Inside the electrolysis workshop of Shanxi Zhongrun Aluminum Huarun, fiery molten aluminum streams out steadily, while enclosed ladle trucks depart in an orderly line along a dedicated corridor to deliver the hot metal directly to downstream processors like Shuofeng and Yuantai High-Conductivity Materials. A production manager at Yuantai High-Conductivity Materials noted that direct molten metal supply eliminates the need for secondary melting, which cuts energy costs substantially and ensures more consistent feedstock quality. This arrangement gives the company confidence in developing high-end products. By relying on the park's internal molten aluminum transport network, the county keeps aluminum liquid from touching the ground and prevents ingots from leaving the region, saving downstream enterprises more than 100 million yuan annually in remelting expenses—a vivid example of how Xing County is lengthening its aluminum industrial chain.

As a former revolutionary base, Xing County holds bauxite reserves of 649 million tons, offering exceptional coal-aluminum co-associated resources. In the past, its industry remained mostly at the level of mining and selling raw materials. In recent years, however, the county has abandoned the old path of merely acting as a "raw material handler." Instead, it has pursued a comprehensive industrial chain strategy, building an integrated structure that spans bauxite, alumina, electrolytic aluminum, and advanced aluminum-based materials—pushing the sector toward higher value-added segments and making it the province's only industrial base with a complete chain from raw materials to deep processing.

Currently, leading upstream firms Shanxi Huaxing Aluminum and Zhongrun Aluminum Huarun are operating steadily at full capacity, delivering an annual production capability of 2 million tons of alumina and 500,000 tons of electrolytic aluminum. The park hosts nine aluminum deep-processing companies, which together absorb locally produced molten metal and manufacture 43 product varieties across seven series. Yuantai High-Conductivity Materials, in collaboration with North University of China, has successfully overcome a critical technical barrier by developing 750 MPa-class high-performance aluminum alloy technology. By sourcing molten aluminum directly from local suppliers, its production costs have dropped by more than 60% compared with purchasing external materials. In 2025, the county's aluminum industry output surpassed the 20 billion yuan mark, reflecting an ongoing surge in industrial cluster momentum.

Industrial acceleration is backed by proactive services. Xing County continues to improve its business environment, introducing an innovative investment recruitment model led by the government, core chain enterprises, and industrial parks, alongside a dual support system involving county-level officials and functional departments. Projects receive full-cycle tracking support from signing through to production. Through the Aluminum-Magnesium Academician Workstation, the county has built an industry-academia-research platform to address technical gaps. This year, a project to produce 1.2 million new energy vehicle aluminum alloy components per year was signed, and external firms such as Shanghai Xinte have established operations locally, signaling growing appeal for investment in aluminum deep-processing industries.

With a commitment to green and low-carbon development, Xing County is also strengthening its circular economy. A wind-solar-storage new energy project with a total installed capacity of 1.55 million kilowatts and 7 billion yuan in investment is rapidly progressing, with green power set to feed directly into the aluminum-electricity chain. Distributed photovoltaic generation at Huarong Aluminum is now connected to the grid, and Shanxi Zhongrun Aluminum Huarun has been designated a provincial-level green factory. Meanwhile, Shanxi Chengong Solid Waste Company, together with Shanxi University, has achieved lithium and carbon extraction rates exceeding 95%, processing 10,000 tons of spent aluminum electrolyte annually to produce 400 tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate. The county is also advancing red mud iron recovery and gallium metal recycling, ensuring waste resources are fully utilized, thus accelerating the formation of a green closed loop spanning mining, processing, and solid waste regeneration.

From single-product raw material exports to an all-encompassing industrial chain, and onward to green power empowerment and circular efficiency gains, Xing County—situated along the Yellow River—is setting its sights on becoming a leading national hub for the aluminum industry. By continuously strengthening its industrial clusters and elevating value chains, it is steadily advancing toward the ambitious goal of building a million-ton, hundred-billion-yuan aluminum-magnesium industrial cluster.