TL:DR

Worker taking sample from furnace in aluminium recycling plant. (Representational image)

At peak capacity, the smelter will produce 20,000 tons of high purity aluminum that can be used for defense applications.

The US is set to build its first aluminum smelter since the 1980s, with a potential production capacity of 500,000 tons a year, marking a major shift in its aluminum production policy and reducing reliance on imports. The project is set to be built by Century Aluminum, a US-based aluminum producer, in Inola, Oklahoma, according to a press release.

Aluminum is known for its lightweight and corrosion-resistant properties, alongside its strength, thermal conductivity, and malleability. Its versatile properties have found applications across a range of industries, from aerospace and consumer goods to power distribution and packaging.

In the past, the US was the leading producer of aluminum. At its peak, the 33 smelters in the US produced over 5 million tons of aluminum annually. But the number has since reduced to just four sites with an output of 683,500 metric tons. This has increased the US’s reliance on aluminum imports, which reached 5.46 million metric tons in 2024.

The US government’s policy is to reshore manufacturing and safeguard its supply of critical minerals. The upcoming smelter in Oklahoma is the result of this policy.

What will the smelter do?What will the smelter do?

A smelter is designed to extract pure aluminum from its oxide, also known as alumina. This is an electrolytic process in which alumina is dissolved in a bath at temperatures up to 1796 degrees Fahrenheit (980 degrees Celsius).

When an electric current is passed through the bath, pure aluminum settles to the bottom of the pot, where it is siphoned off, purified, and used to make alloys or other products. Century Aluminum currently operates four smelters, three of which are based in the US and the other in Iceland.

Last year, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OECD) awarded Century Aluminum $500 million to advance the construction of the first primary smelter in the US since 1980. When complete, the smelter will have a production capacity of 500,000 tons of aluminum per year, including 20,000 tons of high-purity aluminum for defense applications, the press release said.

Revitalizing US manufacturingRevitalizing US manufacturing

The plan to build a new smelter in Inola shows the US’s determination to onshore the production of critical minerals. Century Aluminum has also teamed up with Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA), which will fund part of the billion-dollar investment required for the smelter.

This is part of a larger strategic plan to build plants in the US and create more jobs. “This project could not have been realized without President Trump’s commitment to revitalizing this country’s manufacturing base and reducing our reliance on foreign suppliers,” said Chris Wright, US Secretary of Energy, in the press release.

“Century Aluminum’s joint venture shows how President Trump’s economic policies are encouraging global companies to partner with U.S. firms, build here in America, and create good-paying American jobs.”

With high aluminum demand but little bauxite reserves (aluminum ore), the US is heavily reliant on other countries for this metal. However, instead of procuring aluminum, the US now plans to process it onshore and develop recycling approaches to secure its supply chain.

My Thoughts 💭My Thoughts 💭

Coming from a rust belt city I am happy to see Aluminum production come back to the states. One can only hope it brings jobs and good wages with it.