World primary aluminium production grows 4% Y-o-Y to 5.707MT in January 2021; Output in China stands flat M-o-M

World primary aluminium production began the year 2021 with a slight rise of 0.23 per cent month-on-month to 5.707 million tonnes in January. On a year-on-year calculation, the output stood higher by 4.29 per cent from 5.472 million tonnes. In December 2020, world primary aluminium production stood at 5.694 million tonnes, up by 3.41 per cent from 5.506 million tonnes in November.

China, the highest primary aluminium producer in the world, churned out the same amount of primary aluminium in January 2021 as in the previous month at 3.3 million tonnes. On a year-on-year basis, the production in January this year stood 6.9 per cent higher than 3.087 million tonnes.

Followed by China, the GCC countries were the second highest producer of primary aluminium in January 2021. They produced 494,000 tonnes - 3,000 tonnes less than 497,000 tonnes in December 2020 and 4,000 tonnes less than 498,000 tonnes in January 2020.

In Asia (ex-China), primary aluminium production in January 2021 stood at 376,000 tonnes, reflecting a month-on-month growth of 11,000 tonnes or 3.01 per cent from 365,000 tonnes. On a year-on-year basis, the output stood 23,000 tonnes or 6.52 per cent higher than 353,000 tonnes.

In the Ocean region, primary aluminium output in January 2021 stood 2,000 tonnes lower to 161,000 tonnes. In December 2020, production came in at 163,000 tonnes, registering an increase of 6,000 tonnes or 3.82 per cent from 157,000 tonnes in the previous month. On a yearly basis, Oceania’s primary aluminium production stood up by only 1,000 tonnes from 160,000 tonnes.

World primary aluminium production in the entire year of 2020 stood at 65.296 million tonnes, up by 2.57 per cent from 63.657 million tonnes in 2019.