World alumina production in May 2020 grows nearly 2% M-o-M to 11.1 MT; Total output during Jan-May remains flat Y-o-Y

According to the International Aluminium Institute data, the world alumina production in May 2020 stood at 11.1 million tonnes, up by 1.74 per cent from 10.91 million tonnes in April 2020. When compared to a year earlier, the output was found almost flat. In May 2019, global alumina production was 11.03 million tonnes.

The total global production of alumina in the first five months of 2020 came in at 54.87 million tonnes, almost flat compared to 54.63 million tonnes of production during the corresponding period last year.

China, being the leading alumina producer, churned out 5.66 million tonnes in May 2020, up by 1.62 per cent from 5.57 million tonnes in the previous month. However, on a year-on-year comparison, China’s alumina production in May 2020 stood down by 5 per cent from 5.96 million tonnes. The country’s total alumina production in the first five months of this year stood at 27.99 million tonnes, 6.26 per cent lower from 29.86 million tonnes during the same period last year.

In Oceania region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, the alumina production in May stood at 1.81 million tonnes, up by 2.84 per cent month-on-month from 1.76 million tonnes and 1.69 per cent year-on-year from 1.78 million tonnes. In the first five months of this year, the total alumina production in Oceania came in at 8.71 million tonnes, 2.11 per cent higher on a yearly basis from 8.53 million tonnes.

Africa and Asia (ex-China) produced 1.01 million tonnes of alumina in May 2020 compared to 978,000 tonnes in April. This means the output in May stood higher by 3.27 per cent month-on-month. In May 2019, alumina production in Africa and Asia (ex-China) was at 873,000 tonnes; so year-on-year, the output in May this year saw a hike of 15.69 per cent. In the first five months, the total production in the region amounted to 5.09 million tonnes, up by 17.28 per cent from 4.30 million tonnes during the same period last year.