Primary aluminum production in the U.S. 2010-2022

Primary production of aluminum in the United States slumped to some 860,000 metric tons in 2022, down from around 1 million metric tons reported in 2020. This fall can in part be linked to a surge in imports: U.S. imports of aluminum for consumption reached about 5.9 million metric tons in 2022, up from about 4.3 million metric tons in 2020.

Fending off imports

Aluminum imports have fluctuated in recent years, with the Covid-19 pandemic contributing to a significant year-on-year contraction of over 19 percent between 2019 and 2020. The United States aims to boost domestic production by becoming less dependent on imports, and less dependent on aluminum producers such as China and Russia. Not only is China the world’s largest producer, but the country is also the largest consumer of primary aluminum, accounting for half of the global demand.

About aluminum

Aluminum is one of the most commonly used metals in the world due to its light weight, non-corrosiveness, and high strength. The commodity is used in packaging, building, electronics, and vehicle manufacturing. The base metal is also widely recycled, with over 90 percent of all primary produced aluminum still in production. In 2022, around 1.5 million metric tons of aluminum used in secondary production came from old scraps of the metal.