French Technology to Boost China's Low-Grade Bauxite Processing, Reducing Import Dependence

[French Technology Could Reduce China’s Reliance on Imported Bauxite]

A plant in Shanxi, China, is being upgraded with French technology that will allow it to process the country’s low-grade, high-silica bauxite into alumina using the Bayer process, which was previously inefficient for such ore types. The first industrial-scale IB2 unit is expected to be operational by July 2025.

The technology, developed by French green tech firm IB2, neutralises silica and sulphur in the bauxite, enabling effective refining with the conventional Bayer method. This innovation follows a decade of research by chemist Yves Ocello. In 2023, IB2 signed a 22-year agreement with China’s Liulin Senze Coal & Aluminum to implement the process. The move supports Beijing’s push for a greener aluminium industry and could significantly reduce reliance on bauxite imports from Guinea and Australia.