An aluminum electrolysis project in Angola was put into operation on January 15, with annual production expected to reach 120,000 tons. The core technologies of the project were provided by Guiyang Aluminum Magnesium Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd. (GAMI), a subsidiary of Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (Chalco). It’s the first time that a China-supported aluminum electrolysis project has been implemented on the African continent, marking yet another achievement of the green industrial cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative.
There are high demands in Africa for bauxite resource development. However, electrolytic aluminum production capacity remains insufficient and technology is relatively underdeveloped, creating an urgent need to introduce advanced technologies to upgrade the industry. GAMI, China’s largest aluminum electrolysis technology exporter, has engaged in global outreach for years. By the end of 2025, it had completed the design of 20 electrolytic series, with a commissioned production capacity exceeding 4.9 million tons per year. After successful deployments in countries such as Indonesia and Kazakhstan, the Chinese aluminum electrolysis technology has now arrived in Africa.
The project can produce high-end aluminum products, creating considerable foreign exchange revenue for Angola. As raw material for vehicle components, construction materials and electric devices, the mass production of electrolytic aluminum products will boost the development of these industries and promote the progress of Angola’s industrialization.
Implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, GAMI has advanced green industrial cooperation with advanced technologies, striking a balance between development and environmental protection. The export of Chinese aluminum electrolysis technology greatly contributes to the building of a new paradigm for China-Africa win-win cooperation.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
