Reopening of aluminium capacity lifted US alumina import by 128% QoQ in Q1 2019

As shown by the latest US Geological Survey latest release on Bauxite and Alumina in the First  Quarter 2019, imports of alumina by the U.S. in the first quarter of 2019 more than doubled to 623,000 tonnes from 273,000 tonnes in fourth quarter of 2018. The volume was 35% more than those in the first quarter of 2018, and more than doubled from those in the first quarter of 2017.

The growth in import indicates growing consumption by the domestic aluminium smelters in the US. The growth was primarily driven by reopening of Alcoa and Century smelters after the US tariffs. US aluminium production in the first quarter of 2019 registered a substantial growth of 42.7% to 282,645 tonnes from 197,968 tonnes in Q1 2018 leading to growing demand for alumina and increased import.

The leading sources of imported alumina in the first quarter of 2019 were Brazil (48%), Australia (27%), and Jamaica (14%).  Brazil exported 296,000 tonnes of alumina to the US in Q1 2019.

Import from Jamaica has significantly dropped in last two quarters.  A power outage on April 14 caused a temporary shutdown of the Jamalco Ltd. alumina refinery in Halse Hall, Clarendon, Jamaica. Production is expected to resume by early May. The Jamalco refinery, a joint venture between Noble Group Ltd. (55%) and Clarendon Alumina Production Ltd. (45%), had a 1.425 tpy of capacity. 

Exports of alumina during the first quarter of 2019 were 64,800 tonnes, 26% more than the revised total in the fourth quarter of 2018, 25% less than those in the first quarter of 2018, and 38% less than those in the first quarter of 2017. The leading destinations for alumina exported in the first quarter of 2019 were Venezuela (32%), Mexico (23%), and Canada (14%).

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