Atlantic Alumina

What Atlantic Alumina does

Atlantic Alumina Company LLC (ATALCO) is the only operating alumina refinery in the United States, located on 3,300 acres on the east bank of the Mississippi River in Gramercy, Louisiana, about 45 miles west of New Orleans. Commissioned in 1957 under Kaiser Aluminum, later operated as Noranda, and rebranded to Atlantic Alumina in 2021, the Gramercy facility produces smelter grade alumina (SGA) and chemical grade alumina (CGA) using a proprietary double-digestion Bayer process and a unique batch tank crystallization design, at a capacity of roughly 1.2 million metric tons per year, supplying approximately 40% of U.S. alumina needs. The company is principally owned by Concord Resources Limited, with Pinnacle Asset Management as majority shareholder of the parent, and is presently constructing America's first large-scale primary gallium production circuit (up to 50 metric tons per year) and serving as the host site for a DOE-funded rare earth element separation facility.

Atlantic Alumina's core technology platform is built around the Bayer process for refining bauxite into alumina, augmented with high-temperature double-digestion (rebuilt 2000) that can digest all bauxite qualities, and a batch tank crystallization section that yields low-iron, low-zinc products recognized in the industry for micro-grindability and rapid dissolution. The Gramercy site is self-sufficient in power (>50MW), steam, and compressed air using American natural gas from three separate pipeline feeds and features a deep-sea dock, separate barge dock, two railroads, and I-10 highway access for multi-modal distribution. Bauxite feedstock is sourced exclusively from Discovery Bauxite, a Jamaican mining operation (51% Government of Jamaica, 49% Atlantic Alumina) with 5.2 million metric tonnes per year of mining/export capacity, making it the closest bauxite source to the United States.

The business model is B2B direct sales of physical commodity and specialty alumina products to U.S. aluminum smelters and diverse industrial customers in aerospace, defense, automotive, oil and gas refining, refractories, fire suppressants, semiconductor ceramics, and municipal water treatment, priced off inquiry ([email protected]) with no public pricing disclosure. Forward growth is anchored in critical minerals extraction from over 30 million metric tonnes of on-site bauxite residue, with the planned gallium circuit and a 150-1,000 metric tons per annum REE separation facility designed to capture premium pricing for defense and semiconductor-grade materials. The company employs approximately 550 workers, over 70% represented by the United Steelworkers Union, and operates with low-carbon intensity (0.74 tCO2e per dmt versus an industry average of 1.29 tCO2e).

Name

Atlantic Alumina

Legal name

Atlantic Alumina Company LLC

Website

https://atalco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Atlantic Alumina Company LLC operates the only alumina refinery in the United States, producing smelter and chemical grade alumina at its Gramercy, Louisiana facility for aerospace, defense, aluminum, oil and gas, semiconductor, and water treatment customers, with new gallium and rare earth element product lines in development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alumina and Industrial Minerals Manufacturing

NAICS

Alumina Refining and Primary Aluminum Production (331313)

SIC

Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330), Metal Mining (1000)

akta.pro primary industry

Alumina Refining (Bayer Process) (IMAKACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bauxite Mining & Beneficiation (IMAKACAA)

Keywords

• Alumina refining
• Bauxite mining
• Smelter grade alumina
• Chemical grade alumina
• Critical minerals production

Headquarters

HQ city

Gramercy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Smelter Grade Alumina (SGA): High purity calcined alumina for aluminum smelters, refractories, abrasives, ceramics, and commodity grade P1020 aluminum metal production. Particularly effective for higher purity grades used in aerospace, military and automotive sectors.
2. Chemical Grade Alumina (CGA): Non-metallurgical grade alumina including calcined product C-70 and alumina trihydrate (ATH) products for flame retardant fabrics/coatings, construction materials, water treatment chemicals, electrical insulation, catalysts for oil & gas, and refractories.
3. Bauxite Mining and Export: Mining and shipping of bauxite from Jamaica with capacity to mine and export up to 5.2 million metric tonnes per year. Bauxite has one of the lowest silica levels globally with greater than 46% available alumina.
4. Gallium Production: Planned production of up to 50 metric tons of gallium per year as America's first large-scale primary gallium production circuit, essential for defense systems, semiconductors, and energy technology.
5. Rare Earth Elements (REE) Extraction: Future extraction of rare earth elements including dysprosium, terbium, yttrium, gadolinium, neodymium, praseodymium, samarium, and lanthanum from mine tailings and waste materials at 150-1,000 metric tons per annum capacity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Atlantic Alumina produces smelter grade alumina (SGA) and chemical grade alumina (CGA) from Jamaican bauxite at its Gramercy, Louisiana refinery using the Bayer process with double-digestion and batch tank crystallization, and also mines and exports bauxite ore from its Discovery Bauxite operation in Jamaica. The company is developing primary gallium production and rare earth element (REE) extraction capabilities from bauxite residue tailings as future critical mineral offerings.

Product overview

Atlantic Alumina (ATALCO) is the only operating alumina refinery in the United States, offering a portfolio of industrial mineral products. The core products include Smelter Grade Alumina (SGA) and Chemical Grade Alumina (CGA) produced from Jamaican bauxite at the Gramercy, Louisiana facility using the Bayer process. The company also operates Discovery Bauxite mining operations in Jamaica. Future products focus on critical minerals extraction from refinery residue, including a new primary gallium production circuit. The company employs approximately 550 workers and produces over one million metric tons of alumina annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smelter Grade Alumina (SGA) High purity alumina low in iron and zinc, made by calcining alumina trihydrate (ATH) in natural gas fired rotary kilns at approximately 1500F. Used as feedstock for aluminum smelters, refractories, abrasives, ceramics, and production of commodity grade P1020 aluminum metal. Particularly effective for production of higher purity grades used in aerospace, military, and automotive sectors.
• Chemical Grade Alumina (CGA) Non-metallurgical grade alumina including calcined product C-70 and alumina trihydrate products WH-30 (wet cake) and H-30 (dry free-flowing powder) produced by the Bayer process. Used in flame retardant fabrics and coatings, construction materials, water treatment chemicals, electrical insulation, catalysts for oil and gas, and refractories. Atalco's unique crystallization process produces a product recognized as one of the most desirable raw materials for grinding with rapid dissolution in strong acid or strong bases.
• Bauxite Mining Bauxite mined from ore bodies on the north coast of Jamaica, transported by haul trucks and railcars to a facility just above Discovery Bay, then partly dried and blended before being shipped worldwide on Panamax vessels. The bauxite has one of the lowest silica levels globally and greater than 46% available alumina content. Mining capacity of 5.2 million metric tonnes per year, with 135+ restored mining sites certified 'mined out' and replanted for forestry, agricultural, water catchment, and greenhouse uses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produces nearly 40% of the nation's alumina needs from a single facility
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ElementUSAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026ElementUSA received $67 million DOE funding to develop rare earth elements extraction and processing plant in Gramercy, Louisiana. The plant will process more than 30 million tons of bauxite residue from the Atalco alumina refinery to extract critical rare earth elements such as neodymium, dysprosium, and yttrium used in EVs, wind turbines, and fiber optics.
• Colorado School of MinesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Partnered with ElementUSA and DOE to design, construct, commission, and operate the REE separation and refining facility in Gramercy, Louisiana with capacity of 150 to 1,000 metric tons per annum.
• Jamaica Bauxite Mining LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner51% Government of Jamaica-owned partner in Discovery Bauxite Partners joint venture. Discovery Bauxite mines and ships bauxite globally for metallurgical and non-metallurgical applications. The mine is 51% owned by the Government of Jamaica and exclusively supplies the closest bauxite to the United States.
• United Steelworkers UnioncoreOthersOver 70% of the 550+ workforce at Gramercy facility are United Steelworkers union members. The union supported the Inflation Reduction Act 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credits legislation and represents the skilled workforce critical to domestic alumina and gallium production.
• Louisiana Economic Development (LED)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with LED to support Atalco's $30+ million investment in world-class bauxite residue filter press technology that reduces environmental footprint by more than 35%.
• Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ)minorOthersAtalco works closely with LDEQ to meet environmental expectations and improve performance. Company is cooperative and responsive in aligning with regulatory requirements.
• CarbonChainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarbonChain provides third-party validation of Atalco's carbon emissions data, confirming Gramercy's classification as 'green' with 0.74 tCO2e per dmt of alumina produced vs industry average of 1.29 tCO2e. Atalco is working with CarbonChain to calculate impact of switching to solar power on CO2 emissions.

Scale indicators25 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alcoa Corporation: One of the world's largest integrated aluminum and alumina producers, headquartered in the US. Directly comparable to Atlantic Alumina as an alumina refiner serving global aluminum smelters, with both smelter-grade and chemical-grade alumina production across multiple geographies.
• Hindalco Industries (Aditya Birla Group): World's largest alumina refiner outside China, with integrated bauxite mining and aluminum operations in India. Direct peer given vertically integrated bauxite-to-alumina model and global merchant alumina sales similar to Atalco's structure.
• South32: Australia-listed miner operating the Worsley Alumina JV (one of the world's largest integrated alumina refineries). Directly comparable as a major merchant alumina producer selling to global smelters, with similar business model of converting owned bauxite to alumina.
• Rio Tinto (Aluminium): Operates Pacific Aluminium including alumina refineries in Australia and Canada (formerly Alcan). Major global alumina producer with vertical bauxite integration, serving the same aerospace, automotive, and packaging end markets as Atalco's smelter grade alumina.
• Norsk Hydro ASA: Norwegian integrated aluminum and alumina producer with substantial merchant alumina capacity. Comparable as a producer of both smelter grade alumina and specialty alumina grades for industrial applications, serving European and global smelters.
• Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA): UAE-based integrated aluminum producer with alumina refining at Al Taweelah. One of the five largest alumina producers globally, with similar focus on producing high-quality smelter-grade alumina for global aluminum smelter customers.
• China Hongqiao Group: World's largest alumina producer by volume, operating refineries in China and Indonesia. Major direct peer in the global merchant alumina market whose pricing dynamics are central to Atalco's competitive positioning versus Chinese dumping.
• Vedanta Aluminium: Indian integrated bauxite-alumina-aluminum producer with captive bauxite mines and merchant alumina sales. Comparable vertically integrated structure with similar cost-advantaged positioning in domestic markets.
• UC RUSAL: Russian integrated aluminum and alumina producer with major alumina refining capacity. Direct competitor in global merchant alumina markets, with comparable business model of bauxite-to-alumina-to-aluminum integration.

Broad incumbents

• Indium Corporation: US-based specialty metals producer including gallium and related critical minerals for semiconductor and electronics end markets. Comparable to Atalco's planned gallium production circuit targeting the same defense and semiconductor customers.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atalco-gramercy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Atlantic Alumina