China's aluminum industry has ranked first globally in production capacity and consumption for over a decade. While leading the world in scale, the industry has long been constrained in its green development by the challenge of disposing of over 2.5 million tons of hazardous aluminum dross annually. On July 22, 2026, reporters learned from Yunnan Aluminium Co., Ltd. (Yunnan Aluminium) that the company, through independent technological research and development, overcame the core technology for separating fluorine and chlorine impurities after 137 key experiments. It has built an aluminum dross resource utilization production line that has operated stably for years, forging a green development path that renders hazardous waste harmless and adds value through resource recycling.

Previously, aluminum dross was listed in the National Hazardous Waste Inventory, characterized by high reactivity and leaching toxicity. The industry long faced a development dilemma of limited landfill options, incomplete incineration treatment, and low resource recovery value.

A "Hidden Bomb" of 2.5 Million Tons/Year

Aluminum dross is a solid waste generated during the production of electrolytic aluminum, aluminum processing, and recycled aluminum. As China's aluminum industry has held the top global position for over a decade, the annual generation of hazardous aluminum dross has exceeded 2.5 million tons.

The hazard of aluminum dross primarily stems from the enriched fluorides and chlorides it contains. Fluorine and chlorine ions are highly corrosive, vividly described as a "hidden bomb" in the production line—high concentrations can corrode equipment, clog pipelines, and even force the entire alumina system to shut down for maintenance. More challenging is the long-term absence of ready-made treatment solutions in the industry, with even imported equipment manufacturers at a loss.

Traditional disposal methods mainly involve landfilling, which not only occupies substantial land resources but also poses risks of groundwater contamination. Incineration treatment is incomplete, resulting in low resource recovery value. Limited landfill options, incomplete incineration, and low recovery value—these three major pain points have long constrained the green development of the aluminum industry.

137 Experiments Overcome the "Bottleneck" Challenge

Core technology cannot be bought; it must be developed through one's own efforts. Facing a technological void, the R&D team at Yunnan Aluminium independently initiated a special project for the resource utilization of fluorine and chlorine impurities.

"The 137th Experiment" Achieves a Key Breakthrough

The R&D process was not smooth sailing. Trials of methods like chemical precipitation, which yielded substandard product indicators, and pressure filtration separation, which had high energy consumption, failed successively.

The team conducted hundreds of comparative experiments, ultimately determining a technical route centered on "kinetic control of high-temperature transformation separation interfaces." They continuously optimized process parameters through repeated trial and error. In the 137th experiment, a key breakthrough was achieved—the fluorine and chlorine removal rate stabilized above 99%.

This breakthrough signifies that the core technology for separating fluorine and chlorine impurities from aluminum dross, which had plagued the industry for decades, has been thoroughly conquered.

From 50,000 Tons Capacity to an Annual Output of 2,000 Tons of Drossing Agent

In 2023, Yunnan Aluminium accelerated its transformation towards green, high-value-added products, increasing the capacity of its aluminum dross treatment production line to 50,000 tons. After the capacity expansion, the output of fluorine and chlorine impurities from the dross increased significantly. High concentrations of fluorine and chlorine ions easily corrode production equipment and clog transport pipelines, posing a "hidden risk" that could cause a complete shutdown of the alumina line, becoming a constraint on the stable operation of the production line.

Leveraging this original technology, Yunnan Aluminium built and successfully commissioned a production line with an annual capacity of 2,000 tons of aluminum smelting drossing agent. According to third-party authoritative testing, all performance indicators of this drossing agent meet the standards of the non-ferrous metals industry and have been granted an official product designation.

The Dual Value of "Turning Waste into Treasure"

This product can not only digest the fluorine and chlorine impurities generated within the company's own production but can also be sold on the external market, creating new economic benefits and turning fluorine and chlorine waste into a valuable resource. Calculations show that this supporting production line can generate an additional annual output value benefit of 3.9134 million yuan.

A Complete Cycle of "Resource-Product-Renewable Resource"

As of June 2026, Yunnan Aluminium's related projects have cumulatively completed the harmless treatment and resource utilization of 287,500 tons of aluminum dross. The comprehensive economic benefits across the entire industrial chain have exceeded 300 million yuan, forming a complete circular industrial chain of "resource-product-renewable resource."

This significant achievement has won the Gold Medal at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions, the Second Prize of the Science and Technology Progress Award from the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, and the Third Prize in the Finals of the China Innovation Method Competition. Evaluated by experts from the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, the overall technology has reached an internationally leading level and has been included in multiple national-level advanced technology directories for environmental protection and comprehensive resource utilization.

Currently, the company holds over 20 related core invention patents and has led the drafting of 6 non-ferrous metals industry standards.

From the Yunnan Aluminium Model to an Industry Benchmark

Solving the 2.5 Million Tons/Year Hazardous Waste Disposal Challenge

China's annual generation of over 2.5 million tons of hazardous aluminum dross has long constrained the industry's green development. Yunnan Aluminium's original technology provides a replicable and scalable solution. If this technology is promoted nationwide, it could reduce hazardous waste landfilling by millions of tons annually and recover substantial valuable resources, holding profound significance for the green transformation of the aluminum industry.

From "Environmental Burden" to "Profit Engine"

The aluminum dross resource utilization production line generates an additional annual output value benefit of 3.9134 million yuan, with comprehensive economic benefits across the entire industrial chain exceeding 300 million yuan. This data proves that hazardous waste disposal is not merely an environmental cost but a value chain link capable of generating considerable economic returns.

Standard Setting and Industrial Upgrading

Yunnan Aluminium leading the drafting of 6 non-ferrous metals industry standards signifies that the company is transforming from a "technology follower" into a "rule maker." With the improvement and promotion of relevant industry standards, the resource utilization of aluminum dross will move from a "company-specific case" to an "industry norm."

International Cooperation and Technology Export

This achievement has won the Gold Medal at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions, marking international recognition of China's technological capabilities in the field of aluminum dross resource utilization. Against the backdrop of the global green transformation of the aluminum industry, this original technology has the potential for overseas export and is expected to become another calling card for China's green metallurgy technology going global.

From "End-of-Pipe Treatment" to "Circular Value Addition"

The transformation of aluminum dross from "hazardous waste" to "urban mine" reflects a profound shift in the development philosophy of China's aluminum industry. With the persistence of 137 experiments and the technological breakthrough of a removal rate exceeding 99%, Yunnan Aluminium has proven that Chinese companies are fully capable of achieving independent innovation in core green metallurgy technologies.

As Li Xiaobo, Deputy General Manager of Yunnan Aluminium's Wenshan Production Base, stated: "Core technology cannot be bought; it must be developed through one's own efforts." The technological breakthrough driven by this belief has not only opened new growth avenues for Yunnan Aluminium but also provided a replicable "Yunnan Aluminium model" for the green and high-quality development of China's aluminum industry.