Vietnam has taken a major step towards building a self-sufficient aluminium industry after unveiling its first domestically produced primary aluminium ingots, a milestone that completes the country’s bauxite-to-aluminium production chain and is expected to reduce aluminium imports by around USD 1.5 billion annually.
The first aluminium ingots were unveiled at the Dak Nong Aluminium Smelter in Nhan Co Industrial Park, Lam Dong Province, making it Vietnam’s first pilot facility to produce primary aluminium from domestically processed alumina.
The project, operated by Tran Hong Quan Metallurgy Co., Ltd., allows Vietnam to process its own bauxite resources into finished aluminium products instead of exporting alumina for further refining overseas.
The company said the aluminium ingots have a purity of 99.71 per cent and are produced using 500-kiloampere electrolysis technology, creating a platform for higher-value aluminium products for both domestic industries and export markets.