Bauxite, alumina and aluminium should be added to Australia’s Critical Minerals List to bring Australia into line with its key strategic partners and protect one of the few complete industrial value chains the country has, a new report released today by the Australian Aluminium Council finds.
The report, “Securing Australia’s Aluminium Advantage”, finds the US, the UK, the European Union, Canada and South Korea already recognise aluminium or its value chain as critical, and Japan lists bauxite. Australia produces nearly a quarter of the world’s bauxite and is the world’s largest alumina exporter, but none of the three is on Australia’s Critical Minerals List. Aluminium is recognised only on the Government’s separate Strategic Materials List – but which does not align with that of our key trading partners.
“Australia already has what our allies are trying to build: an integrated aluminium industry, from the mine to the finished product,” said Marghanita Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Aluminium Council.
“Adding bauxite, alumina and aluminium to the list would bring Australia into line with our partners and position us as their supplier of choice in an uncertain world.
“This isn’t about scarcity. It’s about how much of our security and modern economy depends on aluminium, from the truck parts keeping the country running to the aluminium powder which can fuel a rocket, and how hard that capability would be to replace.”
The report comes ahead of the Federal Government’s 2026 review of the List, and as the global market shifts quickly. Indonesia’s alumina refining capacity is forecast to grow more than fourfold, from 7 million tonnes in 2025 to 32.5 million tonnes by 2030. Guinea’s bauxite exports reached around 183 million tonnes in 2025, while Australian output has contracted in recent years with the closure of one refinery and curtailment of another.
Bauxite, alumina and aluminium already meet the tests for listing. They are essential to modern technology, national security and the economy. Global supply is also highly concentrated, leaving these supply chains vulnerable to disruption, with 85% of bauxite, 86% of alumina and 76% of primary aluminium produced by just four countries.
Australia is one of the few countries with a complete aluminium value chain, from mining and refining through to smelting and downstream manufacturing. Recent geopolitical and price volatility has reinforced the value of stable, secure supply, and demand for these minerals is forecast to keep rising.
This national capability is built on decades of technical expertise, investment and infrastructure. Alumina refining alone adds $7.9 billion in value and supports more than 32,000 jobs, much of it in regional Australia. Deteriorating competitiveness puts this specialised capability at risk. The United States shows what is at stake: it was the world’s largest aluminium producer in 2000, with 24 smelters. Today it has four.
“Listing is not about accessing additional funding. This is about ensuring Australia can continue to be a reliable supplier of choice – despite the geopolitical uncertainties the industry may face.”
The report is available at https://aluminium.org.au/news/securing-australias-aluminium-advantage/
About us:
The Australian Aluminium Council is the peak industry association representing Australia’s integrated bauxite, alumina and aluminium industry. The Council provides a unified voice across the value chain, working with governments, industry and communities to support a resilient, competitive and sustainable sector that underpins Australia’s economic strength, industrial capability and energy transition.
The aluminium industry has been operating in Australia since 1955, and over the decades has been a significant contributor to the national economy. It includes six mines which collectively produce over 100 Mt per annum making Australia one of the world’s largest producers of bauxite. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of alumina with five alumina refineries producing around 17 Mt per annum of alumina. Australia is the seventh largest producer of aluminium, with four aluminium smelters and additional downstream processing industries including more than 20 extrusion presses. Aluminium is Australia’s highest earning manufacturing export. The industry directly employs more than 20,000 people. It also indirectly supports a further 55,000 families predominantly in regional Australia at pay rates 60% above the national manufacturing average. The industry contributes more than A$18 billion to Australia’s economy with annual export revenue in excess of A$15 billion.
