Plizio Visual Lab

Venalum Aluminum Plant

Plizio editorial teamUpdated: Jun 2026Data Sources

Industrial site

Weather…

Industria Venezolana de Aluminio (Venalum) is the largest aluminum producer in Venezuela and one of the largest single-site smelters in the world. The facility is located in Ciudad Guayana on the southern bank of the Orinoco River. Venalum was founded in 1973 and began operations in 1978, aiming to utilize the country's rich bauxite deposits and low-cost hydroelectric power from the Guri Dam. The smelter uses Hall-Héroult technology for the electrolytic reduction of alumina into primary aluminum. The complex features five potlines containing hundreds of reduction cells. Historically, Venalum was a joint venture between the Venezuelan state and a consortium of Japanese companies, which facilitated significant technology transfer. Geographically, Ciudad Guayana is ideally situated as the river provides access to international markets. Venalum is a central pillar of Venezuela's non-oil economy, supplying raw materials for numerous downstream industries worldwide.

Best time to visit & climate

The most pleasant time to visit is Jan–Mar.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg °C	27	28	29	30	29	28	27	27	28	28	28	27
Rain mm	42	21	21	37	87	160	154	141	90	94	92	74

📋 Practical info

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What is this place?

The Venalum aluminum plant is a massive primary aluminum production facility in Venezuela. It greatly benefits from the abundant hydropower of the Caroní River and is a key industrial plant of the country.

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Visiting

The plant premises are not open to visitors for safety and production reasons. From public roads, the massive industrial facilities are clearly visible.

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Where to view it

The best public view of the Venalum plant is from the bridge over the Caroní River or from the Troncal 10 highway. The chimneys and halls dominate the skyline.

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Local products

The plant produces aluminum in the form of ingots, sheets or wire. These raw materials are typically supplied to processing industries and are not directly for sale on site.

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Active season

The aluminum plant operates around the clock in continuous shifts. Production is largely independent of seasons, but can be affected by low water levels of the Caroní River.

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Nearby

Near the plant is the Guri Dam, which supplies the hydropower. A visit to the industrial city of Ciudad Guayana with its markets and city park is recommended.