The first quarter of 2026 brought a temporary setback for Oceania’s primary aluminium production, but it did not define the first half of the year. Although production declined from the last year Q4, due to upstream supply disruptions and seasonal operational factors, the region regained momentum in Q2, 2026 as output strengthened.
Oceania’s primary aluminium production rebounded in the second quarter of 2026, rising to 476,000 from 467,000 in the first quarter, representing a 1.9 per cent quarter-on-quarter increase.
On a year-on-year basis, Oceania’s primary aluminium production reached 943,000 in H1 2026, compared with 923,000 in H1 2025, an increase 2.2 per cent.
The stronger first-half performance was underpinned by higher production in both quarters of 2026 compared with the corresponding period of 2025. Production increased from 458,000 in Q1 2025 to 467,000 in Q1 2026, while Q2 2026 output rose to 476,000 from 465,000 in Q2 2025. The year-on-year gains in both quarters lifted H1 2026 production to its highest first-half level across the period shown.
Quarter-on-quarter, production followed a mixed trend during the first half of 2026. After reaching 481,000 in Q4 2025, production declined to 467,000 in Q1 2026, down by 14,000, or 2.9 per cent. Production then recovered to 476,000 in Q2 2026, an increase of 9,000, or 1.9 per cent, from the previous quarter. Despite the recovery, production remained 5,000, or 1.0 per cent, below the Q4 2025 level.