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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Demand for alumina from China is rising strongly, opening the door for international producers and traders to make some increased profits. The combination of restrictions on bauxite mining leading to cuts at refineries, winter snow storms blocking logistics, and healthy demand for the key material has led to a step up in export sales to China. Imports in December 2023 were at their highest for the year, at 240,000 tonnes. That pace has not slowed, with imports in January and February tracking at similar volumes. Part of this has been re-exporting, mainly through Bayuguan in north China. The southern port has seen big volumes for immediate delivery to smelters in Yunnan province. The domestic price now sits north of RMB3200/tonne (around US$450/tonne). While domestic supply can't keep up...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, the average alumina spot price has decreased by RMB 3 per tonne to begin the month of March at RMB 3,348 per tonne. In Shanxi, the price has shed off RMB 10 per tonne to come in at RMB 3,365 per tonne on March 1, 2024. The average prices are estimated to range between RMB 3,310-3,420 per tonne. A00 aluminium ingot price: Despite the drop in input cost, A00 aluminium ingot price has moved up by RMB 100 per tonne to close the week at RMB 18,960 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 18,940-18,980 per tonne, with average prices likely to be traded at a discount price of RMB 30 per tonne and a premium price of RMB 10 per tonne. On a week-on-week basis, the primary aluminium ingot price has edged an increase of RMB 90 per...
The fastest-growing company in the railway sector and transporting goods for a wide range of customers, GB Railfreight (GBRf), has confirmed the renewal of its contract with Alvance British Aluminium, one of the world's greenest metal production plants. GBRf has secured a five-year extension to its contract, ensuring the ongoing operation of two weekly trains. These trains will continue transporting alumina powder from the Port of Blyth in Northumberland to Fort William, supporting aluminium production at one of the world's most environmentally friendly metal production facilities. Annually, 70,000 tonnes of alumina powder will be conveyed by rail, reducing road congestion by removing up to 129 heavy goods vehicles from the 250-mile journey.
China is the highest alumina producer, contributing around 58 per cent of the world’s output. According to the International Aluminium Institute survey, China produced 82.27 million tonnes of alumina in 2023, up by 3.15 per cent from 79.76 million tonnes in 2022. With this annual hike, China’s 2023 alumina output exceeded the pre-COVID level and further solidified its position as the world’s largest ore producer. As a consequence of the COVID-19 impacts, China’s alumina production decreased year-on-year in the previous three years by about 2 per cent but rebounded in 2023, surpassing 81.469 million tonnes of production in 2019. Advanced technologies like the Bayer-Lurgi combined process and dry bauxite digestion helped China optimise resource utilisation and boost production. By the end...
World alumina production welcomed 2024 with a slight month-on-month dip of 0.22 per cent but a year-on-year rise of 3.9 per cent, found the International Aluminium Institute. According to the data revealed, world alumina production in January stood at 12.052 million tonnes compared to 12.078 million tonnes in December 2023 and 11.6 million tonnes in January 2023. The daily average output across the world was 388,800 tonnes in January, reflecting a drop of 0.21 per cent M-o-M aligned with the monthly production drop. On a year-on-year basis, world daily alumina output in January was 3.9 per cent higher than 374,200 tonnes. China produced 6.85 million tonnes (approx.) of alumina in January 2024, accounting for 56.84 per cent of the world’s production. On a month-on-month basis, China’s...
Global law firms Davis Polk & Wardwell and Ashurst are advising American aluminium giant Alcoa Corporation regarding its proposed acquisition of Alumina Ltd, an Australian alumina and bauxite producer. The acquisition, structured as an all-stock transaction, values Alumina Ltd. at USD$2.2 billion. Alumina, advised by King & Wood Mallesons, has consented to the terms of the agreement, contingent upon approval from shareholders and regulatory bodies. Notably, Alumina Ltd.'s primary shareholder, fund manager Allan Gray Australia, has committed to selling its 19.9 per cent ownership stake. Kylie Lane, Partner at Ashurst, stated, "We are proud to be supporting Alcoa Corporation, a long-standing client, on this major strategic transaction." "The acquisition of Alumina Limited represents an...
Lava Blue is progressing with developing its Predictive Research into Specialty Materials (PRiSM) centre towards small-scale commercial production. The Centre for Predictive Research into Specialty Materials (PRiSM) by Lava Blue, situated in Redlands, Brisbane, was established to explore and showcase the scalability of processing methods for high-purity materials. PRiSM integrates research, development, and demonstration capabilities within a facility enriched with sensors and equipped for machine learning applications. The manufacturer of high-purity materials initiated its collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology in 2018 to devise a method for producing high-purity alumina (HPA) from sapphire-bearing kaolin clay deposits located in northwest Queensland. HPA, an...
On February 25, Alcoa announced a new agreement with Alumina Limited regarding acquiring Alumina Limited, pending the finalization of a scheme implementation agreement. The companies have signed an exclusivity and transaction process deed with Alumina Limited's Board of Directors indicating its intent to recommend the transaction to shareholders. About the agreement In this all-scrip (all-stock) deal, Alumina Limited shareholders are set to receive 0.02854 shares of Alcoa for each share of Alumina Limited they own, as per the "Agreed Ratio." As of Alcoa's closing share price on February 23, 2024, this ratio suggests an equity valuation of approximately $2.2 billion for Alumina Limited. The Board of Directors of Alumina Limited plans to recommend the Agreed Ratio to its shareholders,...
The President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, announced on February 19, 2024, that Guyana intends to export its surplus natural gas to Brazil and multiple Caribbean nations, with plans to power an alumina and gold refinery eventually. “Based on pure interest by investors, we are already seeing the second phase of gas coming in, and we will already have to support a second power plant,” the President said while attending the government-backed Guyana Energy Conference. Dr Ali stated that with Guyana's consumption of propane and butane standing at approximately 800 barrels per day, there would be an excess of 3,200 barrels of these natural gases available for export, thus stimulating the transport and logistics sector. Continuing his efforts to attract investors, the President emphasised including...
The bauxite mining subsidiary of Emirates Global Aluminium, Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), intends to set up an alumina refinery in Guinea with an annual capacity of 1 million tonnes. EGA is the world's largest 'premium aluminium' producer. GAC is jointly owned by Mubadala Development Company and the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), with equal ownership stakes. Youssuff Sylla, the Director General of GAC, speaking at the Round Table of Donors (RTD) organised by the government of Guinea in Dubai, said, "Full details about the project and timelines will be announced in due course." During the media Round Table, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Guinea, Rose Pola Pricemou, stated, "The RTD is about securing essential funding and establishing long-term strategic...
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the world's premium aluminium producer and the largest industrial entity in the United Arab Emirates, takes immense pride in hosting and sponsoring the Alumina 2024 Conference, Exhibition, and Workshop centred on the theme "Beyond the Cycle." At the heart of Alumina 2024 lies the ground-breaking "Net Zero Alumina Refining" Workshop under the auspices of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). This workshop embodies a collective commitment to steer alumina production towards a sustainable, low-carbon trajectory, aligning with the imperative of a future world characterised by environmental stewardship. About the workshop In the esteemed tradition of AQW, "for the industry, by the industry," Alumina 2024 boasts a world-class technical program. With over...
Indonesia's state-owned aluminium producer, Inalum, announced on February 15 2024, its intention to commence operations at its long-awaited new smelter-grade alumina refinery in the latter part of 2024. Their official release states that this marks the culmination of years of delays. In June 2023, the Indonesian government imposed a ban on bauxite ore exports in a bid to encourage the development of a domestic bauxite processing and refining industry aiming to emulate its achievement in enticing foreign investors into nickel processing following a similar prohibition on outbound shipments of unprocessed ore in 2020. In 2023, Indonesia’s primary aluminium sector is expected to demonstrate moderate growth compared to the previous year, as various reports indicate. The global aluminium...
According to the International Aluminium Institute survey, alumina production in Europe (including Russia) through 2023 amounted to 6.50 million tonnes, with an average daily production totalling 213,600 tonnes. The annual output decreased by 20.92 per cent from 8.22 million tonnes in 2022, while the daily output plunged by 55.9 per cent from 484,200 tonnes. The downtrend in Europe’s alumina production in 2023 was more prominent during the first six months, with the output totalling 3.2 million tonnes versus 3.34 million tonnes in H2. Thus, the production in H1 was 4.2 per cent less than in H2 2023. In H1, the lowest amount of production was in February at 492,000 tonnes. In H2, the output mostly hovered above 550,000 tonnes. In December 2023, Europe’s alumina production came in 581,000...
Emirates Global Aluminium has inked an agreement to supply alumina to The Alumina Industrial Company. This collaboration aims to foster the emergence of a new sector dedicated to manufacturing speciality products from alumina, aligning with the UAE's ambitious industrial growth strategy, Operation 300bn. The Alumina Industrial Company, a joint venture between the Maithan Group and Bathwal Corporation, is set to pioneer the UAE's inaugural facility for crafting speciality alumina products within the Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi. These specialised products find extensive utility in industrial refractories and abrasives, catering to a diverse range of industrial applications. EGA, the sole producer of alumina in the UAE, is crucial for a project requiring a local source of alumina. This...
Iran's alumina powder production reached 170,952 tonnes in the initial nine months of the present Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2023), per data disclosed by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO). In the previous Iranian calendar year of 1401, which concluded on March 20, 2023, the country's alumina powder production reached 225,942 tonnes. According to reports, this represents a two per cent decrease compared to the output recorded in the year 1400. Alumina, characterised by its inert, odourless, and white amorphous nature, is a crucial material in industrial ceramics. Its significance spans various industrial applications, including construction materials, fillers, abrasives, and catalysts. In industries such as plant...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, China’s metallurgical-grade alumina production in January 2024 (31 days) saw a 1.1 per cent dip month-on-month at 6.72 million tonnes. But on a year-on-year basis, the output grew by 5.5 per cent from 6.37 million tonnes. The daily average production stood at 216,800 tonnes per day in January 2024, with a production capacity of 100 million tonnes, and an operating capacity of 79.14 million tonnes. According to SMM, the national operating rate was 79.1 per cent. As per the SMM’s forecast for January 2024, the operating capacity stood 1.36 million tonnes behind the estimated capacity of 80.50 million tonnes, while the daily production was 3,700 tonnes less than the prediction. Alumina output across Chinese provinces In Shanxi, the operating rate of...
According to the International Aluminium Institute survey, Africa & Asia’s (ex-China) alumina production from January to December 2023 totalled 13.31 million tonnes, accounting for 9.37 per cent of the world’s total output. On a year-on-year calculation, Africa & Asia’s alumina output in 2023 edged a fall of 3.48 per cent from 13.79 million tonnes. In December, Africa & Asia’s alumina production amounted to 1.22 million tonnes, reflecting a month-on-month rise of 6.09 per cent from 1.15 million tonnes and a year-on-year increase of 7.96 per cent from 1.13 million tonnes. That brought the total production in the fourth quarter of the year to 3.51 million tonnes, up by 2.03 per cent from 3.44 million tonnes in Q3. The decline in Africa & Asia’s annual alumina production of 2023 was...
According to the International Aluminium Institute survey, world alumina production in December 2023 stood at 12.298 million tonnes, bringing the whole year output at 141.924 million tonnes, slightly down from 142.23 million tonnes in 2022. Further introspection into global production The decline in annual output was due to slow production in the first half of 2023. From January to June, the world alumina production stood below 12 million tonnes. July onwards, the output gained momentum and mostly stood above 12 million tonnes through H2 2023. The production in December experienced an increase of 3.4 per cent month-on-month from 11.894 million tonnes and rise of 3.5 per cent year-on-year from 11.878 million tonnes. The world’s daily average production in December 2023 was 396,700 tonnes,...
