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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In the heart of south Louisiana, Atlantic Alumina operates the last remaining bauxite refinery in the US, a massive facility that transforms red earth from Jamaica into alumina. However, the process leaves behind a by-product known as "red mud," which has raised environmental concerns. State regulators recently stepped in, issuing orders and warning fines after claiming that the plant’s containment systems failed, causing bright orange runoff to flow into a nearby swamp. The sprawling facility, located in St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes, was first established in the late 1950s by Kaiser Aluminum. Here, alumina is extracted and shipped to smelters to produce aluminium, a key material in various industries. The land, however, is dotted with hundreds of acres of red mud, laced...
The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) has reported that the global alumina refining industry has had an annual consumption of 1,188,250 Terajoules (TJ) of fuel in 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, global alumina output climbed from 133.54 million tonnes to 138.59 million tonnes, a 3.8 per cent increase, yet total fuel consumption remained almost flat, inching up by just 0.4 per cent. The million terrajoules of consumption is a stark reminder of the heavy reliance of metallurgical alumina production on various energy sources. Image credit: https://international-aluminium.org/statistics/ Also read: Here's what Johannes Zutt of World Bank divulged: BRICS push renewables to forefront, but India faces harder questions Of the total alumina produced, 122.52 million tonnes in 2023 came from...
Andromeda Metals, a fast-growing South Australian company aiming to become The Great White Mineral Company, has unveiled its scoping study on the patented high-purity alumina (HPA) process. The study reveals impressive market-leading economics, with effective utilisation of kaolin feedstock sourced from the Great White project in South Australia. The company kicked off the study after conducting tests affirming its low-carbon process, successfully achieving an impressive HPA purity of 99.9985 per cent from the Great White kaolin ore reserve, which boasts a total of 15.1 million tonnes. The study outlined a plan for a processing plant aimed at producing 10,000 dry tonnes of HPA each year, using 30,000 tonnes of kaolin annually. The production is set to kick off at 2,500 tonnes per annum in...
Against the backdrop of war-driven energy shocks and refinery closures, Europe and Russia’s aluminium industry has managed to keep production on a steady course. Primary aluminium output rose from 3.3 million tonnes in H1 2023 to 3.4 million tonnes in H1 2024, representing a 2.3 per cent increase and climbed further to 3.47 million tonnes, a 1.8 per cent gain compared with H1 2024. The first quarter of 2025, particularly January to March, outperformed earlier years, though February slipped slightly compared with 2024. Alumina production, by contrast, has been more variable. Production jumped from 2.5 million tonnes in 2023 to 2.9 million tonnes in 2024, a year-on-year increase of nearly 14.9 per cent. This sharp momentum faltered in 2025. H1 production slipped marginally to 2.8 million...
Researchers at Rice University have developed a faster, cleaner method to recover aluminium and remove toxic metals from bauxite residue, commonly known as red mud. This hazardous by-product of aluminium production has long challenged the industry, but the new process offers a potential breakthrough in sustainable waste management. Image Source: Rice University Did you know that for every tonne of alumina produced, roughly 1.25 tonnes of this caustic residue are generated. And till date, more than 4 billion tonnes have accumulated worldwide, making red mud far more than a by-product. But what is this red mud? Red mud, also known as bauxite residue, is the by-product left after alumina is extracted from bauxite ore through the Bayer process. This highly alkaline, dense sludge is rich in...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the largest single-site aluminium smelter, has renewed its alumina supply agreement with Hydro during the Fastmarkets International Aluminium 2025 Conference in Barcelona. The renewed agreement plays a key role in Alba’s long-term growth strategy, ensuring reliable access to critical raw materials. Securing alumina supply is essential for maintaining Alba’s annual production capacity of over 1.62 million metric tonnes of aluminium. This partnership not only shapes Alba’s future growth strategy but also takes a step forward to align with Bahrain’s national economic diversification and sustainability goals. Commenting on the renewal, Ali Al Baqali, the Chief Executive Officer of Alba, said, “The agreement reflects Alba’s longstanding and valued collaboration...
Alcoa presented at Morgan Stanley’s 13th Annual Laguna Conference, with EVP & CFO Molly Beerman highlighting financials, strategic initiatives, and market trends. Alumina prices remain stable at USD 360–370/t, aluminium demand is strong in Europe and steady in North America, and Q3 shipments are slightly lower but full-year guidance is unchanged. Alcoa is advancing smelter restarts, Western Australia mine projects, and maintaining a strong balance sheet, positioning the company to navigate market and regulatory challenges globally. Update focus: Alumina market Alumina prices eased from late-2024 highs due to supply issues, with China cutting 7–10 million tonnes of annual capacity in Q2, keeping prices steady at USD 360–370 per tonne. The market is expected to remain in surplus through...
Australia’s South32 has reported a 75 per cent rise in annual profit, lifted by strong alumina operations and higher prices across its portfolio, though the result fell short of analyst forecasts. For the year ended June 30, underlying earnings came in at USD 666 million, up from USD380 million a year earlier but just a bit less from USD697.7 million that was expected by Visible Alpha. Shares slipped 2.1 per cent to AUD 2.85 in early trade, even as the broader index was little changed. Alumina was the standout performer, benefitting from a near 45 per cent surge in prices. That alone boosted divisional operating earnings by USD 714 million to USD 1.08 billion. The aluminium unit also enjoyed stronger prices, supported by supply tightness and higher costs across the sector. Copper and...
A major customer of billionaire Wes Edens’ New Fortress Energy Inc . has taken the company to arbitration, alleging delays in natural gas deliveries and seeking nearly 376 million reais in damages. Image for representatioanl purpose The dispute was disclosed in a regulatory filing on Friday. According to the company, Alunorte Alumina do Norte do Brasil SA — one of the world’s largest alumina producers — initiated arbitration in the first quarter. Alunorte is demanding 375.7 million reais (USD 68.9 million as of 30 June) over what it says were delays in gas supplies at the Barcarena import terminal. New Fortress Energy, which has been under pressure from mounting debt and cash flow constraints tied to project delays, said it intends to contest the claims. In its filing, the company stated...
Egypt and Bahrain are currently in discussions to jointly develop an alumina refinery, a project that will be co-owned by both nations. Alumina, or aluminium oxide, is a key feedstock in the production of aluminium. This initiative is part of a broader set of 22 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed by the two countries during an investment forum held in Cairo on Wednesday. The MoU for the alumina project was signed by the Egyptian Aluminium Company (Egyptalum) and Bahrain's Alba aluminium company. Also Read: Alba chooses Egypt for its first alumina refinery; here’s an explanation to why Egypt According to the agreement, the two parties will conduct a feasibility study for the construction of the alumina refinery in Egypt, according to a statement from Egypt's cabinet. Egyptalum, the...
Bosnian aluminium producer Nova Alumina has announced a leadership change as part of its evolving corporate journey. The company confirmed that Radislav Filipovic has been appointed CEO, succeeding Zoran Stevanovic, who has taken up the role of transport minister of Bosnia's Serb Republic. Image source: https://www.facebook.com/photo/ Filipovic is a well-known name at Nova Alumina; he has served as deputy CEO since May 2024. With over 25 years in the aluminium industry, Filipovic brings continuity and technical knowledge at an opportune time for the company’s growth. Nova Alumina was founded by businessman Gordan Pavlovic and his Pavgord Group in 2023. Pavgard soon became a significant player in the industry after acquiring Alumina, Bosnia's largest exporter, in 2024. The main production...
Impact Minerals, an Australian minerals explorer currently focusing on high-purity alumina, has established a joint venture agreement with Kuniko, an exploration company, to advance the Commonwealth Project in the Lachlan Province, New South Wales. The arrangement is designed to advance the project through exploration and finally to a point wherein a positive decision to mine is a practical possibility. Image for representational purposes only Get in-depth insights from — Aluminium Foil and its End Uses Current Trends and Forecast till 2030 Under the agreement, Impact will receive 3.13 million Kuniko shares following a two-week due diligence period. Half of these shares will be escrowed for six months, the remainder for a year. Kuniko is required to invest USD 1.5 million over the first...
Egypt is in the forefront with a new strategic partnership embarked on to develop an alumina refinery. As of September 3, 2025, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), a manufacturer and distributor of aluminium and its related products, has officially, in the presence of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Metallurgical Industries Holding Co., a company that operates through its subsidiaries to produce aluminium and other metals. The MoU has been signed to explore and get into a collaborative relationship that will provide the opportunity to develop an alumina refinery in Egypt in accordance with an offtake agreement and equity participation. His Excellency Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa AL Khalifa, the Minister of Finance and National...
Amid shifting trade rules, supply chain hiccups, and unpredictable premiums, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) held its ground in the first half of 2025. The company not only pushed its growth plans forward but also boosted recycling and smelting capacity, while moving ahead with plans to build the first new US aluminium smelter in over 40 years. Image source: EGA EGA, saw its revenue rise to AED 15.08 billion (USD 4.11 billion) in the first half of the year, up nearly 8 per cent from AED 13.98 billion (USD 3.81 billion) in the same period of 2024. Yet higher revenues masked weaker profitability. Underlying EBITDA slipped to AED 3.82 billion (USD 1.04 billion), down from AED 4.20 billion (USD 1.14 billion) a year earlier. Net profit also declined, dropping to AED 1.63 billion (USD 445...
Calix Limited, an Australian company providing environmental technology solutions for industrial decarbonisation, has executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a leading aluminium company to co-develop its Zero Emissions Alumina (ZEAL) technology. Also, the firm has executed an agreement with the same partner to implement a pilot-scale material testing program and a pre-Front End Engineering Design (pre-FEED) study. As per the agreements, the Australia-based company will carry out the material testing program at its Technology Centre in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, with the purpose of proving the viability of its ZEAL technology for the production of smelter-grade alumina from the feedstock of the Alumina Company. It will further retain complete ownership of all intellectual property...
The UAE’s largest non-oil industrial enterprise and the top producer of ‘premium aluminium’, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), has recently completed its debottlenecking expansion at its Al Taweelah refinery, which includes the establishment of a third ball mill, further boosting alumina output capacity to 50,000 tonnes per annum. Image source: https://media.ega.ae/ Also read: Ball Corporation offloads 41-point Saudi stake, retains minimal 10% strategic interest The entire project, spanning engineering and design through construction and commissioning, was successfully executed by EGA’s in-house team. Within a timeframe of 2.5 years and investing over 650,000 labour hours, EGA has finally achieved this milestone with zero lost time injuries. In this context, CEO Abdulnasser Bin Kalban has...
Indian state-run firm National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has embarked on an ambitious, if conservative, strategy to start manufacturing green alumina by 2030. Nalco intends to increase its renewable energy capacity, spending USD 178 million to install a 15 MW wind farm and an additional 200-300 MW renewable capacity, underpinned by power purchase agreements where necessary. Image source: https://nalcoindia.com/ Also read: Ball Corporation offloads 41-point Saudi stake, retains minimal 10% strategic interest Nalco Chairman & MD Brijendra Pratap Singh said, "What we are planning is... whatever alumina we are producing, the power requirement for that alumina is very low. We have our own wind power plants in Andhra, and we will have capacity in Tamil Nadu. So, we will be trying to...
On August 31, 2025, Zhongfu Industrial, an international high-end aluminium alloy new material enterprise, announced its performance for the first half of 2025, showing mixed results on a year-on-year basis. A significant fluctuation occurred due to the weakened alumina price , while the electrolytic aluminium equity production capacity increased sharply in the second quarter. The company's revenue in the first half of 2025 was recorded at RMB 10.57 billion (USD 1.48 billion), attributing to a year-on-year dip of 3.8 per cent. Net attributable profit stood at RMB 0.71 billion (USD 99.6 million), which inched higher year-on-year by 59.6 per cent. The non-attributable net profit also inched up to RMB 0.65 million (USD 91,000), showing a 52.5 per cent gain year-on-year. Focus: Second quarter...
