US bauxite and alumina imports shrink by over 22% in Q1 2020; Jamaica & Brazil continue to be the top two exporters

According to the data shown by the US Geological Survey on bauxite and alumina imports in the first quarter of 2020, the United States imported 775,000 tonnes of crude and dried bauxite, down by 22.5 per cent from 1 million tonnes of imports in the fourth quarter of 2019. However, when compared to the data year ago, the United States’ bauxite imports in Q1 2020 stood higher by 3.61 per cent. In Q1 2019, the United States had imported 748,000 tonnes of crude and dried bauxite.

Jamaica continued to be the leading supplier of bauxite to the US in the first quarter of 2020, but lesser than the previous quarter. While in the fourth quarter of 2019, Jamaica exported 702,000 tonnes of crude and dried bauxite, in the first quarter of 2020, it exported 554,000 tonnes, down by 21.08 per cent. However, Jamaica’s export amount to the US increased year-on-year by 11.24 per cent from 498,000 tonnes.

Sierra Leone emerged as the second leading supplier to the US in Q1 2020, providing 116,000 tonnes, followed by Guinea that exported 104,000 tonnes of bauxite to the US in Q1.

The United States alumina imports totalled 357,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2020, down 22.72 per cent from the revised amount of 462,000 tonnes of alumina imports in Q4 2019. Year-on-year, the imports stood down by 42.70 per cent from 623,000 tonnes.

Brazil was the highest exporter, followed by Australia and Jamaica. Brazil exported 233,000 tonnes in Q1, up by 23.28 per cent from 189,000 tonnes quarter-on-quarter but down by 21.28 per cent from 296,000 tonnes year-on-year. Australia exported 48,700 tonnes to the US in Q1, and Jamaica supplied 33,800 tonnes.