FROM MINE TO MARKET

AUSTRALIAN MINING BREAKS DOWN THE IMPORTANCE OF BAUXITE, ALUMINA AND ALUMINIUM FOR THE COUNTRY'S FUTURE.

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The mining industry is well-known for contributing billions of dollars in revenue to Australia’s economy every year.

A key commodity driving this income is aluminium, the second most used metal in the world following iron ore and steel. Australia is one of the few countries that has an entire aluminium value chain in action.

The process begins with companies mining bauxite from the 3.5 billion tonnes Australia holds under its oil.

The bauxite ore is then processed at an alumina refinery to produce alumina. That alumina undergoes an electrolytic process to extract aluminium metal at an aluminium smelter.

The extracted aluminium is then transformed into a range of products by the process of extruding, rolling or casting.

Aluminium is vital across several industries, from construction and transportation to renewable energy technologies like solar panels and batteries. It’s also essential for defence applications such as armoured vehicles, military aircraft and naval vessels.

Because of its infinite recyclability, aluminium contributes to a sustainable circular economy where 75 per cent of aluminium metal ever produced is still in use today.

Despite its benefits and uses, aluminium’s significance in everyday life is still somewhat unknown by the general public.

But the Australian Aluminium Council is looking to change this.

Founded in 1968, the Australian Aluminium Council is the peak industry association representing the country’s aluminium industry.

With nearly 25 years’ experience in the aluminium industry, Marghanita Johnson joined the Australian Aluminium Council as chief executive officer in 2019.

“Reflecting on the past few years, what occurred to me was, even though we in the industry understood bauxite, alumina and aluminium, other people didn’t understand they are each a commodity in their own right,” Johnson told Australian Mining.