The International Committee for Study of Bauxite, Alumina, and Aluminium (ICSOBA) hosted its 43rd International Conference and Exhibition on October 26–31, 2025, at the Howard Johnson CAEXPO Plaza in Nanning, Guangxi, China (Figure 1). The conference reflected the organization‘s ongoing commitment to engage with the fast-growing aluminum sector in the Asia-Pacific region, demonstrating both technological leadership and promotion of sustainable industrial practices.
ICSOBA 2025 in Nanning was particularly timely. Guangxi boasts abundant bauxite resources and has established a complete and modern aluminum industrial chain. The city of Nanning is actively advancing its vision of becoming a “Green Aluminium Capital,” providing an ideal backdrop for discussions on sustainable technologies, decarbonization, and innovative industrial practices. The region’s focus on green growth exemplifies how the aluminum industry can integrate environmental responsibility with industrial development.
Long-Running Conference
Established in 1963, ICSOBA has stood as a cornerstone for global cooperation and technological innovation in the aluminum industry. Its continuous efforts in promoting scientific exchange and industrial progress have created a platform that drives knowledge dissemination and collaboration worldwide.
Originally focused on bauxite, ICSOBA gradually expanded to include alumina and electrolysis. ICSOBA marked its 50th anniversary in 2013, at which time the conference covered bauxite, alumina, anodes in electrolysis, and aluminum electrolysis, alongside a historical review of the best papers published by ICSOBA.
Over the years, ICSOBA has continually broadened its scope to address evolving challenges in the industry. In 2017, the Bauxite Residue session was launched to highlight the increasing importance of safe storage and valorization of bauxite residue. In 2023, the conference expanded to include the rapidly growing field of casthouse operations. In 2024, the event held the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) session, Women in Aluminium, for the first time, underscoring the organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the sector.
Technical Program
The 2025 ICSOBA conference attracted nearly 700 participants, with 602 attending onsite and 62 participating online. The technical program included 13 keynote presentations and 220 technical papers. To accommodate the growing number of submissions, the conference was extended, for the first time, to four full days, featuring five parallel technical streams. This expansion not only allowed for more comprehensive coverage of the aluminum value chain, but also provided participants with increased opportunities for networking, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.
The Bauxite session featured 20 papers, focusing on modern beneficiation technologies that are intensively being developed in China, including exploration methods, new deposit development, mining operations, mine rehabilitation, and tailings management. Emphasis was placed on environmentally responsible practices, sustainable mining, and innovative approaches to resource utilization.
The Alumina session, with 51 papers, addressed a wide range of topics related to the Bayer process, including process design and chemistry, red and white side operations, energy optimization, operational improvements, digitalization, alternative products, and emerging processes. These presentations highlighted the importance of innovation in improving efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and enabling the transition toward low-carbon alumina production.
The Electrodes session, comprising 24 papers, focused on raw materials and formulations for green anode production, anode baking furnace design, process modeling, operational practices, environmental control, and advances in cathode technology.
The Aluminium Electrolysis session showed a record number of 91 papers, covering potline operation, energy efficiency and low-energy technologies, pot control and feeding systems, emissions management, gas collection and scrubbing, decarbonization initiatives, environmental and safety practices, cathode lining technologies, spent pot lining (SPL) recycling, pot busbar design, and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and thermal modeling. These papers highlighted both the technological innovation and the sustainability-driven approaches shaping the future of aluminum production.
The Casthouse Operations session featured 14 papers, emphasizing casting technologies and process control, recycling and environmental performance, artificial intelligence and digitalization, modeling and simulation, and alloy development.
Discussions during the conference demonstrated how technological innovation, process optimization, and digital tools are enabling increased efficiency, resource conservation, and improved product quality throughout the industry.
Best Papers
Eleven Best Paper awards were presented to outstanding authors across each of the technical subjects, which are as follows:
- Bauxite – “Thermal Denaturing and Study of Bauxite Organics” by John Clark, et al., Rio Tinto Aluminium
- Alumina – “Crystallization and Separation of Potassium-Containing Salts in Sodium Aluminate Solution” by Jilong Liu, et al., Northeastern University – School of Metallurgy
- Alumina – “Washer Overflow Liquor Chemistry Prediction by Using Mud Level Instrumentation” by Rodrigo Neves, et al., Ma’aden Bauxite and Alumina
- Alumina– “Improving the Alkali Recovery Efficiency of Red Mud Sedimentation System” by Deming Yin, et al., Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering & Research Institute (SAMI)
- Bauxite Residue – “Bauxite Residue CO2 Mineral Sequestration Assessment” by Ab Rijkeboer, et al., Rinalco and IAI
- Electrodes – “An Optimized Mixing Approach for Improved Anode” by Fabien Gaudière, et al., Fives Solios and Université de Haute Alsace
- Electrodes – “Operational Excellence in Rodding Plant: A Path to Control Sodium in Anode Butts” by Mohammad Al Shaibani and Zobida Husain Farzanah, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA)
- Aluminum Electrolysis – “Optimizing Aluminium Reduction Cell Start-up – A Semi-Conventional Approach at Sohar Aluminium” by Ciro Kato, et al., Sohar Aluminium
- Aluminum Electrolysis – “Application Research of Nano-Ceramic-Based Anti-Oxidation Technology for Anodes and Stubs in Aluminium Electrolysis Cells” by Boyi Wang, Hunan Bable Material Technology
- Aluminum Electrolysis – “An Equation for Bubble-Induced Voltage Drop on Slotted and Non-Slotted Anodes” by Vanderlei Gusberti and Dagoberto Schubert Severo, CAETE Engenharia
- Casthouse Operation – “Innovative Applications and Technological Breakthroughs of 60-Tonne Double-Chamber Furnace in Aluminium Recycling Industry” by Gaston Riverin, et al., Rio Tinto and China Nonferrous Metals Processing Technology (CNPT)
Student Awards
ICSOBA firmly believes that the creation of new knowledge and the implementation of innovative technologies depend on the training and development of highly qualified people. With this vision, the ICSOBA Student Award was established to recognize the vital role of students and foster mentorship, collaboration, and knowledge transfer between generations of aluminum professionals. This year, 12 awards were presented to outstanding young researchers (Figure 2), including two postdoctoral fellows, nine PhD students, and one master’s student. Each recipient received grants to support their attendance and presentation at ICSOBA 2025.
Additional Activities
Exhibition
An exhibition of the latest technologies, equipment, and services was held with 25 participants, providing a platform for suppliers and innovators to engage with attendees, demonstrate emerging solutions, and showcase their contributions to sustainability and operational excellence.
Plant Visits
Following the technical sessions, delegates were invited to field visits to provide unique insights into operational best practices, technological innovation, and large-scale implementation of sustainable solutions in the aluminum sector. This included visits to Chinalco’s Guangxi Branch, a 2.2 million tonne capacity alumina refinery, which is also the first industrialized project to recover iron concentrate from bauxite residue; and to the Guangxi Hualei New Material smelter, equipped with 300 GP 500 kA large-scale energy-saving electrolytic cells, providing 400,000 tonnes of aluminum.
Co-Located Events
As a “gathering hub” for the global aluminum community, ICSOBA’s partners organized dedicated meetings alongside the main event. This year, the IAI held its Bauxite & Alumina Committee (BAC) meeting on October 30. Additionally, the International Forum for Comprehensive Use of Bauxite Residue (IFCUBR) workshop — sponsored by Chinalco and Rio Tinto, organized by the Chinese Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA), and supported by IAI — was held on November 1–2. Participants contributed to shaping international strategies and partnerships aimed at significantly reducing bauxite residue generation, enhancing sustainable remediation practices, unlocking commercial opportunities in construction and metal extraction, and ultimately driving the industry toward a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future.
Industry Support
ICSOBA organizers extend their deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed at every stage of this significant industry event, including sponsors, exhibitors, 65 corporate members, organizers, and volunteers. Aluminium Corporation of China Limited (Chinalco) and Nonferrous Metals Society of China (NFSOC) — both major organizations in China — served as host sponsors, while the Zhengzhou Research Institute actively supported ICSOBA in preparing the event. The support and contributions of the industry ensure ICSOBA’s vision to become the “Technology Conference of the Aluminium Industry, for the Aluminium Industry.”
Conclusion
Once again, the forum demonstrated that ICSOBA offers a unique platform for exchanging information on the latest innovations, making a significant contribution to knowledge dissemination in the aluminum industry. The forthcoming ICSOBA 2026 will continue to highlight the innovation, collaboration, and the latest technological advances that are shaping the future of this critical global sector. The next event will take place on November 15-20, 2026, in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Find out how to participate here: icsoba.org/2026.
Editor’s Note: All of the papers and presentations from ICSOBA 2025 are available in TRAVAUX No. 54, published online: https://icsoba.org/proceedings/43rd-conference-and-exhibition-icsoba-2025.
This article first appeared in the February 2026 issue of Light Metal Age. To receive the current issue, please subscribe.