World’s primary aluminium production in February drops for the second month this year to 5.273 MT

In February 2023, the world's primary aluminium production totalled 5.273 million tonnes, reflecting a second consecutive drop this year. Compared to 5.823 million tonnes in January 2023, the world's primary aluminium output recorded a decrease of 9.45 per cent month-on-month, found the International Aluminium Institute. The production in January was down by 0.80 per cent from 5.870 million tonnes a month ago.

However, on a year-on-year calculation, world primary aluminium production registered an increase of 2.69 per cent from 5.135 million tonnes.

But despite the decline in monthly production, the world's daily average output of primary aluminium in February grew slightly from the previous month by 500 tonnes from 187,800 tonnes to 188,300 tonnes. On a year-on-year basis, the output increased by 2.67 per cent or 4,900 tonnes from 183,400 tonnes.

China, the world's largest producer of the primary metal, churned out 3.107 million tonnes during February 2023, down by 9.36 per cent from 3.428 million tonnes a month ago but up by 4.26 per cent from 2.980 million tonnes a year earlier. In the first two months of 2023, China's production amounted to 6.535 million tonnes – 4.86 per cent more than 6.232 million tonnes during the same period last year.

In the Gulf Cooperation Council, primary aluminium production in February 2023 stood at 469,000 tonnes, recording a downfall of 10.33 per cent or 54,000 tonnes from 523,000 tonnes. But annually, the output registered an increase of 5,000 tonnes or 1.08 per cent from 464,000 tonnes.

During January-February 2023, the GCC countries produced 992,000 tonnes of primary aluminium in total, down by 1.43 per cent or 14,000 tonnes from 978,000 tonnes during the corresponding period of the former year.

The world's primary aluminium production in the first two months of 2023 totalled 11.096 million tonnes, up by 2.90 per cent from 10.783 million tonnes a year ago.