The Lanjigarh alumina refinery is operating at a new scale. Vedanta Aluminium has taken capacity there to 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), completing an expansion that has been under way since 2020.
Image source:Vedanta Aluminium
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At 5 MTPA, Lanjigarh stands as the world’s second largest facility, excluding China. The increase also shifts India’s alumina balance. Total refining capacity across the country is now close to 13 MTPA, enough to place India third worldwide. Of that output, 38 per cent comes from Lanjigarh alone, the largest contribution from a single site in India.
Demand has been moving faster across several end-use segments. Infrastructure and construction remain key, while railways, automotive and electric vehicles, renewable energy and aerospace are taking a larger share. The expanded refinery feeds directly into that demand mix.
Production figures show the effect of the ramp-up. In November, alumina output reached 254,000 tonnes, the highest monthly level recorded at the plant. Volumes were 8 per cent higher than October and 68 per cent above the same month last year.
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Operations tightened alongside higher volumes. More than 700 rakes were moved during the month, the most ever handled in a single period. Power consumption per tonne fell to its lowest point in 20 months. Conversion costs also eased, touching an 18-month low after process changes and better resource use.
Pranab Kumar Bhattacharyya, CEO, Vedanta Alumina Business, added, “This achievement is a testament to the dedication and engineering excellence of our teams. From concept to commissioning, every stage of the expansion has been driven by precision, agility, and collaboration. We continue to sharpen processes, enhance efficiency, and uphold our Zero Harm culture to deliver reliable performance at scale.”
Lanjigarh was originally built as a 2 MTPA greenfield refinery. Beyond the industrial expansion, Vedanta Aluminium continues to run programmes around the site focused on education, healthcare, sports and skill development.
Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “Aluminium is a strategic metal, central to India’s industrial growth and the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Scaling our Lanjigarh operations to 5 MTPA is both a capacity milestone and a step toward a resilient, world-class aluminium value chain. Our ramp-up, evidenced by record monthly outputs, reflects our commitment to responsible resource development, innovation, and long-term value creation for the nation.”
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