【SMM Aluminum Flash News】US Aluminum Scrap Exports Rise 21% in H1 2026, Led by Thailand and India

Preliminary IAI data showed Gulf primary aluminum production fell to 10,989 mt/day in April 2026, down 26.7% from March and nearly 40% below the pre-conflict level of around 17,800 mt/day. Disruptions to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have constrained raw material supplies and delayed aluminum exports. The Gulf accounts for around 8% of global primary aluminum production but supplies about 19% of EU, 28% of Japanese and 21% of US primary aluminum imports. Tightening supply has pushed LME aluminum to a four-year high, while US Midwest and European premiums have also strengthened.

India’s National Aluminium Company (NALCO) has inaugurated a 50 kg/day fly ash processing pilot plant at its Research & Technology Centre in Bhubaneswar. Based on jointly patented technology developed by NALCO and CSIR-IMMT, the facility can recover alumina and iron hydroxide residue enriched with rare earth elements (REE), including scandium. NALCO also held a ground-breaking ceremony for a red mud valorisation pilot plant aimed at recovering ferro-titanium alloy, metallic iron and REEs, supporting greater resource recovery from aluminium industry residues.

Hydro Energi, a subsidiary of Norsk Hydro, has signed an 18-month hybrid PPA with Sweden’s Varberg Energi, covering 10 GWh of electricity in the SE3 bidding zone from July 2026. Power will be supplied from wind and solar generation combined with energy storage, aiming to reduce renewable-energy variability and provide a more stable supply for industrial consumption. The agreement will also serve as a pilot for potential wider deployment of similar hybrid power solutions.