SMM January 5 News:
According to media reports, on January 3, 2026, local time, the U.S. military launched a rapid strike against Venezuela, and the capital Caracas was attacked. Some market participants are concerned about potential disruptions to the aluminum industry chain supply. Here is an overview of Venezuela’s aluminum industry chain information.
Bauxite: Rich Resources but Limited Production, Mainly for Self-Supply
Based on information released in 2010 by the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy in Venezuela, Venezuela is rich in mineral resources such as iron, aluminum, nickel, gold, diamond, and coal. The total bauxite reserves and resources in Venezuela amount to approximately 3.479 billion mt, including reserves of 1.332 billion mt and resources of 2.147 billion mt. The proven bauxite reserves are 320 million mt, with a reserve base of 350 million mt. These are mainly distributed in the states of Bolívar and Amazonas. The Cedeno region in western Bolívar is an important bauxite distribution area and aluminum industrial production site in Venezuela. Venezuela’s production capacities for bauxite, alumina, and primary aluminum are 6 million mt, 2 million mt, and 640,000 mt, respectively.
It is reported that in recent years, Venezuela’s annual bauxite production has been less than 1 million mt, and there has been little import or export trade in bauxite.
Alumina and Aluminum: Low Operating Rates, Mainly Self-Sufficient Domestically
It is reported that Venezuela has only one alumina refinery, CVG Bauxilum, with an annual capacity of approximately 2 million mt. There are two aluminum smelters in operation, Alcasa and Venalum, with a combined annual capacity of about 640,000 mt, but their operating rates are relatively low. In recent years, the operating rate of alumina in Venezuela has been below 20%, while the operating rate of aluminum has generally remained between 10% and 20%. This translates to an annual alumina production of less than 400,000 mt and an annual aluminum production of only about 100,000 mt, which is primarily for domestic use.
In terms of imports and exports, according to GTT data, Venezuela’s alumina exports and imports were nearly zero in 2021, and net aluminum exports were less than 10,000 mt. Other public sources also do not indicate significant import or export trade of alumina and aluminum from Venezuela. Venezuela’s share of global trade in upstream aluminum products is almost zero, as its produced alumina and aluminum are essentially for domestic self-sufficiency. SMM Brief Review:
On January 3, the capital of Venezuela was attacked. However, Bolívar State, where the aluminum industry is relatively concentrated, is located approximately 600 kilometers from Caracas. No changes have been reported so far in the production of related aluminum enterprises. Should any changes occur, given Venezuela’s relatively low annual production of bauxite, alumina, and aluminum, the impact on the global market is expected to be limited. In the short term, changes in the global situation are anticipated to affect aluminum market sentiment to some extent.
