[SMM Aluminum Express News] Indonesian bauxite mines generally observe the national public holidays (libur nasional) and collective leave days (cuti bersama) in March 2026, as confirmed by industry players, though exact implementation varies by company policy (e.g., essential operations like maintenance or shifts may continue with adjustments). This creates a potential 7-day extended break (18–24 March), aligning with government SKB (joint ministerial decree) on holidays and cuti bersama for 2026.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated India's first fully automated dry-bulk cargo terminal, the Haldia Bulk Terminal (HBT), to the nation on Saturday (March 2026). Developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) at the Haldia Dock Complex (Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata), the facility has an annual handling capacity of 4 MMTPA. Key features: 1. Full mechanisation and automated cargo handling 2. Direct rail connectivity via a 1.54 km dedicated rail line 3. 2,000-tonne Railway Wagon Loading System (RWLS) for seamless ship-to-train transfer The eastern seaboard handles ~60% of India's dry-bulk imports (coal, bauxite, limestone), vital for steel, aluminium, and power sectors.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Indonesia's Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, held a bilateral meeting with Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ryosei Akazawa, on the sidelines of the Indo Pacific Energy Security Ministerial and Business Forum (IPEM) in Tokyo, Japan, March 15, 2026. A key outcome was the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation in two strategic areas: 1. Critical minerals (focusing on secure, sustainable supply chains for nickel, bauxite, lithium, rare earths, and others essential for batteries, EVs, and green tech). 2. Nuclear energy (covering technology transfer, human resource development, safety standards, regulatory alignment, and potential collaboration on small modular reactors or other advanced nuclear solutions).

On March 11, the low-grade bauxite comprehensive utilization project in Wuchuan Autonomous County was fully completed. The project is located in Canglang Community, Zhuoshui Town, Wuchuan Autonomous County, with a total investment of 110 million yuan. After the project begins operation, it is expected to process 300,000 mt/year of low-grade bauxite and mine waste slag, produce about 160,000 mt/year of aluminum concentrate ore, and generate annual output value of up to 100 million yuan. It was understood that the aluminum concentrate produced by the low-grade bauxite comprehensive utilization project will be supplied directly to SPIC (Zunyi) Industrial Development Co., Ltd., gradually forming a closed-loop industry chain from mining and waste slag comprehensive utilization to deep process.

Cameroon Aluminum Ore Was Expected to Ship Ore in Q3 According to the latest project timetable, the company had confirmed that it would ship its first batch of bauxite ore in Q3 this year. Peter Secker, CEO of Canyon Resources, said: “With the smooth commencement of production at Minim-Martap in Cameroon, the introduction of a surface miner marked an important step. Bauxite mining operations would be rolled out intensively, and the company still expected to deliver its first batch of bauxite in Q3 this year. At the same time, we continued to advance logistics, offtake discussions, and downstream feasibility studies to maximize the long-term value of this globally significant tier-one high-grade bauxite project.”

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Jamaica has officially launched Phase VIII of the Bauxite Community Development Programme (BCDP), coinciding with the programme's 30th anniversary. The launch occurred on March 4, 2026, at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining’s playfield in Hope Gardens, St. Andrew. The BCDP, administered by the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) since its inception in 1996, reinvests revenues from the bauxite and alumina industry into communities affected by mining operations.