China's Alumina Output Up 1.1% MoM in Aug; Supply Pressure to Intensify in Sept on North Restarts and South New Capacity

Aug 31 News：
 China's metallurgical-grade alumina output edged up 1.1% month-on-month in August 2026, though it still declined 2.5% year-on-year, according to SMM data.

As of the end of August, the country's total installed capacity stood at approximately 118.42 million tonnes per year, with overall operating capacity rising 1.1% from the previous month and dropping 2.5% year-on-year, in line with the output trend.

The modest recovery in operating capacity this month was primarily driven by the northern region, where maintenance work at several plants that began in July was gradually completed, allowing production to return to normal levels. Some additional capacity was also restarted toward the end of August, contributing to the output recovery in the north. Currently, no new maintenance plans have been reported in this region.

In the southern region, production constraints caused by bauxite supply issues earlier eased somewhat in August, enabling a gradual output recovery. In Guangxi, plants affected by previous operational problems have largely returned to normal levels. However, one producer in the region carried out routine maintenance, which capped the overall incremental gain.

Looking ahead to September, domestic metallurgical-grade alumina output is expected to post a more notable increase. The growth will come from two main sources: first, a certain alumina producer in Guangxi is likely to bring new capacity online; second, idled capacity in Shanxi is expected to resume operations, further boosting production. Taken together, operating capacity is projected to approach 91.96 million tpy in September, significantly intensifying supply pressure in the market.