United States crude and dried bauxite imports plunge 5.4% in Q3 2020 following a hike in previous quarter

The latest data of the US Geological Survey found the United States in the third quarter of 2020 imported 789,000 tonnes of crude and dried bauxite. The import volume declined by 45,000 tonnes or 5.40 per cent in Q3 2020, following a hike of 8 per cent to 834,000 tonnes in the second quarter of the year. On a year-on-year basis, the United States bauxite imports in Q3 2020 stood down by 15.07 per cent from 929,000 tonnes.

In the entire nine months of 2020, the United States crude and dried bauxite imports totalled 2.4 million tonnes versus 3.71 million tonnes during the same period last year. So, the United States imports in nine months recorded a decline of 35.31 per cent year-on-year.

Jamaica remained the mainstay as a bauxite exporter to the US, supplying 728,000 tonnes of crude and dried bauxite in Q3 2020, up by 62,000 tonnes or 9.31 per cent from 666,000 tonnes in Q2 2020. In total nine months of the year, Jamaica exported 1.95 million tonnes versus 2.61 million tonnes during the same period last year.

Turkey was the second largest exporter in Q3 unlike in Q2 when Sierra Leone was the second highest exporter of crude and dried bauxite to the US. In Q3 2020, Turkey exported 60,700 tonnes of bauxite, 73.43 per cent higher than 35,000 tonnes in Q2. In total nine months, Turkey exported 75,700 tonnes as against 239,000 tonnes during the corresponding period last year.

The United States bauxite exports in Q3 stood at 416,000 tonnes, registering a plunge of 19.22 per cent from 515 tonnes Q-o-Q. In the first three quarters, US exported total 1,990 tonnes of bauxite compared with 3,220 tonnes during the same period last year.

Canada was the leading destination of the United States bauxite exports in Q3 securing 332,000 tonnes, up by 11,000 tonnes or 33.13 per cent from 222,000 tonnes in Q2 2020.