Aluminum is lightweight, durable and flexible, making it one of the most commonly produced metals in the world. The material is used in the construction industry, automotive manufacturing, appliances and consumer goods.
One of the benefits of aluminum is its lightweight. This characteristic makes vehicles lighter and can reduce the gas consumption of a car. This material also meets other industries' demands. Aluminum's flexibility and electrically conductive properties give it an advantage in electronics industries, while its recyclability makes it popular for use in making food-safe foils and cans.
While contribution by country varies, world primary aluminum production measured about 65.3 million tons in 2020 alone, with China producing the lion's share (over 55%). The metal is produced in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa and Asia. Aluminum comes from bauxite ore, which is made into alumina in alumina refineries and then smelted into aluminum.
Many countries produce aluminum, with each nation playing a unique role in the global marketplace. Examining primary aluminum production by country shows that each nation participates in the industry in unique ways:
China is the world's largest primary aluminum producer, manufacturing 37 million metric tons in 2020. One reason China produces so much aluminum is the country's strong manufacturing industry, which requires the metal for vehicles, building and construction, electronics and consumer goods. The nation also exports aluminum in semi-fabricated forms via its excellent shipping capabilities. China’s aluminum production is mainly coal-powered. The largest domestic producers include China Hongqiao, Chalco, Yunnan Aluminum, Xinfa, and East Group, among others.
Since 2018, China’s government has sought to control the country’s aluminum production capacity to address environmental and overproduction concerns. Despite this effort, the nation still leads by far the world in aluminum production.
Russia is the second-largest nation for primary aluminum production, with 3.9 million metric tons produced in 2020 (mainly using hydroelectricity). RUSAL, based in Moscow, is the largest primary aluminum producing company outside China.
As another of the largest aluminum producers located in Asia, India produced 3.6 million metric tons of primary aluminum in 2020. India's power, consumer goods, transportation
and construction sectors create high demand for aluminum. The bulk of India’s primary aluminum production is coal-powered. The local companies dominating primary aluminum production are Vedanta, Hindalco, and Nalco.
Canada produced 3.11 million metric tons of aluminum in 2020. It's home to 10 primary aluminum smelters across the country, all located in the provinces of Quebec and British Columbia. Canada also has a low carbon footprint in its aluminum production compared with other nations, amid its large use of hydroelectricity for the smelting process.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) produced about 2.5 million metric tons of primary aluminum in 2020. Aluminum production accounted for 1.4% of the UAE’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018. While local construction and other industries rely on the material, the UAE exports most of its aluminum to 70 countries around the world. Emirates Global Aluminum, a manufacturing giant that has operated for decades, is one of the largest companies in the UAE.
Australia produced 1.6 million tons of aluminum in 2020. Over 15,000 people are employed in the sector, which includes four aluminum smelters, all located near the coastline. These locations are Bell Bay in Tasmania, Boyne Island in Queensland, Portland in Victoria and Tomago in New South Wales. Access to the coastline allows these smelters to access electricity and trade routes — especially those connecting the continent to Asia — to export the finished product.
This island nation produced 1.5 million tons in 2020. The Kingdom of Bahrain is well-positioned to be a key aluminum exporter since it can easily send large volumes of the metal to nearby markets like those in the Middle East, Europe and North America markets. Aluminum Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) is the largest primary aluminum producer in the county.
Norway produced 1.3 million tons of aluminum in 2020. This nation has one of the most energy-efficient aluminum production processes in the world and one of the lowest carbon footprints amid the usage of clean energy for the smelting process. Norsk Hydro ASA and Alcoa Norway ANS are the two producers of primary aluminum in the country, both with multiple facilities.
The USA produced 1.0 million metric tons of primary aluminum in 2020. Still, the U.S. is heavily dependent on aluminum imports. Between 1991 and 2020, the American aluminum production industry saw a carbon footprint drop of 49% as several smelters exit the market. There are now only six operating primary aluminum smelters in the US. Top producers in the country include Alcoa, Century Aluminum and Magnitude 7 Metals. These companies have six aluminum smelters in the United States.
Iceland has three aluminum smelters producing over 800,000 metric tons of primary aluminum per year. Iceland has attracted smelters owned by U.S. companies and entities from other countries because its electricity is cheaper and clean (geothermal and hydro). This difference results from the nation's use of dams that harness glacial meltwater's power. Iceland also has ports, which allow international companies to ship their aluminum globally.
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In this detailed article, we'll research where aluminum is found in the world and find the largest aluminum producing countries. If you want brief knowledge on which nations are driving the international market of this widely-used and mined metal, read 5 Largest Aluminum Producing Countries In The World.
Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the Earth's crust, comprising approximately 8% by weight. However, aluminum rarely exists in its pure form and is typically found in bauxite ore. Bauxite deposits are in a wide belt around the equator, with the largest bauxite reserves in Guinea, Australia, Vietnam, and Brazil.
Furthermore, the commercial extraction of aluminum also happens in China, which amounts to 58% aluminum smelter production. China asserted its dominance as the largest producer of aluminum in the world in 2022, owing to its extensive year-end mining capacity.
Since China also has the largest aluminum reserves in the world and immense smelting capacity, its assertion as the leading producer is undisputed. However, environmental concerns and resource-intensive aluminum smelting are obstacles to the country's aluminum industry.
Other leading countries in aluminum production are Russia and India, which, despite having smaller bauxite reserves, produce a significant percentage of aluminum because of huge domestic demand and integrated production systems. Notably, Russia's aluminum industry, driven by Rusal, has flourished despite geopolitical pressures and economic sanctions.
Since aluminum production depends on a country's bauxite mining, we recommend reading Top 20 Largest Producers of Bauxite In The World.
Global aluminum market was $179.32 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $277.5 billion by 2031 by the end of this decade. This market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.61% from 2022 to 2031 and further contribute to the GDP of the largest aluminum producing countries in the world.
Developing sectors like automotive, construction, and packaging industries require aluminum to meet their production. Therefore, the global aluminum consumption in 2022 was recorded to be 65.87 million metric tons. This figure is projected to reach 78.4 million metric tons by 2029, owing to the expansion in major industries worldwide. Since aluminum is lightweight, durable, and corrosion-resistant, it has been increasingly adopted as a preferred manufacturing material.
While this increase is a positive sign for the major aluminum producing countries in the world, the depletion of its reserves is concerning. Hence, countries are implementing more diverse aluminum recycling efforts to reduce the load of smelters. In the automotive and building sectors, aluminum recycling reaches up to 90%. As a result, 75% of aluminum ever produced is still in use today, indicative of this industry's long-term stability.
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Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) is the largest American aluminum company that holds a prominent position in aluminum mining. Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) has headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and spearheads the industry through its expansive bauxite mining to the manufacturing of aluminum products. Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) focuses on sustainable mining so the raw sources for aluminum don't get unfairly exploited.
Another prominent name in the aluminum industry is the Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO). In 2022, Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO) produced a substantial 521,100 metric tons out of a total of 3 million metric tons of aluminum. Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO) is also the world largest aluminum-producer company, with a market capitalization of $116 billion. It has well-planned mining strategies that don't exhaust aluminum resources from the Top 10 largest aluminum producing countries in the world.
Another company doing well in aluminum mining is Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE), based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) aims to improve the quality of its aluminum products, increase yield, and minimize environmental impact. Notably, Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) emphasizes recycling efforts that underscore its commitment to sustainable mineral exploitation.
15 Largest Aluminum Producing Countries In The World
Photo by Shane Cottle on Unsplash
We relied on the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries of 2023 and 2018 as our primary data sources to rank the 15 largest aluminum producing countries. Owing to its diverse data sources, USGS provides extensive and annually updated databases on all minerals to showcase which country produces maximum aluminum in the world.
The annual USGS reports offer well-documented information that covers multiple aspects related to minerals, i.e., production, consumption, and trade. As we analyzed the summaries, we studied the sections focusing on aluminum to understand the aluminum production statistics of all major countries. Moreover, since the 2023 summary focused on the 11 largest aluminum producers, we dug deep into the SUSG summaries from 2018, 2019, and 2020. Eventually, we were able to rank based on solid aluminum production statistics for a clear perspective on this global market.
Based on our understanding of where aluminum is found in the world, here are this metal's largest producers:
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2018: 0.66 million metric tons
Brazil hit 0.66 million metric tons of aluminum in 2018, and impacted the global market of this key industrial metal. The largest alumina mine in Brazil is the MRN mine, owned by Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE), which extracted 10.46 million metric tons of bauxite in 2022, a major portion of which went to aluminum production.
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2019: 0.697 million metric tons
Data reveals that Qatar's aluminum smelter output reached 0.697 million metric tons in 2019. This industry-specific statistic hints at the Gulf nation's significant role in the global aluminum sector. The most notable aluminum smelter in Qatar is Qatalum, located in the Mesaieed Industrial Area as a joint venture between QatarEnergy and Norsk Hydro.
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2019: 0.699 million metric tons
South Africa's aluminum sector achieved a noteworthy output of 0.699 million metric tons from its smelters in 2019. This data indicates the significance of aluminum production to South Africa's economy and advancements in its smelting operations. The largest aluminum smelter in the Northern Hemisphere, named Hillside Aluminium, is also located in Richards Bay, South Africa.
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2022: 0.75 million metric tons
Iceland's aluminum production capacity experienced noteworthy utilization of 0.75 million metric tons in 2022. This achievement owes to the country's renewable geothermal and hydroelectric energy sources to fuel the energy-intensive smelting process. The Grundartangi smelter in Iceland alone has a production capacity of approximately 317,000 metric tonnes of aluminum with its low-cost operations.
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2017: 0.76 million metric tons
Malaysia, owing to its 110 million metric tons of bauxite reserves, demonstrated significant industrial productivity in the non-ferrous metals sector. The country's output amounted to 0.76 million metric tons of smelted aluminum in 2017.
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2019: 0.85 million metric tons
The major alumina refinery in KSA is Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina Company (MBAC), with a mining capacity of 1.8 million metric tons of alumina. Reports indicate Saudi Arabia yielded 0.85 million metric tons of aluminum in 2019. This smelter, paired with the country's capacity, makes it a top player in the global aluminum market.
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2022: 0.86 million metric tons
As per the USGS summary, the United States had an aluminum smelter production of 0.86 million metric tons in 2022. Although not exceptional, this yield is a result of the major US aluminum smelters operating at their full capacity. Some smelters also worked at reduced capacity because of increased mining costs and energy shortages but impacted industry demands in the automotive, packaging, and construction sectors.
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2022: 1.4 million
Data reveals that Norway mined 1.4 million metric tons of aluminum in 2022. The biggest aluminum refinery in Norway is Norsk Hydro, which operates many aluminum plants in Sunndal, Årdal, and Husnes. It's also Europe's third-largest aluminum maker that impacts this non-ferrous metal industry, and helps Norway's resource management strategies.
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2022: 1.5 million metric tons
Australia generated 1.4 million metric tons of aluminum in 2022 via its vast smelters and refineries. Its largest aluminum smelter is Tomago Aluminum, which has been functional since 1983 and contributes $2.2 billion annually to the country's economy. Tomago's robust infrastructure and innovative processing techniques continually support Australia's steady climb in global aluminum production rankings.
Aluminum Smelter Production in 2022: 1.6 million metric tons
The Kingdom of Bahrain has been influencing this metal's market over the years. In 2022, Bahrain's smelter production was 1.6 million metric tons of aluminum. Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) is the world's 2nd largest and Bahrain's largest aluminum smelter, with a production capacity of 1.548 million metric tons. This smelter has also fostered stable growth in Bahrain's non-oil sector, owing to its diverse refining infrastructure.
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Disclosure: None. 15 Largest Aluminum Producing Countries In The World is originally published on Insider Monkey.