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Global alumina production remains below 2025 levels despite a Q3 rebound, reaching 114 million tonnes in 9M2026
The third quarter brought a clear improvement in global alumina production. It did not, however, bring production back to the level recorded a year earlier. Global alumina output has reached 114.625 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2026, down 330,000 tonnes or 0.29% (114.955 million tonnes in 2025) year-on-year. China's estimated production increased, but declines across most other reporting regions erased that gain. The quarterly sequence reveals how the production gap has developed. In the July to September 2026 quarter, alumina output reached 39.396 million tonnes, an increase of 5.54% over the preceding quarter. Yet the same quarter in 2025 had delivered 39.675 million tonnes. The latest production total was therefore 279,000 tonnes lower Y-o-Y. The first quarter of 2026...
Canada and China extend aluminum and steel trade deal through 2028, securing Canola market access
Canada and China have extended a bilateral trade arrangement that links Chinese market access for Canadian agricultural products with Canada's access for Chinese steel and aluminum. The decision provides greater certainty for exporters on both sides as Ottawa seeks to expand its trade relationships beyond the United States. The extension, announced on November 4, 2026, will keep the existing arrangement in place until the end of 2028. It comes amid renewed efforts by the two countries to strengthen economic ties and address outstanding trade issues. For the aluminum industry, the agreement offers a clearer timeline for market access, while its agricultural provisions provide Canadian producers with greater predictability in one of their key export markets. Canada-China trade agreement...
India’s renewable power capacity set to reach 530 GW by 2030 as solar leads expansion
India’s renewable energy transition is gathering pace, with installed renewable power capacity surpassing 300 gigawatts (GW) in 2026, almost quadrupling over the past decade. The country has also achieved its target of sourcing 50 per cent of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources five years ahead of schedule, strengthening its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing clean energy markets. The expansion is beginning to deliver measurable energy security benefits by reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, while competitive renewable power costs and expanding domestic manufacturing are opening new investment opportunities. However, sustaining this momentum will require substantial improvements in electricity transmission, storage infrastructure and...
Venezuela eyes second primary aluminum shipment to US as trade links reopen
Venezuela's aluminum industry could be making another move into the US market as commodity traders and mining investors explore a fresh shipment of primary aluminum. The discussions signal renewed commercial engagement between the two countries and could open another supply channel for US aluminum consumers. The proposed cargo would follow the return of Venezuelan aluminum to the US after years of restricted trade. However, the negotiations remain ongoing, and the potential shipment's significance will depend on whether the renewed trade activity develops into a sustained flow of metal. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook " Mercuria and...
North American aluminum Zorba-Zurik scrap trade: Leading exporters and a shift in processing
North America's aluminium Zorba-Zurik scrap trade is evolving as major recyclers invest in advanced metal recovery technologies and international buyers seek consistent supplies of specification-compliant non-ferrous scrap . From established exporters such as CMR America, GP Harmon Recycling, and Sims Global Commodities to traders offering different Zorba grades and shipment volumes, the market is increasingly shaped by material quality, processing capabilities, and global demand. While India and Southeast Asia remain important destinations for North American scrap, the region’s leading processors are also expanding domestic sorting operations to produce higher-purity, furnace-ready materials. This dual approach is reshaping the competitive landscape for aluminum scrap exporters and...
15 EU nations back Warsaw Declaration to strengthen industrial competitiveness, energy security and aluminium scrap supply: European Aluminium welcomes the act
European industry is facing a difficult balancing act of maintaining global competitiveness while accelerating decarbonisation, securing critical raw materials and managing persistent energy-cost pressures. Against this backdrop, 15 European Union (EU) member states have endorsed the Warsaw Declaration 2026, calling for a stronger industrial policy that places competitiveness, economic security and manufacturing resilience at its core. Adopted following the 9th Friends of Industry Ministerial Conference in Warsaw on October 26, the declaration outlines a coordinated approach to protecting Europe's industrial base. Its priorities include affordable energy, reliable access to secondary raw materials, stronger trade defence mechanisms, technological sovereignty and reforms to the EU's carbon...
North American aluminum demand rises 3.5% in H1 2026 as imports offset domestic supply decline
North American aluminum demand returned to growth in the first half of 2026, but the recovery has exposed a widening gap between market consumption and domestic production. Rising imports of semi-fabricated aluminum products, particularly sheet, have supported regional demand as shipments from US and Canadian producers continue to weaken. According to preliminary industry estimates, aluminum demand across the United States and Canada increased 3.5% Year-on-Year through June 2026, reaching an estimated 13.57 billion pounds (6.16 million metric tonnes), compared with 13.12 billion pounds (5.95 million metric tonnes) during the corresponding period of 2025. The improvement marks a reversal from the previous year's contraction, although imports rather than stronger domestic mill shipments...
US aluminum trihydrate prices rise 2.38% as Bosnia Market Slides 3% in Q3 2026
The US aluminum trihydrate market strengthened in September 2026 as downstream procurement, rising overseas production costs, and shipping bottlenecks supported prices. In contrast, Bosnia’s market faced a quarterly correction as European buyers drew on accumulated inventories and lower caustic soda costs eased manufacturing pressures, highlighting diverging regional price trends. US aluminum trihydrate market gains on demand and supply constraints US aluminum trihydrate prices increased 2.38% month over month in September, supported by purchases from wire and cable manufacturers, electrical infrastructure compounders, and electric vehicle (EV) component producers. Demand remained particularly resilient for applications involving low-smoke cable compounds and flame-retardant materials....
Constellium raises 2026 guidance as Q3 adjusted EBITDA hits $276m & revenue jumps 22%
Constellium SE has raised its full-year financial outlook after reporting stronger earnings across its major aluminium businesses, supported by improved aerospace demand, favourable pricing and product mix, and robust recycling performance. However, lower shipments across parts of its portfolio highlight an uneven recovery in end-market demand. The Paris-based aluminium products manufacturer reported its third-quarter and nine-month financial results on October 28, 2026, with profitability improving despite a slight decline in overall shipment volumes. The company also reported record quarterly adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA). Constellium's Q3 2026 revenue and earnings climb Constellium generated revenue of USD 2.64 billion in the third...
Chevron to supply 55 PJ of natural gas to South32’s Worsley Alumina Refinery from 2028
Chevron Australia has entered a new natural gas supply agreement with South32’s Worsley Alumina business, reinforcing the importance of reliable energy supplies to Australia’s alumina refining industry. The deal will support operations at the Western Australian facility, where energy availability remains central to mineral processing and industrial activity. Under the contract, Chevron will supply natural gas to South32 Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd from 1 January 2028. The arrangement continues a longstanding commercial relationship between the companies, with the fuel allocated to the alumina producer’s processing requirements. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade...
Mexico’s aluminum industry eyes 7.8% growth in 2026 as AI data centers and aerospace boost demand
Mexico’s aluminum industry is looking to capitalize on rising demand from artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, electric mobility, automotive manufacturing, and aerospace. Expanding technology investments and international market opportunities are expected to support sales growth, while the country’s reliance on imported aluminum highlights the importance of strengthening domestic processing capabilities. Ramón Beltrán, president of Mexico’s National Chamber of the Aluminum Industry (Canalum), expects the country’s domestic and international aluminum sales to gain momentum in 2026, supported by demand from advanced technology applications and established manufacturing sectors. “We expect to close out this year with growth of between 7.5% and 7.8% in domestic and international...
AL Circle analysis: How do Germany’s 32.8% automotive aluminium share, 40% Diet Coke can price rise & 3.54Mt North American extrusion demand matter?
Aluminium’s downstream and end-user world is having one of those fortnights where a beer can, a luxury sports car, a German construction site and an Indian furnace all end up in the same conversation. The metal may begin its life far upstream, but its real fuss is playing out in cans, cars, extrusions, buildings and factories, where tariffs, trade policy, energy costs and demand cycles decide who wins. This fortnight highlights that aluminium demand is moving towards electric vehicles, lightweight transport and long-life infrastructure, even as packaging and construction feel the pinch of cost and weak activity. Meanwhile, producers from Vietnam to New Zealand are arguing over the oldest question in the business of how much protection, taxation or openness does a downstream industry need...
Aughinish Alumina dodges proposed EU sanctions as 22nd Russia package takes shape
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....
$3.7B Kurri Kurri Data Centre to transform former aluminium smelter site with 550.5 MW power demand
A proposed AUD 3.7 billion data centre at the former Hydro Aluminium Kurri Kurri industrial site in New South Wales, Australia, could repurpose a major industrial property for digital infrastructure, with an estimated peak construction workforce of 1,210 people and around 254 ongoing jobs. The Kurri Kurri Data Centre project, proposed at Hart Road, Loxford, is seeking approval for the fit-out and operation of a large-scale data storage facility with a planned power consumption of 550.5 megawatts (MW). The development application, listed as a State Significant Development under reference SSD-128819490, is currently at the public exhibition stage. The proposal highlights how former aluminium industry sites could find new uses as demand for data storage and computing infrastructure expands....
North America’s aluminum extrusion demand set to reach 3.54Mt by 2035: The end-use sectors behind the climb
After a soft 2025 and a near-flat 2026, North American aluminum extrusion demand is forecast to climb from 2.91 million tons in 2025 to 3.54 million tons by 2035. The lift is expected to come less from construction volume and more from transportation, data centers, grid and solar, and engineered industrial profiles. North America’s aluminum extrusion forecast: 630 thousand tons of new demand by 2035 North America is one of the most mature aluminum extrusion markets in the world, and its forecast reflects that. Usage is projected to rise from 2.91 million tons in 2025 to 3.54 million tons in 2035, an addition of about 0.63 million tons and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 1.99%. That is slightly below the 2.29% CAGR expected for global extrusion demand, which is set to grow...
Red mud waste to stronger cement: Sulphate activation delivers 7.33 MPa compressive strength
China’s growing red mud waste problem could offer an opportunity for the construction industry, as new research has demonstrated how aluminium industry residue can be converted into stronger cementitious materials. The study found that sulphate activation using flue gas desulphurisation gypsum achieved a compressive strength of 7.33 megapascals (MPa), more than double that of untreated mixtures. Researchers also identified the fractal geometry of microscopic pores as a potential indicator of material strength. The findings could support efforts to develop low-carbon construction materials from industrial waste, including red mud generated during alumina refining. However, the results also highlight a key engineering trade-off: the activation method that delivered the highest compressive...
Mount Ridley Mines files second Selectro patent to target industrial metals recovery
Australia’s Mount Ridley Mines is expanding its Selectro processing technology beyond critical minerals, with a second provisional patent application targeting industrial feedstocks such as bauxite and potentially opening new licensing and partnership opportunities. Mount Ridley Mines Ltd (ASX: MRD) has lodged a second provisional patent application for its proprietary Selectro hydrometallurgical technology, seeking to protect an adapted version of the process designed to recover metals from industrial feedstocks. Filed on October 15 2026, with IP Australia through its wholly owned subsidiary, Mount Ridley Tech, the application follows the company's initial Selectro patent filing in August 2026. The new application covers an adaptation of the technology in which the reagent molecule has...
A should-cost analysis of an aluminium tower furnace in India: Comparing the economics of LPG, PNG, and electric energy sources
In precision non-ferrous casting and high-volume die-casting operations, thermal energy conversion represents one of the largest controllable operating expenses. In modern aluminium foundries, where margins are squeezed by primary metal price fluctuations and stringent customer cost breakdowns, even a modest INR 1–2/kg variance in liquid metal melting cost can translate into tens of lakhs of rupees in annual cost differences. A rigorous, transparent should-cost benchmark is therefore essential for procurement teams, foundry managers and strategic sourcing leaders. This analysis examines a baseline should-cost model for a 1,000 kg/hour aluminium shaft or tower furnace in an industrial foundry. It compares liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), piped natural gas (PNG) and electric energy across...
