This week has been a buzz for the global aluminium industry, with fresh investments pouring into bauxite and alumina technologies, the fluctuations in the LME aluminium prices and the trade scenario due to Trump’s tariff. Key factors like the policy changes, aluminium output and strategic partnerships are aiming to reshape the market narrative.
Weekly recap: Bauxite, Alumina & Primary AL by AL Circle Pvt Ltd
{alcircleadd}New investment in the global bauxite industry
As seen during the ICSOBA and IFCURM 2025 conferences, Geomega Resources Inc. will be providing an update on the recent financial instruments’ exercises, observations and takeaways concerning the bauxite residue valorisation opportunity. As of September 1, 2025, the Corporation has successfully raised USD 2,728,773 from the exercise of multiple financial instruments (warrants and options). In these events, Geomega’s Chief Technology Officer, Dr Pouya Hajiani, presented the Corporation's multi-step processing technology designed to recover bulk metals (Fe, Al, Na) and produce high-value metal concentrates (Sc/REE), while achieving more than a 90 per cent reduction in residue volume. To know in detail, click here.
Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) is reworking to push for driving major policy rectifications with the sole focus on keeping the aluminium value chain highly competitive on a global scale. It has further demanded a 15 per cent export duty on the low-grade (non-plant grade) bauxite in order to revive the export segment. This shall boost the steady demand for the low-grade bauxite in western India. The federation is also further pushing the government to widen the import duties from 7.5 per cent to 15 per cent. Read the complete story here.
Discoveries, projects and restructuring
“The Third Era, Progress in Motion”, a transformation programme, was launched by METLEN Energy & Metals plc for the third time. The plan of the programme was planned on November 11, 2025, in Athens and London with the sole purpose of aiding the Group’s objective of doubling its scale in the coming years. The reorganisation introduces two distinct pillars within the energy sector: a Renewables & Energy Transition Pillar led by its Chief Executive Director, Nikos Papapetrou. And a Fully Integrated Energy Utility Pillar led by Chief Executive Directors Giannis Giannakopoulos and Panagiotis Kanellopoulos. This structure reflects METLEN’s increased focus on green metallurgy, low-carbon technologies and circular business models. To know more, click here.
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As the National Water Commission (NWC) struggles to supply much-needed water, Discovery Bauxite in St Ann, Jamaica, is supplying gallons of water to hurricane-hit people. At the facility from a far-off area near Montego Bay, water trucks are being unloaded. This facility consists of the Convention Centre, which helps in processing the World Central Kitchen, which prepares meals to distribute in the affected areas. Know more.
VBX Limited’s Wuudagu bauxite venture has announced that the firm's batch of assay results from its latest infill drilling programme has now been reviewed, marking a step forward to the next level. The samples extracted from the Wuudagu B deposit represent bauxite mineralisation, which is in line with the projects conducted previously, increasing the confidence level of the existing Mineral Resource Estimate. Learn more.
Alumina production updates
In the third quarter of 2025, the global alumina production showed a positive trajectory after a soft September output, mainly due to the output received in July and August, where the volumes reached an all-time high. Irrespective of the primary aluminium production slowing down, the alumina production remains steady and well aligned with the consumption trends. The majority of the regions had witnessed a steady alumina output except for Europe (including Russia), where the growth was muted, seeing a slight rise of 0.4 per cent. Get the complete picture of the global alumina production here.
Indonesia has always been rich in bauxite and its exports, but in the last two years (2023-2024), the country’s alumina imports have peaked. This signals a widening gap between domestic bauxite supply and domestic processing capability. According to data from the Ministry of Industry, alumina imports were 711,000 tonnes in 2023. They climbed sharply in 2024 before easing this year. Indonesia’s total alumina requirement for domestic smelting is in the range of 1.2–1.3 million tonnes annually, meaning that imports still accounted for more than half of national alumina consumption in 2023 and 2024. To augment this growth, Indonesia aims to lift aluminium output to 900,000 tonnes per year by 2030, supported by major refinery expansions. Read more into the story here.
Making alumina via the ILTD process
The Updated Improved Low Temperature Digestion (ILTD) Process is a novel way to increase the economic and environmental effectiveness of alumina production. This innovation has been brought into being in India, especially as there are large lateritic bauxite resources where the availability of alumina is medium and medium to high Reactive SiO2 content. The approximate qualities of bauxite feedstocks, the production levels, and estimated unit costs were used for three alumina refineries located in the Eastern part of India. The Material and Energy consumptions, the amount and composition of bauxite residues, and the same for the dicalcium-silicate (C2S) by-products were calculated and used to present the improvement in the COP of the Updated ILTD Process compared with the Conventional Low Temperature Digestion (CLTD). Dig deeper into the story here, and for the second part of the story, click here.
LME price movement this week
The week began with the LME aluminium prices reflecting fluctuations, where the cash offer rose to USD 2,876 per tonne as opening stocks increased to 553,200 tonnes. By mid-week, the LME aluminium price witnessed a dip, where the price came down to USD 2,797.5 per tonne, coinciding with a 7.35 per cent drop in cancelled warrants. This downward movement of the LME aluminium price continued with the cash offer price sliding to USD 2,749.5 per tonne as the three-month contract also decreased and inventories started to decline. At the end of the week, a slight stability in the LME aluminium price could be observed, where the cash offer eased at USD 2,778.5 per tonne, while opening stocks decreased to 544,075 tonnes. Get the latest LME data here.
China’s aluminium output & imports
In the first ten months of 2025, China’s primary aluminium, as noted by the National Bureau of Statistics, has increased by 2 per cent, indicating a steady rise. In October this year, the country’s production reached 3.8 million tonnes, which is a slight 0.4 per cent uptick from the same month last year. However, in comparison to the previous year, the aluminium production saw a slight dip of 0.2 per cent. Uncover more behind these numbers here.
China saw a significant increase of 10.4 per cent year-on-year in October in the imports of unwrought aluminium and related products, hitting 350 thousand tonnes. The surge in imports has mainly been because of the rapid demand from industries like packaging, construction and transport. In September this year, the country also marked a good rise of 3.4 per cent in imports and the total inflows from January to October stood at 3.36 million tonnes, an increase of 6.1 per cent compared to the same period last year. Get the full story here.
Must read: Key industry individuals share their thoughts on the trending topics
Latest industry & market shifts
Under the strategic oversight of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, GIADEC has ventured into a major industrial transformation push. For this, the firm is establishing an investor-selection committee to modernise Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) alongside the development of Ghana’s first alumina refinery. These two projects are developed mutually by reinforcing pillars of a value-added aluminium industry: the refinery will supply alumina to the smelter, which in turn is expected to anchor downstream manufacturing clusters supported by integrated logistics, power, rail and port infrastructure. To dig deeper into the complete scoop, click here.
Ontario has rolled out a USD 2.8 billion package with the sole purpose of supporting the manufacturing, resource and other industries that are facing some really difficult times due to the US tariff pressures. This package will help businesses cope with the rising export duties, especially in the sectors that are dependent on cross-border trade. With this support, these businesses will be provided with liquidity and operational relief during these challenging times. To see more complete highlights of the story, click here.
Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), which serves as Ethiopia’s sovereign investment arm, has just signed an initial agreement with Rusal to kick off the development of a high-capacity aluminium smelter. This ambitious project aims for an impressive output of 500,000 tonnes per year, backed by an estimated initial investment of around USD 1 billion. The goal is to wrap up the project in three to four years, with a design lifespan of about 50 years, setting Ethiopia up as a significant player in the aluminium value chain for the long haul. Dig deeper into the whole scoop here.
This week’s share price movement stories
NALCO’s shares saw a jump of 16 per cent over just four days after the company released its results for Q3 2025. Its consolidated revenue hit USD 484 million, marking a 7 per cent increase compared to last year and a 13 per cent rise from the previous quarter. EBITDA climbed to USD 214 million, reflecting a 24 per cent year-on-year growth, while net profit soared by 37 per cent to USD 158 million. Additionally, the company announced an interim dividend of INR 4 per share for FY26. In response, brokerages have raised their target prices as investor confidence surged, thanks to strong alumina margins and effective cost management. To know more about the firm's share price, click here.
China Hongqiao Group is looking to acquire a share placement in Hong Kong, with plans to raise around USD 1.5 billion, riding the wave of the current aluminium price surge. This capital-raising strategy comes at a time when aluminium markets are seeing strong profitability, providing an excellent opportunity for upstream players to bolster their balance sheets and support growth initiatives. The company’s timing indicates a clear intention to take advantage of the market momentum and the growing interest from investors in primary-aluminium investments. Learn more.
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