Aluminium Smelters in Yunnan Maintain Stable Operation

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) said its proposed acquisition of Aluminium Dunkerque is progressing, with the company working to secure the remaining regulatory approvals required to close the transaction. At its Q3 Board meeting on September 22, Chairman Khalid Al Rumaihi described the deal as an important step in Alba’s international expansion and its ambition to build a global low-carbon aluminum platform. Alba signed the agreement to acquire Aluminium Dunkerque in May 2026, with the transaction subsequently valued at around US$2.2 billion. Aluminium Dunkerque is the EU’s largest primary aluminum smelter, while Alba operates the world’s largest single-site aluminum smelter in Bahrain. The acquisition remains subject to outstanding regulatory approvals and has not yet closed. The Board also approved Alba’s preliminary 2027 Marketing Plan, while reviewing operational, commercial and governance matters. For aluminum supply, the main takeaway is that Alba remains committed to completing the Dunkerque acquisition despite the regional supply disruptions that affected its Bahrain operations earlier this year.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Guinea is seeking US financing for Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée’s (CBG) planned alumina refinery, as the country accelerates efforts to process more of its bauxite domestically. Guinea’s Mines Ministry said discussions were held on September 18 with the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and US Export-Import Bank over potential involvement in financing the project. CBG aims to begin construction by the end of 2026, although the refinery’s financing requirement and potential US contribution have not yet been disclosed.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] The European Parliament has backed a broader expansion of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to downstream aluminum and steel products from 2028. Parliament adopted its negotiating position on September 15 by 464 votes to 50, with 159 abstentions, supporting coverage beyond the European Commission’s original proposal for 180 additional downstream products, including aluminum-intensive products such as wire, fasteners, springs and certain finished goods. For aluminum, Parliament also proposes lowering the CBAM exemption threshold from 50 tonnes to just 5 tonnes, meaning smaller-volume importers could become subject to CBAM requirements. It also supports stronger anti-circumvention rules, including the use of emissions default values based on the actual country of origin where authorities suspect attempts to avoid CBAM obligations. The changes are not final yet, with negotiations with the EU Council still required. If adopted, the expansion would increase carbon-reporting and potentially carbon-cost exposure for exporters of downstream aluminum products into the EU, extending CBAM further beyond primary and semi-finished aluminum.