Auxite AND Lumina: by Patricia A. Plunkert
Auxite AND Lumina: by Patricia A. Plunkert
Auxite AND Lumina: by Patricia A. Plunkert
By Patricia A. Plunkert
Domestic survey data and tables were prepared by Jamal I. Dimashk, statistical assistant, and the world production tables
were prepared by Regina R. Coleman, international data coordinator.
Bauxite is a naturally occurring, heterogeneous material U.S. production of alumina (calcined equivalent), derived
comprised primarily of one or more aluminum hydroxide almost exclusively from imported metallurgical-grade bauxite,
minerals plus various mixtures of aluminosilicates (clay, etc.), increased by 11% compared with that of 2002 (table 2). An
iron oxide (Fe2O3), silica (SiO2), titania (TiO2), and other estimated 91% of the alumina shipped by U.S. refineries went
impurities in trace amounts. The principal aluminum hydroxide to domestic primary smelters for aluminum metal production.
minerals found in varying proportions within bauxite are Consumption by the abrasives, chemicals, refractories, and
gibbsite [Al(OH)3] and the polymorphs boehmite and diaspore specialties industries accounted for the remainder of U.S.
[both AlO(OH)]. alumina shipments.
Bauxite is typically classified according to its intended World output of alumina increased by 3% in 2003 compared
commercial application, such as abrasive, cement, chemical, with that of 2002. The principal producing countries, in
metallurgical, and refractory. Of all bauxite mined, approximately descending order of alumina output, were Australia, China, the
85% is converted to alumina (Al2O3) for the production of United States, Brazil, and Jamaica. These countries accounted
aluminum metal, and an additional 10% is converted to various for 64% of the world’s production; Australia alone accounted for
forms of specialty aluminas for nonmetal uses. The remaining about 30% of total world production (table 12).
5% is used directly for nonmetallurgical bauxite applications. The
bulk of world bauxite production is used, therefore, as feed for the Legislation and Government Programs
manufacture of alumina via a wet chemical caustic leach process
known as the Bayer process. Most of the alumina produced from In October, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) released its
this refining process is smelted using the Hall-Héroult process Annual Materials Plan (AMP) for the National Defense Stockpile
to produce aluminum metal by electrolytic reduction in a molten (NDS) for fiscal year 2004 (October 1, 2003, to September 30,
bath of natural or synthetic cryolite (NaAlF6). 2004). The 2004 AMP provided for the sale of 43,700 calcined
Specifications for the nonmetallurgical grades of bauxite are metric tons (43,000 calcined long tons) of refractory-grade
more stringent than those for bauxite used to produce alumina bauxite in fiscal year 2004 (Defense Logistics Agency, 2003).
and are based on the processing requirements and special This was the maximum amount recommended for disposal during
properties required of their final commercial products. The the fiscal year, and the actual level of sales would depend upon
natural chemical impurities that exist within these specialty- prevailing market conditions and available inventory.
grade ores are not chemically removed by refining because the At yearend 2003, the uncommitted inventory for Jamaica
ores are used as direct feed for the production of their ultimate type, metallurgical-grade bauxite was depleted, and the NDS
end products. Although global figures on nonmetallurgical calcined refractory-grade bauxite inventory was 42,400 calcined
bauxite production and consumption are not commonly metric tons (41,800 calcined long tons) (Defense Logistics
available, the principal industrial end uses are considered to be Agency, 2004).
in refractories and abrasives, followed by cement applications.
In addition, the aluminum chemicals and steel industries also Production
consume significant quantities of bauxite.
Twenty-two countries reported bauxite mine production in Bauxite.—For many years, domestic mines have supplied
2003, and total world production increased by 2% compared less than 1% of the U.S. requirement for bauxite. Essentially all
with that of 2002 (table 11). Australia, Brazil, Guinea, and the domestic bauxite production was used in nonmetallurgical
Jamaica accounted for about two-thirds of the total bauxite products, such as abrasives, chemicals, proppants, and
mined in 2003. The principal sources of non-metallurgical- refractories. Thus, the United States imported almost all the
grade bauxite were limited to only a handful of countries— bauxite that it required, especially the metallurgical grade.
abrasive grade was produced in Australia, China, Greece, Alumina.—In December, Ormet Corp. restarted the 600,000-
Guinea, Guyana, and Italy, and refractory grade, in Brazil, metric-ton-per-year (t/yr) Burnside, LA, refinery that had been
China, and Guyana (Russell, 1999, p. 49, 58). closed since February 2001. The restart was prompted by a
Total reported world reserves of bauxite are sufficient to meet dramatic rise in alumina prices during the year (Ormet Corp.,
cumulative world primary aluminum metal demand well into the 2003).
21st century. Although bauxite reserves are unevenly distributed The alumina production rate at Alcoa Inc.’s Point Comfort,
throughout the world, with approximately 90% in about a dozen TX, refinery returned to full capacity of 2.3 million metric tons
countries, the sheer magnitude of these reserves (23 billion per year (Mt/yr) at the end of the second quarter. The refinery
metric tons) is sufficient to ensure a readily accessible supply had been operating at a reduced rate of 1.8 Mt/yr since February
for the future (Plunkert, 2004). 2001 (Alcoa Inc., 2003d).
TABLE 1
SALIENT BAUXITE STATISTICS1
Total
Calcined Other As produced Calcined
Year alumina alumina2 or shipped3 equivalent
Production:
2002 3,930 605 4,540 4,340
2003 4,350 709 5,060 4,830
Shipments:
2002 3,900 610 4,510 4,310
2003 4,380 713 5,090 4,860
1
Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits.
2
Trihydrate, activated, tabular, and other aluminas. Excludes calcium and sodium aluminates.
3
Includes only the end product if one type of alumina was produced and used to make another type
of alumina.
TABLE 3
CAPACITIES OF DOMESTIC ALUMINA PLANTS, DECEMBER 311, 2
TABLE 4
U.S. CONSUMPTION OF BAUXITE, BY INDUSTRY1
TABLE 6
STOCKS OF ALUMINA IN THE UNITED STATES, DECEMBER 311, 2
TABLE 7
AVERAGE VALUE OF U.S. IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND DRIED BAUXITE1
2002
Port of Delivered to 2003
shipment, U.S. ports, Port of Delivered to
free alongside cost, insurance, shipment, U.S. ports,
Country ship (f.a.s.) and freight (c.i.f.) f.a.s. c.i.f.
Australia 12.82 23.67 16.91 41.19
Brazil 22.85 29.19 20.45 27.02
Guinea 22.52 28.31 20.04 26.24
Guyana 26.14 34.54 25.24 32.56
Jamaica 17.50 19.51 17.30 19.79
Average, weighted 20.35 24.66 19.48 24.53
1
Computed from quantity and value data reported to the U.S. Customs Service and compiled by
the U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce. Not adjusted for moisture content of
bauxite or differences in methods used by importers to determine value of individual shipments.
Note: Total U.S. imports of crude and dried bauxite as reported by the U.S. Census
Bureau were as follows: 2002--6.43 million metric tons (Mt) and 2003--7.70 Mt.
TABLE 9
U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION AND EXPORTS OF CALCINED BAUXITE, BY COUNTRY1
2002 2003
Refractory grade Other grade Refractory grade Other grade
Country Quantity Value2 Quantity Value2 Quantity Value2 Quantity Value2
Imports:
Australia -- -- 47 4,290 -- -- 70 6,330
Brazil 5 504 5 710 3 355 14 1,030
China 97 7,560 67 4,970 69 5,730 102 8,040
Guyana 8 868 8 1,290 17 2,150 31 2,010
Other (3) 10 (3) 26 (3) 17 (3) 10
Total 110 8,950 127 11,300 90 8,250 217 17,400
Exports:
Canada 2 396 7 533 2 431 4 392
Japan -- -- (3) 85 (3) 4 -- --
Mexico 5 501 (3) 34 7 988 7 1,010
Other 1 361 1 213 1 582 (3) 7
Total 7 1,260 8 865 11 2,010 11 1,410
-- Zero.
1
Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2
Value at foreign port of shipment as reported to the U.S. Customs Service.
3
Less than 1/2 unit.
2002 2003
Country Quantity Value2 Quantity Value2
Imports:
Australia 1,740 271,000 962 163,000
Brazil 65 12,700 78 21,800
Canada 90 58,000 95 63,100
China 28 8,920 26 8,260
France 11 15,800 12 17,800
Germany 40 68,500 40 74,600
Jamaica 293 49,700 361 72,300
Japan 6 15,200 6 13,500
Suriname 704 108,000 719 121,000
Venezuela (3) 81 2 1,770
Other 30 24,600 11 13,500
Total 3,010 633,000 2,310 571,000
Exports:
Brazil 1 2,700 2 2,510
Canada 1,110 202,000 897 198,000
China 2 1,720 35 11,400
Finland (3) 372 (3) 125
Mexico 68 25,000 38 22,100
Netherlands 3 4,870 1 7,640
Norway 32 4,570 63 9,890
Russia (3) 179 (3) 536
Sweden 1 1,350 1 1,510
Other 55 119,000 52 114,000
Total 1,270 362,000 1,090 368,000
1
Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
2
Value at foreign port of shipment as reported to the U.S. Customs Service.
3
Less than 1/2 unit.
r
Guyana 3
2,359 2,471 1,950 1,690 r 1,500 e
e
Russia 3,750 4,200 4,000 3,800 4,000
e
Serbia and Montenegro 500 630 610 612 600
Suriname 3,715 r 3,610 4,394 r 4,002 r 4,215
Turkey5 208 459 242 287 r 300 e
United States NA NA NA NA NA
Venezuela 4,166 4,361 4,585 r 5,191 r 5,200 e
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