
The U.S. imported 463,000 tonnes of alumina in the first quarter of 2018, 31 per cent more than the total of 355,000 tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2017, and 50 per cent more than the total of 308,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2017, according to the latest USGS release on Bauxite and Alumina in the First Quarter 2018. The increase was due to the restart of aluminium smelting capacity scheduled to take place in the first half of 2018.

Brazil was the top alumina supplier to the U.S. in the first quarter of 2018.Brazil exported 390,000 tonnes of alumina in the mentioned period. In the first quarter of 2018, import from Brazil stood at 69%, import from Australia stood at 11% and import from Jamaica stood at 8%.

Exports of alumina by the U.S. in the first quarter of 2018 were 87,000 tonnes, 28 per cent less than the total of 121,000 tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2017 and 17 per cent less than the total of 105,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2017. The decrease was due to increased domestic consumption of alumina as aluminium smelters in the U.S. changed suppliers from imported sources.
The U.S. exports maximum amount of alumina to China. In the first quarter of 2018, export to China stood at 25%, export to Mexico stood at 18% and export to Netherlands stood at 18%.
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