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Alumina

Alumina is aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃), a white crystalline powder that serves as the principal feedstock for primary aluminium production. It is refined from bauxite ore through the Bayer process, in which bauxite is digested in caustic soda at high temperature and pressure to dissolve the aluminium-bearing minerals, leaving behind iron-rich red mud residue. The resulting aluminium hydroxide is then calcined to produce alumina. Approximately two tonnes of alumina are required to produce one tonne of primary aluminium metal via the Hall–Héroult electrolytic smelting process. Beyond its dominant role in aluminium production, alumina is also used in ceramics, refractories, abrasives, catalysts and polishing compounds owing to its hardness and chemical stability. Global alumina production is concentrated in countries with large bauxite reserves, including Australia, China, Brazil and Guinea, as well as in regions with access to low-cost energy for refining. The alumina market is closely linked to aluminium demand from the automotive, construction, packaging and aerospace sectors. Bauxite residue, or red mud, generated during refining presents environmental and storage challenges, prompting research into tailings reprocessing and recovery of by-products such as rare earth elements, gallium and scandium. Alumina refining is energy-intensive and a significant contributor to the carbon footprint of the aluminium value chain, driving interest in lower-emission refining technologies and circular economy approaches.

Alumina News


South Africa's large Hillside Aluminium in Richards Bay.
South African aluminium assets’ sale to Alcoa on track, South32 reports
6th November 2026 By: Martin Creamer

The sale of South Africa’s aluminium value chain assets to Alcoa Corporation of the US remains on track for completion in the June 2027 half-year, Johannesburg-, Sydney- and London-listed South32... 


Norsk Hydro refinery
Norsk Hydro flags higher smelting costs after quarterly profit miss
23rd October 2026 By: Reuters

Norwegian aluminium producer Norsk Hydro on Friday reported a third-quarter core profit below market expectations and said it expected higher costs and lower realised metal prices at its smelting... 


Alcoa's Deschambault smelter in Québec
Alcoa posts net income, free cashflow gains in Q3
16th October 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

NYSE- and ASX-listed bauxite, alumina and aluminium producer Alcoa Corporation has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 apiece for the third quarter of the year, which marked a period of... 


Anorthosite rock
Greenland Mines increases ownership in anorthosite producer AnorTech to 19.9%
6th October 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Nasdaq- and Frankfurt-listed Greenland Mines has exercised in full its option to acquire an additional 9.9% stake in Canadian anorthosite producer AnorTech, which owns the Gronne Bjerg project, in... 


Critical mineral symbols
Three-way merger between Special Project Delivery, Mobix Labs, Winner Water secures rare earths supply chain
6th October 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

California-based supply chain builder Special Project Delivery (SPD) has entered into a definitive business combination agreement with a US-based rare earths company called Winner Water Services.... 


Norsk Hydro's Alunorte refinery
Norway's Norsk Hydro sees up to $210m hit from gas supply disruption at Alunorte
6th October 2026 By: Reuters

Norsk Hydro said on Monday it could take a financial hit of up to $210-million as it continues to buy gas at spot-market prices following disruptions to natural gas deliveries at its Alunorte... 


Alumina loading for transport
Hindalco aims to kick-start an alumina pricing revolution, columnist says
2nd October 2026 By: Reuters

The market for the raw material needed to produce aluminium is both huge and highly opaque despite the best efforts of both exchanges and price reporting agencies. The London Metal Exchange (LME)... 


Aluminium
Capped at home, China extends its aluminium dominance abroad, Reuters says
9th September 2026 By: Reuters

China's aluminium smelters have been running red hot this year. The Shanghai aluminium price is nudging three-month highs, raw material costs are historically low and margins are strong. Every... 


Aluminium
Norsk Hydro's Alunorte ramps up production after deal with gas supplier
14th August 2026 By: Reuters

Norsk Hydro's Alunorte refinery in Brazil has started ramping up alumina production to full capacity after reaching a temporary agreement with its gas supplier, the Norwegian company said on... 


Rare earths material in hand
Indonesia says mineral export resume after delays over rare-earth testing
7th August 2026 By: Reuters

Exports of Indonesian mineral products have resumed after delays linked to testing for rare-earth element contents, with shipments of alumina hydroxide and alumina oxide leaving from West... 


Rare earth mineral samples
Indonesia seeks to resolve mineral export bottlenecks caused by rare earth content
27th July 2026 By: Reuters

Indonesia's presidential staff office has called for cooperation between government agencies, law enforcement officials and industry to resolve mineral shipment bottlenecks caused by a lack of... 


Rio Tinto's Yarwun alumina refinery
Rio Tinto signs five-year bio pellet deal with SuperChar to cut alumina refinery emissions
22nd July 2026 By: Reuters

Rio Tinto said on Wednesday it had signed a five-year deal with Australian bioenergy firm SuperChar to supply bio pellets to the miner's alumina refineries in Gladstone, supporting its shift toward... 


South32 COO Africa Noel Pillay.
Alcoa is well positioned to operate South Africa’s Hillside Aluminium, says Pillay
17th July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

As a global producer of materials across the aluminium value chain, Alcoa Corporation is well positioned to operate South Africa’s Hillside Aluminium business into the future, South32 COO Africa... 


Silicon Ridge PEA estimates $12.1-billion after-tax NPV
Silicon Ridge PEA estimates $12.1-billion after-tax NPV
16th July 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

US-based, vertically integrated producer of advanced materials and critical mineral solutions Ionic Mineral Technologies (Ionic MT) has announced the results of an independent preliminary economic... 


Image of Nigeria map/flag
Alumina refinery, Nigeria
10th July 2026 By: Sheila Barradas

Africa Finance Corporation and the Nigerian government, through the Solid Minerals Development Fund plan to build an alumina refinery with a one-million-tonne-a-year capacity. 


South Africa's Hillside Aluminium in KwaZulu-Natal.
South32 deal enabling Alcoa to surpass Rio as world’s biggest bauxite miner
2nd July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

With the acquisition of South32’s aluminium assets, Alcoa will surpass Rio Tinto to become the world's largest bauxite mining company on an equity-attributable production basis, with global share... 


Alcoa President and CEO Bill Oplinger.
Alcoa sees South Africa’s Hillside Aluminium being 'cash flow accretive immediately'
2nd July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

This asset adds scale to our smelting portfolio in a way that is expected to be cash flow accretive immediately, Alcoa Corporation President and CEO William (Bill) F Oplinger said of South Africa’s... 


Century Aluminium product
US metal producers Brimstone, Century ink MoU to strengthen primary aluminium production
25th June 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

US-based alumina and other industrial materials company Brimstone has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the largest American primary aluminium producer, Century Aluminium, to... 


Alcoa refinery
Alcoa flags lower Australian alumina shipments after cyclone
11th June 2026 By: Reuters

US-based bauxite, alumina, and aluminum producer Alcoa Corporation expects shipments from its Pinjarra alumina refinery in Australia to fall by around 120 000t in the second quarter compared to the... 


Empire Metals' Pitfield titanium project in Western Australia
Empire Metals confirms premium titanium dioxide, alumina production viability in Pitfield flowheet
11th June 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Aim-listed Empire Metals has completed an integrated metallurgical processing flowsheet for the Pitfield titanium project, in Western Australia, capable of producing a premium 99% titanium dioxide... 


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pqt: 0.07s - ct: 0.122s - 275pq - 2rq
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