United States crude and dried bauxite imports edge lower in H1 2020 despite a quarterly growth of 8% in Q2

According to the latest data shown by the US Geological Survey on crude and dried bauxite imports, the United States in Q2 2020 imported 834,000 tonnes, up by 8 per cent from 775,000 tonnes in the first quarter of the year. But when compared to Q2 2019, the United States' bauxite imports stood 24 per cent down from 1.03 million tonnes.

The United States’ total crude and dried bauxite imports in the first half of 2020 came in at 1.61 million tonnes, down by 9.5 per cent from 1.78 million tonnes during the same period last year.

Jamaica continued to be the leading exporter of crude and dried bauxite to the US in Q2 2020, supplying a higher amount than in Q1 2020. During the June quarter (Q2), Jamaica exported 666,000 tonnes of bauxite to the US compared to 554,000 tonnes in Q1. This shows the bauxite exports from Jamaica to the US increased by 20.22 per cent quarter-on-quarter in Q2 2020. However, on a year-on-year basis, the exports from Jamaica to the US stood down by 6.6 per cent from 713,000 tonnes.

Jamaica, in the total first half of 2020, exported 1.22 million tonnes of crude and dried bauxite, almost flat compared to 1.21 million tonnes during H1 2019.

Sierra Leone, being the second leading exporter of bauxite to the US in Q2 2020, supplied 134,000 tonnes, 15.52 per cent higher than 116,000 tonnes in Q1 2020. In the first six months of the year, Sierra Leone’s bauxite exports to the US totalled 249,000 tonnes.