Brazil’s alumina export registers slower year-on-year growth in June due to lower supply from Alunorte

According to a recent report from Brazil’s economy ministry released on Monday, July 6, alumina exports from Brazil increased in June, albeit at a slower pace than the earlier month.

Brazil’s alumina exports in June totalled 679,914 tonnes, up 4.6 per cent year-on-year from 650,229 tonnes. On a month-on-month basis, the exports in June fell by 12.8 per cent from 779,694 tonnes.

As per the report, the lower export volumes were attributed to a fall in supply from Alunorte refinery in June. Movement restrictions imposed due to containing the spread of the novel coronavirus could be a reason for the fall in supply from the Alunorte refinery. Also, due to the temporary production half at Hydro’s Paragominas bauxite mine, in the state of Pará in northern Brazil, owing to power outage, about 50-70 per cent of Alunorte’s total production capacity was cut, which could also be a reason for the downfall in aluminium ore supply from the refinery.

The production cut at Alunorte was from June 20 to July 3, in a bid to balance the bauxite inventory. Paragominas bauxite mine is Alunorte’s main source of bauxite.

Up until May, growth rates on an annual basis had been at least 30% every month this year.