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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After enduring 10 months of stringent cost-cutting measures, the recent announcement of NICHE Fused Alumina's new restructuring plan has pushed the workers to the brink. Following a relentless 6-day strike, they have temporarily suspended their movement, pending a pivotal consultation with the company's management. “The year 2023 was complicated for the company, which saw the number of its orders drop following production difficulties,” explained Jean-François Vicini, David Bourquenoud, Carine Francina, and Anthony Buttarello, elected officials from CGT. “The situation became financially delicate and a first reorganisation was announced on July 28 in order to limit costs. The temporary contracts were stopped and the fixed-term contracts expiring (i.e. around 20 positions), were not...
In an effort to address the challenges associated with the 'Mineral Wealth Paradox,' Guinea, a prominent global bauxite hub, has taken a proactive approach. The nation has mandated that bauxite mining companies submit proposals for the establishment of domestic alumina refineries as an integral component of their operations. This strategic move aims to optimize the benefits derived from its rich bauxite resources while minimizing the potential downsides of resource extraction. The Russian aluminium giant Rusal operates Guinea's sole active alumina refinery, the Friguia refinery. The alumina refinery is one of the largest employers in Guinea, and the facility's annual production capacity is around 650,000 tonnes. There are currently six companies with plans to establish alumina refineries...
In recent months, Russia has increased its imports of alumina, the primary aluminium feedstock, from India to supply its extensive Siberian plants. This strategic move has allowed Russia to diversify its supply sources, reduce its reliance on China, and lower production costs. Following its invasion of Ukraine, a significant aluminium producer, Russia faced a shortfall in alumina supply due to a suspended production facility in Ukraine and Australia's ban on alumina exports to Russia. While Russia maintains amicable relations with China, the surge in aluminium production in China has constrained price flexibility for Russia's alumina purchases. Rusal 0486.HK, the world's largest aluminium producer outside of China, needed to bridge this supply gap to sustain domestic production and...
Russia's recent increase in alumina imports from India has caught the attention of the global aluminium industry. This strategic move serves multiple purposes, including diversifying its supply sources, reducing dependence on China, and lowering production costs. As per the Indian Commerce Ministry, India's exports of alumina to Russia leapt from nil in the parallel period of the previous financial year to an exponential 2.58 lakh tonnes in the April to February timeframe of the financial year 2022-23 (FY23). This development comes as Russia faces challenges in its aluminium production due to geopolitical mishaps. After the inception of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the competitor of China and India in World aluminium production, Russia lost access to two critical sources of alumina. Alumina...
ChemX, an Australia-based high-purity critical materials company, is thrilled to report considerable development in both the high-purity alumina (HPA) and high-purity manganese (HPM) business streams. The Australian-based company has made progress in refining its high-purity alumina (HPA) micro-plant flowsheet in anticipation of scaling up to pilot-plant production. The business claims that investment in high-precision analytical equipment and devoted human resources has improved operational performance for its HPA micro-plant. A first-ever high-purity manganese mineral resource estimate is also on the way. ChemX Materials has been developing its 100 per cent-owned HiPurA® HPA Pilot Plant, which will be located at its dedicated facility in O'Connor Perth, Western Australia, to deliver the...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China’s metallurgical-grade alumina production in August 2023 stood at 7.017 million tonnes, reflecting a month-on-month increase of 2.15 per cent from 6.869 million tonnes . Daily output also grew by 2 per cent to 226,400 tonnes, driven by new and expanded capacities and increased production due to market recovery. On a year-on-year basis, the monthly output in August rose by 2.6 per cent, bringing the total production from January to August to 52.69 million tonnes, up by 2.2 per cent Y-o-Y. By the end of August, China’s built and operating alumina capacities came in at 100 million tonnes and 82.74 million tonnes, respectively, with a national operating rate of 82.7 per cent. In Shanxi, the alumina operating rate rose to 73.2 per cent in...
According to data released on September 8, 2023, by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), business turnover in July witnessed declines in seven of the 13 selected industries. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is the independent statutory agency of the Australian Government, responsible for statistical collection and analysis and for giving evidence-based advice to federal, state and territory governments. However, on June 7, ABS stated, "Our economy grew 0.2 per cent during the March quarter 2023 and 2.3 per cent compared to the same time last year. This was the sixth straight quarter of economic growth, though it was the weakest quarterly growth since the COVID-19 Delta lockdowns in September quarter 2021. GDP per capita fell 0.2 per cent.” The Electricity, gas, water, and...
The Government of India is taking a significant step towards using Rare Earth Elements (REE) by establishing a cutting-edge pilot plant. This facility will process 100 kg of red mud, a hazardous waste generated from the alumina refining process, and extract REE from it. It's worth noting that red mud poses significant environmental and health hazards. The plant is scheduled to become operational by December 2024. This initiative involves collaboration with renowned institutions such as the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Design and Development Centre (JNARDDC) in Nagpur, the CSIR Institute of Metal and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) in Bhubaneswar, the CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR-NML) in Jamshedpur, and the National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO). Together, they will...
In Europe (incl. Russia), alumina production during July 2023 stood at 549,000 tonnes, reflecting a month-on-month hike of 24,000 tonnes or 4.57 per cent, found the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). In June 2023, the output stood at 525,000 tonnes, which was, however, down by 35,000 tonnes or 6.25 per cent from 560,000 tonnes. On a year-on-year calculation, alumina production in Europe (incl. Russia) edged a sharp fall of 144,000 tonnes or 20.78 per cent from 693,000 tonnes, according to IAI data. In the first seven months of 2023, alumina production in Europe (incl. Russia) totalled 3.705 million tonnes, down by 29.04 per cent from 5.221 million tonnes during the corresponding period of the last year. This drastic fall in Europe’s alumina output could be attributed to slow...
Technip Energies, a renowned French engineering and technology firm, has successfully obtained a front-end engineering design contract to construct an alumina refinery in Guinea, West Africa. The nation is one of the leading producers of bauxite in the world. However, in this case, the contract was awarded by French speciality alumina producer Alteo Alumina. The proposed facility is designed to manufacture alumina products vital for producing key components required for the energy transition, such as electric vehicles and batteries. The project includes the development of a port, a power generation plant, various process units, utility infrastructure, and a designated area for disposing of bauxite residue. After its accomplishment, the refinery will provide smelter-grade alumina and...
In July 2023, the world alumina production saw a month-on-month rise of 4.32 per cent to reach 12.179 million tonnes, found the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). The growth occurred in July 2023 after a monthly fall in June by 1.96 per cent from 11.908 million tonnes to 11.675 million tonnes. On a year-on-year calculation, the world aluminium output experienced a restraint compared to 12.198 million tonnes, showed IAI. The monthly output growth in July 2023 brought the world’s total alumina production in the first seven months to 80.669 million tonnes, down by 0.79 per cent from 81.310 million tonnes during the corresponding period of the last year. World daily average alumina production in July 2023 also grew M-o-M by 0.95 per cent from 389,200 tonnes to 392,900 tonnes. But on an...
Alumina Limited, an Australian holding company, declared its 2023 first half results ended June 30, 2023, reporting a net loss (after tax) of US$43 million, compared to a net profit after tax of US$168 million during the corresponding period of the last year. Alumina Limited holds 40 per cent share in Alcoa World Alumina & Chemicals (AWAC), a joint venture with Alcoa. Lower volume of bauxite and alumina output against increased production costs was the reason for the loss accrued by Alumina Limited. Alumina production at the end of June 30 stood at 5 million tonnes, down by 18.03 per cent from 6.1 million tonnes a year ago. Alumina realised price was $361 per tonne, while cash cost of production was $319 per tonne. Alumina Limited’s CEO, Mike Ferraro, rightly pointed out, “The alumina...
Sumitomo Chemical has achieved remarkable achievement in pioneering production techniques for ultra-fine α-alumina, with mass production slated to begin in September this year at its Ehime Works. Through technical advancements in inorganic materials, the Company will build new markets in the ICT, energy-saving, and life science domains in collaboration with its clients. In FY2025, the firm hopes to boost sales income in its ultrahigh purity alumina business by 30 per cent over FY2023. Ultrahigh purity alumina refers to alumina materials produced by calcining aluminium hydroxide at high temperatures to purity levels of 99.99 per cent or more. The latest mass-production goods include the NXA series, which are ultra-fine grade α-alumina materials primarily employed in industrial items. They...
According to data revealed by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), alumina powder production in Iran grew 2 per cent year-on-year during the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21 to July 22). Iran produced 82,548 tonnes of alumina powder in the said period versus 80,896 tonnes during the corresponding period of the last year. Compared to the final quarter’s alumina output of the previous Iranian year (1401) at 49,703 tonnes, Iran’s alumina production in the first four months of the present calendar year showed a recovery trend. In the last quarter of 1401, Iran’s alumina powder output stood at 49,703 tonnes. In the previous Iranian calendar year 1401 (ended on March 20), the country churned out 225,942 tonnes...
Alinta Energy, an Australian energy business, has announced its plant to construct a 200MWh battery next to the Alcoa alumina plant to help stabilise the grid and supply backup power. On Thursday, Alinta said it hired Shanghai Electric Power Design Institute and Sunterra to construct the 100MW, two-hour (200MWh) battery at Alcoa's Wagerup alumina refinery in southwest Western Australia. The Wagerup battery is the second privately owned battery project to be awarded a contract by the Australian Energy Market Operator to resolve specific supply difficulties in WA's South West Interconnected System, the world's largest microgrid. The Wagerup battery, like Neoen's 219MW/877MWh Collie battery, will be paid to soak up sunlight in the middle of the day before discharging into the evening peak....
In Europe (incl. Russia), alumina output during the second quarter of 2023 was recorded at 1.59 million tonnes, with an accumulated daily production for three months at 52,400 tonnes, found the International Aluminium Institute data. These figures indicate a sequential rise of 1.53 per cent in quarterly production compared to 1.566 million tonnes but a muted daily output against 52,300 tonnes. However, amid a rise in quarterly output, production in June 2023 edged a 6.25 per cent fall month-on-month from 560,000 tonnes to 525,000 tonnes. But the previous month saw a 3.96 per cent growth in alumina production from 505,000 tonnes. On a year-on-year basis, alumina production in Europe (incl. Russia) also registered a downfall of 19.19 per cent from 693,000 tonnes. Total alumina production in...
Hydro Alunorte has signed a wind power purchase agreement (PPA) in addition to using solar energy for aluminium manufacturing, which aims to bolster the decarbonisation plan of the Norwegian Aluminium Company. The newly signed project is called the Ventos de São Zacarias project. Investments in renewable sources have bolstered Hydro's decarbonization plan via the Ventos de São Zacarias project. Hydro's objective of attaining NetZero in its operations by 2050 is critical, as is reducing at least 30 per cent of its worldwide emissions by 2030. To reach this goal, the business has implemented many changes in the energy sources employed in the alumina refinery of Hydro Alunorte in Pará, out of which one is the Ventos de São Zacarias project. The project, which will be developed in one of...
According to SMM data, China's metallurgical-grade alumina output during July was 6.869 million tonnes, with a daily production average of 222,000 tonnes, a surge attributed to the phased release of newly added capacity and the conclusion of maintenance in several Guangxi region companies, leading to a gradual resumption of production and an uptick in daily production. Year-on-year data reveals a 1.5 per cent increase in alumina production this July relative to the same period last year, primarily due to the input from newly commissioned alumina production capacities. As of the end of July, China's built alumina capacity reached a volume of 100 million tonnes, with an operational capacity of 81.08 million tonnes, culminating in a nationwide utilization rate of 81.1 per cent. In Shanxi...
