New Capacity Additions and Production Resumptions Advance, Aluminum Operating Rate Outside China Expected to Rise Slightly in November

SMM October 31 News:
According to SMM statistics, aluminum production outside China in October 2025 increased by 2.6% YoY. The average monthly operating rate was 89.0%, up 0.2 percentage points MoM and slightly up 0.8 percentage points YoY. By the end of October, cumulative production in 2025 had increased by 2.9% YoY.
On October 21, Century Aluminum Company announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Norðurál Grundartangi ehf, temporarily halted one of the two electrolysis potlines at its Grundartangi aluminum smelter in Iceland due to an electrical equipment failure. The smelter's second potline was unaffected and continued to operate at full capacity. This shutdown reduced the smelter's production by approximately two-thirds, with no casualties reported during the incident.
On October 22, Alcoa stated in its earnings report that its Q3 aluminum production increased by 1% QoQ to 579,000 mt, primarily benefiting from the restart progress at the San Ciprián aluminum plant in Spain.
Looking ahead to November, the operating capacity of the newly commissioned aluminum project in Indonesia is expected to gradually ramp up, and the restart of the San Ciprián plant is anticipated to advance further. The aluminum operating rate outside China in November is projected to be approximately 89.1%, up 0.1 percentage points MoM and up 0.8 percentage points YoY.