Primary production of aluminum in the United States slumped to some 750,000 metric tons in 2023, representing a 15 percent decrease compared to the previous year. 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 India. 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 2023, around 1.5 million metric tons of aluminum used in secondary production came from old scraps of the metal.

Graph and download economic data for Labor Productivity for Manufacturing: Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing (NAICS 33131) in the United States (IPUEN33131L000000000) from 1987 to 2023 about aluminum, productivity, processed, NAICS, IP, production, labor, manufacturing, and USA.

The apparent consumption of aluminum in the United States totaled 4.3 million metric tons in 2024, an increase from the previous year, when the amount was 4.15 million metric tons. U.S. aluminum consumption Transportation applications accounted for about 36 percent of domestic consumption in 2024, with the remainder being mostly used for packaging, building, and electrical purposes. Composites can be substituted for aluminum in various applications. For example, glass, paper, plastics, and steel can be used instead of aluminum in packaging and composites, while steel, vinyl, and wood can replace aluminum in construction applications. The average spot price of aluminum ingots was 1.30 U.S. dollars per pound in 2024. Proposed aluminum tariffs The President of the United States has announced to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports effective from March 2025. This policy impacts key trading partners, including Canada, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union, who were exempt from the 2018 tariffs. The United States imported approximately 4.8 million metric tons of aluminum for consumption in 2024.

In 2023, there were approximately 30,000 alumina and aluminum production workers employed in this sector in the United States. This figure represents a slight increase from the previous year.

The United States imported about 4.8 million metric tons of aluminum for consumption in 2024. Meanwhile, the apparent consumption of aluminum totaled about 4.3 million metric tons. Canada is one of the largest aluminum exporters to the United States. A large majority of Canada’s primary aluminum is exported to the United States as an important part for the United States’ manufacturing industries. Aluminum consumption Aluminum, also spelled aluminium in British English, is one of the most consumed metals in the world. The demand for aluminum continues to grow as consumers turn to technological solutions for a variety of needs such as more efficient vehicles or sustainable packaging. Aluminum tariffs In 2018, a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports into the United States was established under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. In response, China imposed a 25 percent tariff on aluminum scrap imports from the United States. The United States lifted sanctions on one of the largest aluminum manufacturers in Russia, Russal, in 2019. China and Russia are two of the three largest producers of aluminum in the world.

This data release contains the U.S. salient statistics and world production data extracted from the ALUMINUM data sheet of the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2023.

In 2024, China had a total smelter production of some 43 million metric tons of aluminum. As the most widely used non-ferrous metal, aluminum is used to manufacture a large variety of products such as in the construction industry, the transportation industry, the packaging industry, and many more. Aluminum companies In 2022, the leading producer of primary aluminum worldwide was Chalco from China. That year, they produced 7.1 million metric tons of aluminum. Alcoa, from the United States, brought in about 8.8 billion U.S. dollars in sales from its aluminum segment in the fiscal year 2022. Following aluminum was alumina, which generated 3.4 billion U.S. dollars in sales that year. U.S. aluminum production U.S. primary aluminum production has fluctuated since 2010. That year, the U.S. produced about 1.7 million metric tons of primary aluminum. In 2023, this figure was down to an estimated 750,000 metric tons.

The ‘Import Monitor’ aggregates detailed license information and makes it available for public analysis on a weekly basis. All imported aluminum products under the U.S. Bureau of the Census (Census) definition of steel mill products are required to have an import license effective June 28, 2021. The data from the licensing system are used in conjunction with similar Census data to put together the ‘Import Monitor’. This Monitor helps alert users to changes in import patterns. The goal of the Import Monitor is to publish accurate, close to real-time aggregate volume, value, and pricing (average unit values of imports) data on aluminum imports through an easily accessible website.

Forecast: Aluminum Production in the US 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Forecast: Primary Aluminum Production Capacity of Alcoa Inc., Rockdale, TX in the US 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Forecast: Primary Aluminum Production Capacity in the US 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Graph and download economic data for Import Price Index (NAICS): Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing (IZ3313) from Dec 2005 to Feb 2025 about aluminum, imports, NAICS, production, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Forecast: Primary Aluminum Production Capacity of Century Aluminum Co., Sebree, KY in the US 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Forecast: Alumina Refining and Primary Aluminum Production Sales in the US 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Forecast: Primary Aluminum Production Capacity of Century Aluminum Co., Hawesville, KY in the US 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Statistics illustrates consumption, production, prices, and trade of Alumina and Primary Aluminum in the United States from 2013 to 2024.

Graph and download economic data for Hourly Compensation for Manufacturing: Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing (NAICS 33131) in the United States (IPUEN33131U121000000) from 1988 to 2023 about aluminum, processed, compensation, NAICS, IP, hours, production, manufacturing, and USA.

This statistic represents the global aluminum consumption forecast from 2021 to 2029, at a compound annual growth rate of 2.6 percent. In 2021, global aluminum consumption is projected to amount to some 64.2 million metric tons.

Aluminum usage for industrial production Thanks to its light weight, durability, and malleability, aluminum is a highly used metal in consumer goods, electronics, and vehicle production. In 2020, roughly 23 percent of total aluminum globally was used by the transport sector for manufacturing and production. The trend towards high industrialization across the globe triggered a demand increase for all types of metals necessary for production. In 2020, the size of the global aluminum market was 160 billion U.S. dollars. This market is expected to reach approximately 150 billion U.S. dollars by 2026. As of 2020, the top three major importers of aluminum and aluminum products were the United States, Germany, and China. The top three exporters were the same countries that same year.

Aluminum recycling Primary aluminum production is an very energy-intensive process and this induces organizations to repurpose waste aluminum. Across the globe, firms recycle aluminum to meet the increasing demand and gain profits. The price of one pound of recycled aluminum cans was 60 U.S. cents in 2018, down from 70 U.S. cents per pound in 2017. This rapid decline in the price of recycled aluminum suggests a surge in aluminum recycling and increasing efficiency of the recycling process worldwide. In 2018, the production volume of recycled aluminum in Asia reached roughly 11 million metric tons, up from 7.8 million metric tons in 2014. Nonetheless, not all aluminum waste is recycled. In North America, only 55 percent of total aluminum waste was recycled between 2015 and 2017.

United States - Producer Price Index by Industry: Alumina Refining and Primary Aluminum Production was 117.60000 Index Jun 1980=100 in March of 2019, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Producer Price Index by Industry: Alumina Refining and Primary Aluminum Production reached a record high of 216.50000 in August of 2008 and a record low of 33.10000 in March of 1972. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Producer Price Index by Industry: Alumina Refining and Primary Aluminum Production - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

Discover how the demand for aluminum in the United States is driving market growth, with a projected increase in both volume and value over the next decade.