Revived momentum in H2 2023 global primary aluminium production propels annual output above 70 million tonnes

The world primary aluminium production has recorded an annual increase of 2.25 per cent for 2023, reaching 70.593 million tonnes at the end of December, found the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). However, compared to the previous year, the growth rate has decreased in 2023. In 2022, the global output had grown by 3 per cent to stand at 69.038 million tonnes, from 67.092 million tonnes in 2021.

In-depth analysis of production

In December 2023, the world primary aluminium production stood at 6.04 million tonnes, bringing the H2 output at 36.08 million tonnes, up by 4.58 per cent from 34.5 million tonnes in H1.  That represented the fact that the global primary aluminium production gained momentum during the second half of 2023 as the energy crisis in Europe eased leading to production resumption at many smelters.

AL Circle's latest report "Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2024" has shared an analytical trend of the  primary aluminium production across the major producing countries in 2023 and an in-depth forecast for 2024.

The world primary aluminium production in December rose 3.25 per cent month-on-month from 5.85 million tonnes and grew 2.03 per cent year-on-year from 5.92 million tonnes, showed IAI. The daily average production during the said month was 194,900 tonnes, which was however, slightly down from 195,000 tonnes in the previous month.

Production across the borders

According to IAI, primary aluminium production in China from January to December 2023 amounted to 41.67 million tonnes – 3.07 per cent higher than 40.43 million tonnes a year ago. The output in December was 3.57 million tonnes, which reflected an increase of 3.58 per cent M-o-M from 3.45 million tonnes and a rise of 2.59 per cent Y-o-Y from 3.48 million tonnes.

In the GCC countries, primary aluminium production reached 6.22 million tonnes through 2023, up by 2.47 per cent from 6.07 million tonnes a year earlier. In December 2023, GCC’s primary aluminium production stood at 530,000 tonnes, experiencing a sharp rise over a month from 513,000 tonnes in November. On a year-on-year basis, GCC’s primary aluminium output in December edged an increase of 1.73 per cent from 521,000 tonnes.