US alumina imports till Q3 2023 reached 1 million tonnes with a range-bound quarterly growth

The United States alumina imports in the first nine months of 2023, ending September 30, touched the 1 million tonnes level but marked a year-on-year downfall of 27 per cent from 1.37 million tonnes, according to the USGS data.

The country’s alumina imports had been sluggish since the beginning of the year, amounting to 323,000 tonnes in Q1 2023 versus 445,000 tonnes in Q4 2022. Although in the two successive quarters, the imports grew Q-o-Q but remained range-bound and registered sharp downfalls compared to the previous year.

For instance, in Q2 2023, the US alumina imports grew quarter-on-quarter by 2.8 per cent to 332,000 tonnes but stood 31.4 per cent lower Y-o-Y than 484,000 tonnes. In Q3 2023, witnessing a similar trend, the imports increased Q-o-Q by 3.92 per cent to 345,000 tonnes and fell 22.47 per cent on a year from 445,000 tonnes.

Brazil, the largest exporter of alumina to the US, supplied 276,000 tonnes in Q3 2023, which was 3.16 per cent less than 285,000 tonnes in Q2 but 12.65 per cent higher Y-o-Y than 245,000 tonnes.

In the first nine months of the year, the United States alumina imports from Brazil totalled 829,000 tonnes, down by 10.86 per cent from 930,000 tonnes during the same period last year.

Canada exported 19,500 tonnes of the ore in Q3, and Jamaica provided 17,300 tonnes. While the former remained restrained compared to the previous quarter, the latter jumped 188.8 per cent from 5,990 tonnes.

On the other hand, the United States alumina exports reflected no major change in Q3 2023, remaining at 35,900 tonnes compared to 35,400 tonnes in Q2 2023. However, on a year-on-year basis, the exports edged a fall of 13.29 per cent from 41,400 tonnes.

Canada imported 6,740 tonnes of alumina from the US in Q3 2023 versus 8,330 tonnes in Q2, while China secured 5,330 tonnes compared to 3,580 tonnes in the previous quarter, learned USGS.