en.Wedoany.com Reported - Brimstone, a U.S. alumina innovation company, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Century Aluminum, the largest primary aluminum producer in the United States, to establish a fully domestic "mine-to-metal" aluminum supply chain. Under the agreement, Brimstone will supply Century Aluminum with substantial quantities of alumina from its upcoming plant, with both parties aiming to strengthen national security through a reliable domestic aluminum supply chain. The deal adds momentum to Brimstone's industrial-scale facility, anchoring the first fully U.S.-sourced and produced aluminum supply chain.
Currently, global alumina production is dominated by overseas suppliers, including China. Cody Finke, CEO of Brimstone, stated that the company is bringing alumina production back to the U.S. at globally competitive prices. By utilizing domestically mined rock to produce alumina, Brimstone is collaborating with Century Aluminum to build a resilient domestic critical minerals supply chain, reducing import dependence and creating high-quality American jobs.
Traditional alumina production requires bauxite, a mineral concentrated in subtropical regions overseas, with no economically viable bauxite deposits in the United States. As a result, domestic aluminum smelters rely entirely on imported alumina or alumina raw materials, leaving the U.S. supply chain vulnerable. Brimstone's process eliminates the need for bauxite, instead using a common calcium silicate feedstock widely available in the U.S., paving the way for domestic production.
Matt Aboud, Senior Vice President of Strategy at Century Aluminum, stated that the memorandum represents another step forward in the company's goal to expand domestic capacity for this critical metal. Securing more domestic alumina supply will encourage growth by making domestic production more efficient and cost-effective.
Century Aluminum recently announced a partnership with Emirates Global Aluminium to build the largest primary aluminum production plant in U.S. history in Enola, Oklahoma, marking the first new domestic smelter in nearly 50 years. Once fully operational, the Enola plant will double domestic capacity. Previously, Century Aluminum announced plans last fall to restart idle capacity at its Mount Holly plant in South Carolina, a $50 million investment creating over 100 jobs. The first metal from the Mount Holly restart is expected to be produced this spring, immediately increasing domestic capacity by 10%.
Although the U.S. was once a leading producer, it now relies on imports for most of its primary aluminum. China accounts for approximately 60% of global alumina and aluminum production, while the U.S. produces less than one-sixth of its consumption. In recent years, aluminum demand has surged, with experts predicting a 40% increase by 2030, driven by grid infrastructure, the AI data center boom, and defense needs, further straining the supply chain.
The Brimstone Rock Refinery uses a co-production strategy to refine a single rock into multiple basic materials and critical minerals, including cement, steel, magnesium, and titanium. Its industry-standard, domestically produced alumina will help smelters meet growing demand and establish a reliable, fully American-made supply of high-quality aluminum.
Brimstone is currently developing its commercial demonstration plant in Reno, Nevada, expected to begin operations in 2028. The company's first industrial-scale facility is projected to be completed by 2034, with an estimated annual production of approximately 350,000 metric tons of smelter-grade alumina (SGA). Brimstone is engaging with potential customers and partners for its expanded product portfolio, including cement, steel, and critical minerals.
The agreement with Century Aluminum builds on Brimstone's previously announced plans to develop a commercial-scale rock refinery producing Portland cement, supplementary cementitious materials, and smelter-grade alumina. In June 2025, Brimstone announced a letter of intent with Dolese Bros. Co. in Oklahoma to supply materials for the planned facility, following a competitive evaluation of over 23,000 quarries across the U.S.
The rock refinery aims to use domestically available calcium silicate rock instead of imported bauxite, opening a potential pathway for a fully domestic alumina and aluminum supply chain. If built, the project would represent the first new domestic alumina source in the U.S. in a generation.
Founded in 2019, Brimstone aims to develop next-generation industrial processes that optimize economics, efficiency, and sustainability. The company has raised over $80 million to date from leading investors, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, DCVC, Collaborative Fund, Amazon Climate Pledge, Fifth Wall, S2G Ventures, Acceler8, GVP Climate, Impact Science Ventures, Osage University Partners, SystemIQ, and Kajima Ventures.
Century Aluminum, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, owns and operates primary aluminum smelting facilities in the U.S. and Iceland, and is the majority owner and managing partner of the Jamalco alumina refinery in Jamaica.
