Global South World - rare earth metals https://www.globalsouthworld.com en-US Aluminium’s hidden cost: One tonne uses the power of 1,000 homes for a week https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/aluminiums-hidden-cost-one-tonne-uses-the-power-of-1-000-homes-for-a-week https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/aluminiums-hidden-cost-one-tonne-uses-the-power-of-1-000-homes-for-a-week?feed=rare%20earth%20metals Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:00:20 Z Many people touch aluminium every single day: when opening a can, cooking with foil, driving a car or even plugging in a laptop. But few realise the huge amount of energy required to produce it.

I will tell you. Manufacturing just one tonne of aluminium consumes the same amount of electricity needed to power 1,000 households for a full week.

Why does aluminium, a metal praised for its lightness and recyclability, demand so much from the world ’s power grids?

According to Alufinish , aluminium’s energy demands begin with its complex extraction process. The metal does not occur naturally in pure form, so producers must refine bauxite into alumina before smelting it at temperatures nearing 950°C.

This final step, electrolysis in what is known as the Hall-Héroult process, requires uninterrupted, high-voltage electricity. Energy alone can account for 30–40% of total production costs, making aluminium one of the most electricity-intensive industrial materials in the world.

Sohar Aluminium, one of the leading producers in the Middle East, reports that modern smelters consume roughly 13–15 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity to produce a single tonne of aluminium. To put that into perspective, the average household in many countries uses about 200–300 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per week. Multiply that by 1,000 households, and the comparison suddenly becomes very real.

This energy use matters more than ever as the world navigates a turbulent energy landscape. Europe, for example, has seen several aluminium smelters temporarily shut down or reduce output due to soaring electricity prices, a trend widely reported in recent years. These closures ripple through supply chains, raising the cost of everything from beverage cans to aircraft components.

As the International Aluminium Institute notes, the metal is essential to modern life, used in transport, construction, packaging and renewable energy systems, yet its production is tightly tied to the stability and price of electricity.

There is also a human dimension behind the numbers. When power grids struggle, or energy prices climb, workers often face uncertainty long before consumers feel the impact at the store. At the same time, global pressure is mounting for cleaner, more sustainable manufacturing, pushing companies to rethink how aluminium is produced without compromising livelihoods.

Despite its heavy energy demands, aluminium remains one of the world’s most recyclable materials. Recycling aluminium uses 95% less energy than producing it from raw ore, a fact many experts are championing as countries set climate targets and transition to greener industries.

]]> Global South World World Visualized World Visualized Aluminium’s hidden cost: One tonne uses the power of 1,000 homes for a week Here are the world's most resource-rich countries https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/here-are-the-world-s-most-resource-rich-countries https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/here-are-the-world-s-most-resource-rich-countries?feed=rare%20earth%20metals Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:29:00 Z Despite geopolitical tensions and environmental concerns, some nations continue to leverage their natural wealth to fuel development and global trade. As usual, some countries stand out for their share and possession of these natural resources.

According to Investopedia , Russia is the world's most resource-rich nation as it boasts an estimated $75 trillion in natural resources.

Russia leads the list due to its abundant reserves of coal, natural gas , oil, gold, timber, and rare earth metals. These resources are pivotal not only to Russia’s economy but also to global markets, especially in energy and industrial production.

The United States comes in second, with $45 trillion in natural resources, including coal, timber, natural gas, gold, and copper. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia rounds out the top three with $34 trillion, largely attributed to its vast oil reserves.

Other notable entries include:

This ranking underscores the strategic importance of natural resources in shaping global economic influence. The world's shift towards renewable energy and technological advancement means that control over critical materials such as rare earth metals may prove even more valuable than traditional fossil fuels.

]]> Global South World World Visualized World Visualized #Russia’s natural resources are valued at an estimated $75 trillion as of 2021, making it the global leader in resource wealth. The economic significance of these resources cannot be overstated, as they are vi (1)