[SMM Aluminum Express News] A Canadian delegation led by Christopher Cooter visited National Aluminium Company Limited in Bhubaneswar to discuss strategic cooperation in critical minerals, sustainable mining, and future expansion opportunities. The talks highlight potential deeper collaboration between Canada and India in mining and metals, with NALCO also playing a key role in Khanij Bidesh India Limited for overseas critical mineral development.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] India has launched an investigation into aluminium wire imports from Malaysia ahead of the expiry of existing countervailing duties in September. The review was initiated following a petition by domestic producers including Hindalco Industries, Vedanta Limited, and Bharat Aluminium Company, who are seeking an extension of the trade measures.

National Aluminium Company (NALCO) reported that its 130 kWp rooftop solar project in the Damanjodi mining area had officially commenced operations. Meanwhile, the smelter's 960 electrolytic cells continued to operate at full capacity, with an annual operating scale of approximately 460,000 mt. At present, NALCO is expected to add 500,000-600,000 mt of aluminum capacity. The project is currently in the feasibility study and environmental impact assessment (EIA) stage; however, its progress is constrained by the construction schedule of the power plant.

Recently, this aluminum alloy product was officially launched by Shri Anil Kumar Singh, Commercial Director of National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), in the presence of senior officials at the Kolkata stockyard. IA91 is a high-performance silicon-based cast alloy designed to provide the optimal balance among castability, mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance. The product was officially launched by Singh in the presence of senior officials at the NALCO warehouse in Kolkata, India. The product is specifically designed for advanced casting applications and is ideally suited for gravity die casting and low-pressure die casting, with primary applications in the automotive, electrical and power equipment, industrial sectors, and foundries.

The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has launched a new IA91 grade aluminium alloy ingot on 24th February. IA91 grade aluminium alloy ingot is a high-profile, silicon-based aluminium casting alloy. It is manufactured in ingot form (metal that has been cast into a solid, standardised bar shape) for use in metal casting processes. The main usage of the alloy ingot is in automotive components, electrical power equipment, industrial machinery and foundry applications.

9th Feburary 2026: According to SMM statistics, in January 2026, overseas metallurgical-grade alumina production decreased by 3.17% month-on-month and increased by 3.42% year-on-year; the average operating rate of overseas alumina enterprises edged down 0.04 percentage points month-on-month to 79.37%, a year-on-year decrease of 1.10 percentage points. Alumina production saw both increases and decreases during the month. By region: Indonesia: According to SMM research, PT Kalimantan Alumina Nusantara (KAN), approximately 80%-owned by Press Metal Group, is constructing an alumina refinery with an annual capacity of 1–1.2 million tonnes in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The project is expected to gradually commence production in late 2026 or early 2027. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s bauxite quota has not been updated for the time being and is only sufficient to support the country’s existing 7 million tonnes of alumina operating capacity. Taking into account the newly added alumina production capacity totalling 2 million tonnes, bauxite demand stands at approximately 24 million tonnes, exceeding the bauxite quota of 18 million tonnes. The tight supply of bauxite at the raw material end will affect the ramp-up of new production capacity. SMM will continue to monitor bauxite supply and alumina production. Middle East: Chuangyuan Metal’s “Alumina—Aluminium Smelting—Power Plant—Aluminium Deep Processing” integrated green and low-carbon aluminium industrial park project in Saudi Arabia is scheduled to begin construction by the end of 2026. Phase I of the project plans to build 500,000 tonnes of aluminium smelting capacity. The project is expected to have a construction period of 24 months and commence production before the end of 2028. Saudi Arabia currently has only one alumina refinery in operation, with an annual capacity of 2 million tonnes. Apart from meeting the production needs of its associated aluminium smelter, the surplus is mainly exported to neighbouring countries. With the commissioning of Chuangyuan’s aluminium smelting project, the trade flow of alumina in the Saudi region is set to change. Africa: During the month, Ghana completed the review of the proposal for its first large-scale alumina refinery project. The project aims to change the country’s long history of exporting bauxite raw materials and importing high-cost finished products. By constructing a refinery, it will directly supply alumina to the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), laying the foundation for the downstream aluminium manufacturing industry and driving the development of related industrial clusters. The project is expected to commence in 2026, with a target to restore VALCO’s annual capacity to over 200,000 tonnes by the end of 2028. United States: On January 15, the United States invested $450 million to rescue its last and only domestic alumina refinery and build a complete gallium supply chain. This strategic initiative aims to secure the supply of critical raw materials needed for the defence, aerospace, and high-tech sectors. The refinery will process imported Jamaican bauxite into alumina, targeting an annual output of over 1 million tonnes of alumina, which would meet nearly 40% of U.S. demand. At the same time, the investment will be used to construct a new gallium extraction production line, with a planned capacity of up to 50 tonnes of gallium per year. Outlook for February 2026: Overseas metallurgical-grade alumina production is expected to decrease by 10.95% month-on-month and increase by 1.34% year-on-year; the operating rate is expected to be approximately 78.11%, down 0.01 percentage points month-on-month and down 2.84 percentage points year-on-year. The main reasons are the fewer days in February and the fact that some new production capacity is still in the ramp-up stage, leading to a decline in the operating rate.

National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) achieved its highest-ever quarterly net profit. In Q3 FY26 (ended Dec 2025), net profit rose to ₹1,601 crore ($174.8M) from ₹1,583 crore ($172.8M) in Q3 FY25. Total income grew to ₹4,925 crore ($538.4M) from ₹4,761 crore ($520.5M). For the nine months ended Dec 2025: net profit surged 26% to ₹4,098 crore ($448M) from ₹3,246 crore ($354.8M); revenue from operations climbed 11% to ₹12,830 crore ($1.4bn) from ₹11,520 crore ($1.2bn). This marks NALCO's record-high revenue and Profit After Tax (PAT) for both Q3 and the nine-month period in FY26.

This week the upstream sector of the global aluminium industry witnessed many significant events. News of new highs, marginal misses, financial results, etc, have kept the industry on its toes.

The New Year 2025 is expected to deliver strong financial and operational performance for Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Berhad, a Malaysia-based aluminium company with extensive global reach, thanks to the rising demand from China and reduced raw material costs due to increased alumina supply.

Aluminium is an essential component of the global economy, and this week, the upstream sector witnessed some significant events. For instance, India's bauxite mining sector has grown in the non-ferrous segment, achieving an output of 23.93 million tonnes in FY 2023-2024.