Aluminium recovery from scrap in the U.S. drops 7% YoY to 1.7 million tonnes in H1 2019

According to the latest report from United States Geological Survey for aluminum total aluminium recovered from scrap (recovery from purchased, tolled, or imported scrap) in June was 286,000 tonne, essentially unchanged from the revised amount in May, 9% less than the amount in June 2018, and 5% less than that in June 2017. Of this, 159,000 tonnes of aluminium were recovered from new scrap and 127,000 tonnes were recovered from old scrap. For the first six months of 2019, total aluminium recovery from scrap stood at 1.71 million tonnes, down 7% from 1.84 million tonnes in the same period of 2018. Of this, 962,000 tonnes of aluminium were recovered from new scrap and 751,000 tonnes were recovered from old scrap.

Domestic primary aluminium production in June was 91,000 tonnes. Inventories of primary aluminium in LME-approved warehouses in the United States decreased to 12,050 tonnes. Inventories of secondary aluminum (North American Secondary Aluminum Alloy Contract) in LME-approved warehouses in the United States decreased to 93,340 tonnes at the end of June from 103,380 tonnes at the end of May.

In June, average buying prices for aluminium scrap from used beverage cans stood at 54.12 cent per pound and buying price for old aluminium sheets stood at 42.40 cent per pound and old cast price stood at 40.90 cent per pound. Prices for all kinds dropped significantly YoY.

Total imports of aluminium in H1 2019 were 13% less than those in the same period in 2018. Imports of crude aluminium and alloys decreased 21%. Imports of aluminium scrap stood at 313,000 tonnes, down 10% from the same period of 2018. Total exports of aluminium scrap increased 14% in H1 2019 compared to H1 2018.