and history would secure US dominance in the hemisphere. That assumption no longer holds. The Trump–Rubio (United States Secretary of State) administration countering China’s growing presence in the Americas has become a core foreign policy priority, closely linked to national security, trade competitiveness, and the protection of vital supply chains. Washington’s new doctrine: Hemispheric resilience...
Caustic soda prices remained stable across prominent Asian markets during the first half of October 2025, backed by an even supply-demand relationship and steady industry demand. Although there were some mixed signals in certain countries, steady production costs, and cautious procurement contributed to a broadly steady pricing environment. Strong market fundamentals support stability Sodium hydroxide, commonly known as caustic soda, opened the month on a firm note in most Asian markets. Supply and demand were broadly balanced from the start of October, setting a stable tone. While Japan’s auto sector continued to lag, a signal of weak global production and deferred consumer orders, the construction sector offered modest demand support. In contrast, India’s strong aluminium production and...
The High Court has granted permission for a judicial review concerning the proposed expansion of the Aughinish Alumina refinery in County Limerick. The move is highly appreciated by campaigners, as it represents an important step towards ensuring that industrial progress continues in harmony with environmental protection. Balancing industrial growth and environmental care Environmental Trust Ireland, led by Limerick solicitor Michelle Hayes, has sought judicial review of An Coimisiún Pleanála’s approval for extending the bauxite residue (red mud) area and quarry at the Aughinish Alumina facility. In its petition, the group has highlighted eleven grounds for consideration, centred on ensuring the highest environmental standards are met. Ms Hayes, a practising solicitor with Hayes...
South32, an Australian mining and metals company headquartered in Perth, Western Australia, has given a maintenance contract to EnerMech for its Alumina Worsley refinery. The three-year agreement with the company is for EnerMech to be looking after the overall maintenance, including inspection, non-destructive testing (NDT), rope access and insulation services and safety checks at the Worsley Alumina refinery, Australia. Charles ‘Chuck’ Davison Jr., CEO of EnerMech, said: “This new three-year minimum award reflects the strength of our long-standing partnership with South32 and our commitment to delivering safe, efficient and high-quality maintenance services. Having worked alongside South32 at Worsley for a number of years, we understand the critical importance of reliability and...
Vietnamese publicly listed company Đức Giang Chemicals Group has taken a major step to expand the country’s aluminium value chain footprint. On October 12 2025, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the Lam Dong Province Investment Promotion Conference in Da Lat. The agreement, signed with the provincial government, aims to study, survey and propose an integrated aluminium complex in the region. A major industrial push The proposed complex aims to build a fully integrated production chain, from raw bauxite ore to finished aluminium ingots. The project is designed to process 2 million tonnes of alumina annually, producing 500,000 tonnes of aluminium. Estimated yearly revenue stands at VND 37,000 billion (USD 1.406 billion), with a total capital investment of around...
Altech Batteries, an Australian battery technology, has announced a significant leap forward in battery performance. Its proprietary Silumina Anodes™ have achieved 88.5 per cent capacity retention after 500 charge-discharge cycles, with repeat testing confirming reproducibility and process stability. The results came from blending 5 per cent of its alumina-coated spherical silicon anode material into a graphite anode, a modest tweak with major implications. Overcoming silicon’s long-standing limitations Silicon’s theoretical capacity to store up to ten times more lithium ions than graphite is widely known. Yet, its practical use has been limited by its tendency to swell by as much as 300 per cent during charging, leading to particle fracture and capacity fade. Altech’s innovation...
Atlantic Alumina, also known as Atalco, has come under regulatory scrutiny following reports of red mud discharges from its Gramercy refinery in Louisiana. The refinery is the only alumina refinery left in the United States, producing aluminium oxide from bauxite. The site relies on giant manmade lakes to store a caustic red mud slurry, a by-product of the refining process. Last year, breaches in these levees reportedly allowed materials containing trace levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium and other heavy metals to escape into surrounding drainage systems. State action and compliance pressure In August, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) issued a “Notice of Potential Penalty” outlining multiple compliance concerns. Inspectors first spotted the leaks more than a year...
Echoing the last year’s trend, the world metallurgical-grade alumina production in August 2025 recorded a month-on-month rise, touching an all-time high. Notably, the output neared 12.5 million tonnes, with daily average production above 400,000 tonnes. The monthly production stood above 12 million tonnes earlier in July, March, and January of this year, but daily output above 400K occurred for the first time ever. However, it is to be noted that although the production in August followed last year’s M-o-M growth trend, the rate of expansion was marginally below the 1.54 per cent achieved in August 2024. According to the data shown by the International Aluminium Institute, the world alumina production in August 2025 stood at 12.495 million tonnes, led by daily average output of 403,100...
Beside Rio Tinto’s Bell Bay aluminium smelter in Tasmania, ABX Group is building a pilot plant that converts smelter waste into hydrogen fluoride (HF) for aluminium fluoride (AlF₃), opening a new pathway into rare earths. Managing Director of ABX Group, Mark Cooksey outlines how the project turns a costly liability into a high-value, multi-market opportunity. Rather than starting from scratch, ABX has leased and repurposed an existing Rio Tinto facility adjacent to the Bell Bay smelter. The first months were spent stripping out legacy equipment and completing safety-critical civil works so that the pilot plant can be installed cleanly. Cooksey stresses that the execution is tracking to plan – “In fact, some of the minor equipment has already been manufactured, is ready to be shipped to...
SIMPEC has landed a hefty USD 115 million contract, highlighting its rising prominence in Australia's mining services industry. This industrial services deal with Alcoa is designed to boost operational performance at the Pinjarra Alumina Refinery by introducing cutting-edge residue management technology. The goal of this initiative is to enhance environmental outcomes while maximising processing efficiency at one of Western Australia's vital industrial sites. With a value of about USD 115 million and officially signed on September 29, 2025, the initiative is already in the mobilisation phase, aiming for completion in the first quarter of 2027. This project focuses on implementing Residue Filtration Stage Two, which is a key upgrade for Alcoa's operations. Work is already in progress to...
On Tuesday, September 30, Alcoa Corporation, a global industry leader in bauxite, alumina, and aluminium products, confirmed the permanent closure of its Kwinana alumina refinery in Western Australia. This decision has been taken after a year of cease in operation and gradual phase-wise curtailments. Since January 2023, the 60-year old refinery has been operating at around 80 per cent of its capacity. Already the curtailment of production caused a few hundreds of job loss, from approximately 800 employees to around 250. Now, the permanent shutdown will affect the rest, as part of the initial plans where the company mentioned that job cuts would continue till a point employee numbers are scaled down to about 50. After exploring many ways to restart the refinery’s production, Alcoa finally...
Arconic Corporation, a US-based company specialising in lightweight metals engineering and manufacturing, hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony of its much-awaited High Purity Aluminum (HPA) facility at its Davenport Works. The ceremony was carried out on Thursday, September 25, with equal excitement and new hope. As per the reports, this expansion doubles onsite HPA capacity and eliminates the need to import HPA from a foreign smelter, the company said. The project was supported by a USD 45.5 million award from the US Department of War in 2023 under Defense Production Act Title III authorities. HPA is a critical feedstock for aluminium sheet, plate, and extrusions used in aviation, space, and defence applications. The new manufacturing lines are expected to be operating at full capacity by...
Iran is preparing to launch its largest alumina production project by the end of this year, with the state-owned Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) confirming that the USD 1 billion Parsian alumina plant will soon enter implementation phase. Image for representational purpose The facility, to be built in the Parsian Special Economic Zone in Hormozgan province, is designed to produce one million tonnes of alumina powder annually. Its construction is part of the country’s Seventh National Development Plan and will begin once final approvals are secured from relevant authorities, including the Supreme Economic Council. At present, Iran’s alumina supply is almost entirely dependent on a single source — the Jajarm plant, which produces about...
The global aluminium industry is at a crucial turning point as the surge in demand driven by the clean energy transition meets the urgent need to decarbonise a sector known for its high energy consumption. From new smelter projects popping up in Asia to the shifting supply-demand balance in China, Europe and India, industry players are grappling with production challenges, changing regulations and market ups and downs. Key trends, like fluctuations in LME prices, spikes in bauxite trade and strategic moves towards sustainability are transforming the competitive landscape for producers, suppliers and investors alike. Upstream Weekly by AL Circle Pvt Ltd Inside Asian aluminium industry Adaro Minerals made strides with its aluminium smelter project through its subsidiary, PT Kalimantan...
Impact Minerals Limited (ASX:IPT) is excited to announce that it has secured firm commitments from sophisticated investors for a significantly oversubscribed strategic placement. The placement will raise AUD 4,000,000 (USD 2,560,000) (before costs) through the issuance of 615,384,616 fully paid ordinary shares (Placement Shares) at an issue price of AUD 0.0065 per share. Impact Minerals Subject to shareholder approval, each Placement Share will come with one free-attaching IPTOC Quoted Option, which will have an exercise price of USD 0.015 per option and an expiry date of 28 September 2027 (Placement Options). Stay updated with our specialised report - A Comprehensive Analysis of Bauxite Residue - Red Mud The placement received strong support from major shareholders, highlighting their...
