US import of bauxite drops 32% for the full year 2017 on closure of alumina refineries

According to the latest USGS release on Bauxite and Alumina in the Fourth Quarter 2017, imports of crude and dried bauxite by the U.S. in Q4 2017 were 910,000 tonnes, slightly less than the revised total of 914,000 tonnes in the third quarter of 2017.   However, on a YoY basis, import of bauxite drops 4% from the amount in the fourth quarter of 2016 and 61% less than those in the fourth quarter of 2015. Imports of crude and dried bauxite in the third quarter of 2016 were 1.14 million tonnes.

When we look at the graph we, see that the imports of crude and dried bauxite by the U.S. have been on a downward trend since the fourth quarter of 2015. After reaching the lowest in the second quarter of 2017, the import increased in the third quarter of 2017.  Though the imports have been falling YoY, they are up towards the second half of 2017.

Crude and dried bauxite imports in 2017 were 3.43 million tons, 32% less than about 5 million tonnes in 2016 and 68% less than those in 2015. Year over year, the U.S. has reported a significant fall in imports. The decrease in bauxite imports YOY is attributable to the temporary and permanent shutdown of a number of aluminium smelters and alumina refinery in the US.

Jamaica continued to remain the top bauxite supplier to the U.S. throughout 2017. In the fourth quarter of 2017, import from Jamaica stood at 68% and import from Brazil stood at 23%.  While in the third quarter, Jamaica exported 76% of bauxite and Brazil’s export stood at 23%. In 2015, Jamaica, Guinea and Brazil supplied almost similar volume of bauxite to the U.S.

The U.S. also exports bauxite mostly to Canada and some amount to Mexico. In Q4 2017, the U.S. exported 1,220 tonnes of bauxite, down from 1,580 tonnes in Q3 2017. For the full year 2017, the total U.S. export of bauxite stood at 5,160 tonnes.