Bauxite is the most commonly used raw material for producing metallic aluminum. With more than 40 million annual inputs, China Hongqiao has become the world’s largest single bauxite importer. The company has established a joint-venture mining company and a river port company in Guinea, focusing mainly on bauxite mining. With the construction of a river port wharf and sea transfer system, Hongqiao has established a complete industrial chain that extends from foreign mines to domestic factories and integrates multi-modal transportation means.

The alumina production of China Hongqiao mainly includes six major production processes from raw materials, dissolution, sedimentation, decomposition, evaporation to roasting. In 2020, the alumina production capacity had reached 15 million tons. China Hongqiao has a joint-ventured alumina production line with an annual output of 2 million tons in Indonesia, facilitated with power plants, docks, and living areas, etc. The first phase of 1-million-ton production capacity was put into operation in the first half of 2016, and the second phase of another 1 million tons is expected to commence production in the second half of 2021.

China Hongqiao utilizes large prebaked anode cells in its primary aluminum production, the current strength of which exceeds 400kA. In December 2014, it put into operation the world’s first extra-large prebaked anode cell with a current strength of 600kA. The highly advanced technology is at the forefront of the industry from many perspectives. It has the largest single-cell capacity, requires the least investment per ton of aluminum, yields best-quality liquid aluminum, consumes the least energy, provides the best production environment, achieves the highest degree of automation, and needs the least labor. Having passed China Nonferrous Metal Industry Association’s evaluation of science and technology achievements on June 5, 2015, Hongqiao leads the world with its technological advancements.

China Hongqiao’s aluminum deep processing and production has adopted world-leading manufacturing techniques. Hot-molten (liquid) aluminum goes through the advanced process of directly casting ingot, hot continuous rolling, cold rolling and finishing. Hongqiao has fully introduced the advanced high-precision and high-automation rolling mill, enabling the company to lead the world in manufacturing techniques and automatic control. China Hongqiao’s hosts one of the most extensive casting workshops in the world, with a maximum casting weight of 42 tonnes. The company has developed into an industry leader in the production of aluminum foil, excelling in technological indicators and product qualities and has a comprehensive product portfolio. It can develop and produce decorative foil, household foil, heat sealing foil, candy foil, video foil, food foil, double-zero foil and other products.

China Hongqiao’s thermoelectricity production process has reached the ultra-low emission level. Its supercritical and ultra-supercritical large-scale generator units have surpassed the natural gas power units in terms of emission standards. Hongqiao has been adjusting to a more sustainable energy structure, increasingly relying on solar energy and hydropower. With the recent launching of the green aluminum innovation industrial park powered by clean hydroelectricity in Yunnan Province, Hongqiao has now formed an energy consumption pattern highlighting both coal power and hydropower.