Tug-of-War between Australian Alumina Suppliers and Chinese Buyers, SMM Reports

As global aircraft production accelerates and supply chain pressures persist, Airbus has added South Korea's SeAH Aerospace & Defense (SeAH A&D) to its aluminium supply network, making the company the first Korean materials supplier to secure a direct long-term agreement with the European aircraft manufacturer. The agreement, signed during the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, reflects a broader industry effort to secure reliable sources of high-strength aerospace materials as demand for new aircraft continues to outpace the availability of certified suppliers.

VBX ha dado un paso más hacia el desarrollo de su emblemático proyecto Wuudagu Bauxite tras firmar un acuerdo marco con un importante grupo chino del aluminio que podría aportar tanto financiación para el proyecto como un contrato de compra de bauxita a largo plazo. El acuerdo no exclusivo, suscrito con la filial de Hong Kong del productor chino de aluminio, abre una vía para que las partes negocien la inversión en el desarrollo y la operación del proyecto en Australia Occidental. Según el acuerdo propuesto, el grupo chino compraría entre 2 y 3 millones de toneladas de bauxita al año, al tiempo que aportaría financiación que se espera cubra una parte importante de los costes de construcción y puesta en marcha del proyecto.

Brazilian Rare Earths (BRE) has moved a step closer to developing its Amargosa Bauxite-Gallium Project in Brazil after its newly created subsidiary, Alurion Resources Limited, raised approximately A$50 million (USD 24.5 million) through an initial public offering (IPO) in Australia. The company issued 47,619,048 fully paid ordinary shares at an offer price of A$1.05 (USD 0.74) per share, with the proceeds earmarked to accelerate development of the USD 119 million project. The funding will support land acquisitions, technical studies, environmental licensing, exploration activities, community programmes, safety initiatives and equipment purchases as Alurion advances the project.