US bauxite imports fall 15.8% from Q3 2024 to Q1 2026

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US imports of bauxite declined to 644 thousand tonnes in Q1 2026, down 15.8 per cent from 765 thousand tonnes in Q3 2024.

The decline reflects longer-term pressure on the US primary aluminium and alumina industries, including reduced refining capacity and weaker demand for imported raw materials. Trade uncertainty and the increasing use of recycled aluminium have added to the changes reshaping the country’s bauxite supply chain.

Despite remaining below the level recorded in Q3 2024, Q1 2026 imports increased 7.9 per cent from 597 thousand tonnes in Q4 2025. On a year-on-year basis, however, imports were down 17.9 per cent from 784 thousand tonnes in Q1 2025.

The value of US bauxite imports stood at USD 38 million in Q1 2026, compared with USD 50 million in Q3 2024 and USD 46 million in Q1 2025. This represented a 24 per cent decline from Q3 2024 and a 17.4 per cent drop year on year.

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Jamaica remains the dominant supplier

Jamaica remained the leading supplier to the US in Q1 2026, shipping 471 thousand tonnes, equivalent to approximately 73.1 per cent of total US bauxite imports.

Jamaican shipments rose 54.4 per cent from 305 thousand tonnes in Q4 2025, but were 10.5 per cent below the 526 thousand tonnes recorded in Q1 2025.

Guyana supplied 94 thousand tonnes in Q1 2026, giving it an approximately 14.6 per cent share of total imports. Australia followed with 50 thousand tonnes, while Brazil supplied 23 thousand tonnes and China 5.9 thousand tonnes.

China’s shipments fell sharply from 32 thousand tonnes in Q3 2024 to 5.9 thousand tonnes in Q1 2026, a decline of 81.6 per cent. The United Kingdom supplied only 8 tonnes during the latest quarter.

The supplier figures show that the US market remains highly dependent on Caribbean bauxite, with Jamaica and Guyana together accounting for approximately 87.7 per cent of Q1 2026 imports. However, the overall reduction from Q3 2024 to Q1 2026 highlights the continuing contraction in US demand for imported bauxite as the country’s alumina-refining base changes.

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Refinery capacity weighs on demand

The United States has limited domestic bauxite resources and has historically depended heavily on imports to supply its alumina-refining and primary aluminium industries, particularly from Jamaica.

However, the country’s domestic alumina-refining capacity has contracted over time. Industry reports have linked recent reductions in bauxite imports to refinery closures, lower operating rates and weaker primary aluminium production.

This means that the decline in imports does not necessarily indicate a disruption in bauxite availability. Instead, it also reflects the reduced amount of imported raw material required by the remaining US refining capacity. 

Imports were 121 thousand tonnes lower than in Q3 2024, even though shipments recovered from the previous quarter. The 644 thousand tonnes recorded in Q1 2026 remained below the 765 thousand tonnes imported in Q3 2024.

The increasing use of secondary aluminium is another factor affecting demand for bauxite. Aluminium produced from recycled scrap does not require the same bauxite-to-alumina-to-primary-metal route, reducing the need for imported raw material when secondary production expands. Industry analysis has identified the shift towards recycled aluminium as part of the longer-term change in the US aluminium supply chain.

Trade uncertainty adds pressure

Trade policy has also contributed to uncertainty for US aluminium raw-material suppliers and consumers. Industry reporting has linked the decline in US bauxite imports partly to tariff measures introduced during 2025.

However, the precise application of those measures to aluminium ores and concentrates should be distinguished from tariffs on aluminium articles and derivative aluminium products. The official US proclamation confirms that tariffs on covered aluminium articles increased from 25 per cent to 50 per cent in June 2025, but it does not by itself establish that the same rates applied directly to all bauxite imports.

The safer conclusion is that tariff changes and broader trade uncertainty may have affected procurement decisions and supply-chain planning, while refinery closures and weaker primary aluminium production appear to represent the more structural pressures on bauxite demand.

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