US imports of crude & dried bauxite initiate the year 2022 with a fall of 6% in Q1

According to the data published by the US Census Bureau, the United States crude and dried bauxite imports amounted to 736,000 tonnes during the first quarter of 2022, which registered a quarter-on-quarter decrease of 48,000 tonnes or 6.12 per cent from 784,000 tonnes. However, on a year-on-year basis, the import volume rose 5.90 per cent or 41,000 tonnes from 695,000 tonnes.

Jamaica continued to be the highest exporter of bauxite to the United States during 1Q2022, although it recorded a fall in the volume. Compared to 709,000 tonnes in Q4 2021, bauxite exports from Jamaica to the US in Q1 2022 stood at 622,000 tonnes. That was a sharp fall of 87,000 tonnes or 12.27 per cent on a quarterly basis. According to the Bureau’s data, Jamaica’s bauxite exports to the US also dropped over the year by 2.66 per cent from 639,000 tonnes.

Turkey, the second highest exporter of crude and dried bauxite to the US, provided 96,900 tonnes during 1Q2022, which was an increase of 30.24 per cent from 74,400 tonnes in 4Q2021 and up by 71.50 per cent from 56,500 tonnes in 1Q2021.

During 2021, the United States imported 3.09 million tonnes of crude and dried bauxite in total, of which Jamaica supplied 2.6 million tonnes and Turkey 457,000 tonnes.

From other countries, the United States hauled 15,900 tonnes of bauxite in Q1 2022. In 2021, the US had secured 32,800 tonnes of bauxite throughout the year.