Aluminium in Africa
Encyclopedia
Aluminium in Africa originates primarily in Guinea
, Mozambique
and Ghana
. Guinea is by far the biggest producer in Africa
, and is a world leader in aluminium
and bauxite
production; see "World bauxite mine production, reserves, and reserve base" at the bauxite article.
There are many companies involved in the aluminium trade in Africa. Principal mine
and smelter operators include:
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
and Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. Guinea is by far the biggest producer in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and is a world leader in aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
and bauxite
Bauxite
Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...
production; see "World bauxite mine production, reserves, and reserve base" at the bauxite article.
There are many companies involved in the aluminium trade in Africa. Principal mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and smelter operators include:
CameroonCameroonCameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
- NgaoundéréNgaoundéréNgaoundéré or N'Gaoundéré is the capital of the Adamawa Region of Cameroon. It had a population of 152,698 . It lies at the northern end of the railway to Yaoundé and is also home to an airport. The current city was founded in approximately 1835 by the Fulani leader Ardo Njobdi, although the...
- railheadRailway stations in Cameroon- Maps :* * - Stations served by passenger trains :- Existing :* Limbe - port, terminal, cement works --------* Nkongsamba - railhead in northwest - rehabilitate* Mbanga - junction in west** Kumba - branch terminus in west...
GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
- Ghana Bauxite, affiliated with AlcanAlcanRio Tinto Alcan Inc. is a Canadian company based in Montreal. It was created on November 15, 2007 as the result of the merger between Rio Tinto PLC's Canadian subsidiary, Rio Tinto Canada Holding Inc., and Canadian company Alcan Inc. On the same date, Alcan Inc. was renamed Rio Tinto Alcan Inc..Rio...
- Volta Aluminum CompanyVolta Aluminum CompanyVolta Aluminum Company, known as Valco, is an aluminium company based in Ghana founded by Kaiser Aluminum and now wholly owned by the government of Ghana. Valco is a joint venture with Alcoa, the major aluminum conglomerate based in the United States. In 1961 Valco invested in the Akosombo Dam...
(Valco)
GuineaGuineaGuinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
- Mbendi overview
- Rio Tinto Alcan
- Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) - in the Boké RegionBoké RegionThe Boké Region is located in western Guinea. It is bordered by the countries of Senegal and Guinea-Bissau and the Guinean regions of Kindia and Labé...
- Guinea's largest producer, affiliated with Halco MiningHalco MiningHalco Mining is an aluminium company based in Guinea. The company is organized under the laws of the state of Delaware in the United States. Halco is the 51% owner of the stock of Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee, the primary aluminium mine and smelter operator in Guinea, known as CBG.The...
, which is affiliated with AlcanAlcanRio Tinto Alcan Inc. is a Canadian company based in Montreal. It was created on November 15, 2007 as the result of the merger between Rio Tinto PLC's Canadian subsidiary, Rio Tinto Canada Holding Inc., and Canadian company Alcan Inc. On the same date, Alcan Inc. was renamed Rio Tinto Alcan Inc..Rio...
, AlcoaAlcoaAlcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
, Reynolds MetalsReynolds MetalsReynolds Group Holdings is an American packaging company with its roots in the Reynolds Metals Company, was the second largest aluminum company in the United States, and the third largest in the world...
, PechineyPechineyPechiney SA was a major aluminium conglomerate based in France. The company was acquired in 2003 by the Alcan Corporation, headquartered in Canada...
, ComalcoComalcoRio Tinto Aluminium is now known as Rio Tinto Alcan after Rio's takeover of Alcan. It was the world's eighth largest aluminium company...
, etc. - Alumina Company of GuineaAlumina Company of GuineaThe Alumina Company of Guinea is a bauxite mining company based in Fria, Guinea. They are the main aluminium producing company in the country, and was once part-owned by the government of Guinea in Conakry and by the Reynolds Metals Company of Richmond, Virginia of the United States...
, ACG - operating the Friguia bauxite-alumina complex at FriaFriaFria is a town and Sub-prefecture in Lower Guinea, lying north of Conakry near the Amaria dam on the Konkouré River. Population 110,586 . - Overview :... - Societé des Bauxites de Kindia SBK - state-owned, operates the KindiaKindiaKindia is the third largest city in Guinea, lying about 85 miles north east of the nation's capital Conakry.Population 181,126 . - Overview :...
mining operations; operated by Rusal (Russia Aluminium) and exports bauxite to UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... - Global Alumina Products Corporation, proposed smelting operation in ConakryConakryConakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
- Kinia - refinery
- SangarediSangarédiSangarédi is mining town and sub-prefecture in western Guinea, where bauxite is mined. The ore is shipped by a railway to the port of Kamsar. Population 20,638 . In April 2010, an expansion of the mine and its refinery were proposed.- Maps :*...
- There are over 100 Guinean aluminium companies listed at MBendi's Bauxite:Africa:Guinea information page
South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
does not mine bauxite nor refine alumina; BHP BillitonBHP BillitonBHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
operates two smelters at Richards Bay in Kwazulu Natal.
See also
- MiningMiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
- Copper in AfricaCopper in AfricaCopper is one of the world's most important industrial minerals, and Africa is an important world producer. While output is traditionally dominated by Zambia, South Africa and Katanga Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, many African nations contribute to copper...
- Iron ore in AfricaIron ore in AfricaIron ore production in Africa is dominated by South Africa, Mauritania and Algeria; Zimbabwe and Morocco produce ore for use within the country. Many countries possess iron ore deposits that are as yet unmined...
- Platinum in AfricaPlatinum in AfricaPlatinum, and platinum group metals, in Africa, are produced in Zimbabwe and the Republic of South Africa. Of the multitudes of companies involved in producing platinum group metals in these two countries, these are the principal operators:...
- Titanium in AfricaTitanium in AfricaTitanium mining in Africa has been beset by environmental problems due to the polluting nature of processing rutile, a principal titanium ore. Titanium production in Africa includes the following principal countries and companies.- Kenya:...
- Uranium in AfricaUranium in AfricaUranium production is an important part of the African economy, with Niger, Namibia and South Africa creating up to 18% of the world's annual production...
- List of Alumina Refineries