Ghana is seeking investors to establish an alumina refinery, aiming to close a gap in its bauxite-to-aluminium production chain as the country prepares to phase out raw mineral ore exports by 2030. President John Dramani Mahama has identified the absence of domestic alumina refining as a key obstacle to retaining more value from the country’s mineral resources. Speaking during a panel discussion at the 2026 Financial Times Africa Summit on October 21, Mahama said Ghana could no longer rely on exporting raw materials while importing finished products. The government wants more processing to take place locally, creating jobs and expanding industrial activity. “We cannot continue forever to be the exporter of raw materials to the rest of the world and consumers of finished products,” Mahama...
Aughinish Alumina, the Rusal-owned refinery in County Limerick and one of Ireland’s major industrial employers, remains outside the European Commission’s draft 22nd sanctions package against Russia, although pressure to restrict its alumina exports continues. However, the position could change as the European Commission consults EU member states on the proposed measures. Confidential discussions involving Commission officials and senior diplomats from all 27 member states are expected to take place over the coming weeks to assess support for the proposals and consider possible amendments. Alumina export restrictions remain under consideration The debate centres on Aughinish Alumina’s shipments to Russia, where the raw material is processed into aluminium at smelters owned by Rusal....
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Canadian Energy Metals has demonstrated a process for producing smelter-grade alumina from Saskatchewan black shale and has started a prefeasibility study for its Thor Project. Canadian Energy Metals Corp. (CEM) has taken a step towards developing an alternative North American source of alumina after demonstrating that material derived from its Saskatchewan black shale resource can be converted into smelter-grade alumina (SGA). The company said testing has consistently produced SGA samples meeting the same purity and specifications as alumina made through the Bayer Process, the established industry route for refining bauxite. The result expands the potential development pathway for CEM's Thor Project, where the company is pursuing alumina alongside strategic and critical metals from black...
Russian aluminium producer RUSAL is working on plans to build a bauxite and alumina complex in Indonesia as it looks to strengthen its raw material supply for aluminium production. The company mentioned that the Indonesian project is part of its “ diversification strategy in the Pacific region ”. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia that RUSAL planned to build facilities in Indonesia together with the country’s domestic companies. RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium producer outside China, has explored opportunities in Indonesia before, although earlier projects did not move forward. To know the futuristic market and value proposition of red mud, explore the report " A Comprehensive Analysis of Bauxite Residue (Red Mud): Sustainability,...
A NewPro study supports a staged 2,000-to-4,000-tonne-per-year high-purity alumina plant on the US Gulf Coast, with a post-tax NPV of about USD373 million and a 42.3 per cent IRR. Impact Minerals is advancing plans for a modular high-purity alumina (HPA) plant in the US after an independent scoping study identified a preferred development case on the Gulf Coast. The study, completed by NewPro for Impact's 50 per cent-owned Alluminous Pty Ltd, supports a staged facility starting at 2,000 tonnes per year of HPA and scaling to 4,000 tonnes per year. It models a post-tax NPV₈ of AUD 518 million (USD 373 million) and an internal rate of return of 42.3 per cent, based on an AUD/USD rate of about 0.7206 on September 7, 2026. The findings strengthen Alluminous' plan to establish its first...
Ireland’s Department of Enterprise has withheld the release records of discussions between its secretary general and Aughinish Alumina management, citing “highly confidential information” shared by the company. The decision comes as scrutiny intensifies over the Limerick refinery’s alumina exports to feed the Russian defence sector and a possible inclusion of alumina shipments in the European Union’s (EU) 21st Sanctions Package on Russia. Department of Enterprise Secretary General Declan Hughes and Aughinish Alumina Managing Director Ciaran Kelleher held several discussions in June and July, including a meeting on June 12 and three recorded phone calls. The discussions took place while Irish officials were finalising a review into Aughinish Alumina’s exports to Russia. The investigation...
Alcoa has moved its proposed acquisition of South32's bauxite, alumina and aluminium interests forward with a US SEC filing, with the transaction carrying an implied enterprise value of up to USD 5.6 billion. Alcoa Corporation has filed a Form S-4 registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with its proposed acquisition of South32 Limited's interests across the bauxite, alumina and aluminium value chain. Under the transaction agreed on June 30, 2026, Alcoa will pay South32 USD 3.1 billion in upfront cash and about USD 1.0 billion in Alcoa shares, while also assuming around USD 750 million in net debt and lease liabilities. A further USD 750 million in contingent cash consideration could become payable depending on alumina and aluminium prices...
Leading Russian aluminium producer RUSAL is considering mothballing four alumina and bauxite facilities as the company faces combined annual losses of around USD 800 million. The move hints at the growing pressure on the economics of domestic raw-material production. RUSAL is also estimating losses of approximately USD 400 per tonne of aluminium from processing at the affected facilities. Four facilities face an uncertain future The facilities under consideration are the Pikalevo alumina refinery, the North Urals bauxite mine, the Bogoslovsky alumina refinery, and the Uralsky alumina refinery. RUSAL has informed Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin about the possibility of mothballing the four sites. The Pikalevo, Bogoslovsky and Uralsky refineries produced 2.1 million tonnes of alumina in...
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,...
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...
If aluminium has a pressure point right now, it sits one step upstream of the metal itself - in alumina. China’s appetite for imported ore remains elevated, alumina markets diverge between regions, and disruptions in Guinea and Australia expose logistics risks. At the same time, tariffs and regional premiums are reshaping the economics of aluminium, making access to competitively priced alumina and metal increasingly dependent on geography, trade routes and policy. Bauxite supply: Sourcing, scrutiny and shifting trade flows Jamaica and Ghana are negotiating a USD 60 million arrangement in which Jamaican bauxite would be refined into alumina at ATALCO’s Gramercy, Louisiana plant before shipping to Ghana’s aluminium industry. Talks, backed by Ghana’s President Mahama, began in March 2026...
The US Department of War has committed another USD 100 million to Atlantic Alumina Company (Atalco), taking total government investment to USD 400 million as Washington moves to protect the country's last remaining domestic alumina refinery and strengthen a critical defence supply chain. The United States is putting more money behind its domestic alumina supply chain as the Department of War (DoW) announced a USD 100 million follow-on preferred equity investment in Atalco through its Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment programme. The latest investment brings the department's total funding for Atalco to USD 400 million. More importantly, the government funding has helped attract substantial private capital. Atalco's existing backers have committed USD 350 million, with another USD 50...
India’s alumina trade underwent a sharp shift in the first half of 2026, with exports accelerating to a new high while imports contracted substantially. Data for HS 281820, i.e. aluminium oxide excluding artificial corundum, shows that India exported 2.5 million tonnes in H1 2026, up 51.3 per cent from 1.65 million tonnes in H1 2025. At the same time, imports fell 34.9 per cent year-on-year to 775,362 tonnes from 1.19 million tonnes. The result was a substantial widening of India’s net alumina trade surplus. The country moved from a surplus of about 460,466 tonnes in H1 2025 to 1.72 million tonnes in H1 2026, a nearly fourfold increase. Exports climb to a record level India’s alumina exports have been on a clear upward trajectory since Q2 2024. Quarterly shipments rose from 458,621 tonnes...
Hindalco Industries has commissioned India’s first superfine precipitated aluminium trihydrate, or PPT ATH, plant in Belagavi, Karnataka, adding domestic production of a specialist material used in halogen-free fire-protection applications. The new facility has initial annual capacity of 30,000 tonnes and is intended to supply growing demand from the wire-and-cable sector, polymer insulators, thermal insulation, composites, paints and electric-vehicle applications. Hindalco says the plant can be expanded to 60,000 tonnes as the domestic market grows. Focus on fire-safe cables Superfine PPT ATH is used as a flame-retardant filler in halogen-free flame-retardant, or HFFR, cables. In a fire, these materials are designed to help slow flame spread and suppress smoke without releasing halogen...
Alumina exports from RUSAL’s Friguia refinery in Guinea have been halted after a train carrying the material derailed over the weekend, disrupting rail access to the plant and forcing production to slow, three sources told Reuters. The train, operated by Russian aluminium producer RUSAL RUAL.MM, derailed near Kagbelen in the Dubreka prefecture on Saturday evening. Four people were injured in the accident, and rail traffic was subsequently suspended, two company officials said. The disruption has affected both the movement of finished alumina and the delivery of supplies needed to keep the refinery operating. Fuel and caustic soda, among other production inputs, are transported by rail between the port and the refinery, a fourth source said. A senior official at the Friguia refinery said...
Impact Minerals Limited has announced a renounceable rights issue to raise up to approximately AUD 4.1 million (USD 2.9 million) before costs, as the company continues to develop its High Purity Alumina (HPA) opportunities. Under the offer, eligible shareholders will be entitled to subscribe for one new share for every four shares held at AUD 0.032 per share. For every three new shares subscribed for, shareholders will receive two free attaching new options, each with an exercise price of AUD 0.06 and an expiry of 2.5 years from the date of issue. The company will apply for quotation of the new shares and options on the ASX. HPA remains a key focus for Impact Minerals, which describes the material as a critical mineral with strong global demand. The company’s Lake Hope resource provides a...
Andromeda Metals has launched a Share Purchase Plan targeting AUD 3 million (USD 1.95 million) to advance its High Purity Alumina Project and support the next stage of commercialisation. Eligible shareholders can apply for new Andromeda shares at AUD 0.0059 (USD 0.0038) each, representing a discount of about 15 per cent to the company’s recent five-day volume-weighted average market price. Applications will close at 5 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time on August 31, 2026. Funds to support HPA development Andromeda said the funds will be used primarily to progress its High Purity Alumina Project, including completion of a pre-feasibility study. The capital will also support co-product evaluation, technical and engineering work, pilot-scale activities, customer engagement and general...
China’s aluminium export surge in the first half (H1) of 2026, crossing 250,000 tonnes, has come with a surge in its alumina imports as well, feeding the smelting and primary aluminium production. China’s January-June alumina imports marked a drastic year-on-year surge of about 749.4 per cent, indicating a massive boom in demand. Y-o-Y H1 import snapshot: 2026 vs 2025 vs 2024 Comparing China’s January-to-June alumina import figures, a significant development can be noted in the H1 2026 chart. 2026 – 2.28 million tonnes, up 749.4 per cent Y-o-Y from 268,211 tonnes in H1 2025 2025 – 268,211 tonnes, down 77.37 per cent Y-o-Y from 1.19 million tonnes in H1 2024 The figures offset the H1 2025 import decline, partially driven by the steep alumina prices around late 2024 exceeding USD 800 per...
Europe’s aluminium industry produced more metal in the first half of 2026, but the numbers hide a more complicated story. Primary aluminium output rose 4.9 per cent year on year to 3.648 million tonnes, while metallurgical-grade alumina production fell 1.8 per cent to 2.846 million tonnes. At first glance, the numbers may seem contradictory. If aluminium production is rising, why is alumina production falling? The answer lies in what happened during the first quarter. Alumina production was hit by energy and logistics disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict, while aluminium output benefited from smelter restarts. By Q2, however, alumina production had started to recover. Aluminium grows 4.9 per cent while alumina slips 1.8 per cent Europe, including Russia, produced 3.648 million...
Norsk Hydro has started increasing alumina production at its Alunorte refinery in Brazil after reaching a temporary agreement with gas supplier CELBA on terminal access. The restart follows approval from Brazil's oil, natural gas and biofuels regulator (ANP), allowing the company to become a self-importer of natural gas. Alunorte had temporarily reduced alumina production after CELBA notified the refinery of disruptions to natural gas availability. According to Norsk Hydro, the agreement provides temporary access to gas infrastructure while the company continues to work on a longer-term solution with the supplier. To know the futuristic market and value proposition of red mud, explore the report " A Comprehensive Analysis of Bauxite Residue (Red Mud): Sustainability, Resource Recovery and...
