The downfall in alumina imports indicates reduced demand for primary aluminium production in the United States. What once used to be one of the world's largest producers of primary aluminium, accounting for 15 per cent of the global production, now accounts for only 1 per cent.
According to the US Geological Survey, the United States imported 282,000 tonnes of alumina during the first quarter of 2024, in comparison with 323,000 tonnes in Q1 2023 and 359,000 tonnes in Q4 2023.