According to the International Aluminium Institute, world alumina production in March 2021 stood at 11.832 million tonnes, bringing the total output to 34.199 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2021. The production in March reflected a hike of 11.41 per cent month-on-month from 10.620 million tonnes and 7.50 per cent on the year from 11.006 million tonnes.
IAI data showed world alumina production in Q1 2021 stood 4.35 per cent higher than 32.774 million tonnes during the same period last year. But on a quarter-on-quarter calculation, the production stood down by 1.89 per cent from 34.857 million tonnes.
China, being the largest alumina producer in the world, churned out 6.311 million tonnes in March 2021, up by 10.72 per cent month-on-month. In February, China’s production was at 5.700 million tonnes, however, down by 8.95 per cent from 6.260 million tonnes in January. China’s total alumina production in the March quarter amounted to 18.271 million tonnes, up by 7.60 per cent from 16.980 million tonnes during the same period last year.
In Africa & Asia (ex-China), alumina output in Q1 2021 came in at 3.145 million tonnes, up by 1.85 per cent year-on-year from 3.088 million tonnes. In March 2021, Africa & Asia (ex-China) produced 1.074 million tonnes of alumina, reflecting a month-on-month hike of 4.58 per cent from 1.026 million tonnes and 3.42 per cent decline year-on-year from 1.112 million tonnes.
In the Oceania region, alumina production in March 2021 stood at 1.774 million tonnes, bringing the total output to 5.139 million tonnes in Q1 2021 compared to 5.146 million tonnes in Q1 2020. The output in March this year stood up by 14.16 per cent from 1.554 million tonnes in February 2021 and 1.90 per cent from 1.741 million tonnes in March 2020.
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