First Half 2023 marks 168% spike in USA’s crude bauxite exports with negative growth in third quarter; Imports keep dwindling

As per the USGS statistics, the First Half of 2023 marked a total import value of 1.195 million tonnes of crude and dried bauxite to the USA, which dropped by 13.4 per cent or 185,000 tonnes from 1.38 million tonnes estimated in the First Half of 2022.

On the other hand, the export of crude and dried bauxite from the USA marked a rise of 1,398 tonnes or a massive 168 per cent, from 834 tonnes in the First Half of 2022 to 2,232 tonnes during the same period in 2023.

If we take the third quarter of 2023 into account, we can calculate a Quarter-on-Quarter dip of 3.14 per cent or 21,000 tonnes in crude and dried bauxite imports to the USA from 669,000 tonnes registered in 2022 to 648,000 tonnes accumulated in Q3 2023. If we consider the exports from the USA, there has been a Quarter-on-Quarter decrease of 541 tonnes or 66.6 per cent. Therefore, this year, both the imports and exports of crude and dried bauxite have been sluggish in comparison with the last year.

The total import of crude and dried bauxite to the USA in the third quarter of 2023 was 648,000 tonnes, which is 45 per cent of the total imports to the USA in the second half of 2022, marked at 1.426 million tonnes. Hopefully, by the fourth quarter, the data of the previous year will be matched.

The total export of crude and dried bauxite from the USA in Q3 2023 has been 271 tonnes, which is just 19.26 per cent of the total collection in the Second Half of 2022, pegged at 1,407 tonnes. It is quite clear that the export ratio might not be matched this year.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) data suggests that there has been a Year-on-Year slump of 290,000 tonnes or 9.38 per cent in the import of crude and dried bauxite to the USA for consumption. It has fallen from 3.09 million tonnes recorded in 2021 to 2.8 million tonnes in 2022.

Meanwhile, if we consider the export front, the USA has seen an influx of 80 tonnes or 3.7 per cent, from 2,160 tonnes in 2021 to 2,240 tonnes in 2022.

If you wish to learn more about the global dynamics of the aluminium sector, please have a look at AL Circle's special report, Global Aluminium Industry - Key Trends to 2030. But if you solely wish to know about the bauxite mining industry, do not forget to go through Global Bauxite Industry Insights.