ALUMINUM—2000 6.1

ALUMINUM

By Patricia A. Plunkert

Domestic survey data and tables were prepared by Micheal George, statistical assistant, and the world production table was

prepared by Linder Roberts, international data coordinator.

In 2000, 12 domestic companies operated 23 primary

aluminum reduction plants that produced almost 3.7 million

metric tons (Mt) of metal. Montana, Oregon, and Washington

accounted for 36% of the production; Maryland, New York,

Ohio, and West Virginia, 22%; and other States, 42%. The

value was estimated to be $6 billion.

Increased energy costs, particularly in the Pacific Northwest,

led several aluminum smelters to reduce production capacity

during the latter half of the year. By yearend, a total of 729,000

tons per year (t/yr) of primary smelter capacity had been closed,

about 45% of the 1.62 million tons per year (Mt/yr) of

engineered capacity for the 10 smelters operating in the region.

Aluminum recovered from purchased scrap decreased by 7%

to 3.45 Mt. Of this recovered metal, 60% came from new

(manufacturing) scrap and 40% from old (discarded aluminum

products) scrap. Aluminum used beverage can (UBC) scrap

accounted for more than one-half of the reported old scrap

consumption in 2000. The recycling rate for aluminum UBCs

remained relatively stable at 62.1%.

The transportation and the container and packaging industries

remained the largest domestic markets for aluminum products in

2000. The transportation industry accounted for 37% of

domestic consumption; containers and packaging, 23%;

building and construction, 15%; consumer durables, 8%;

electrical, 8%; and other uses, 9%.

U.S. imports for consumption decreased in 2000 compared

with those of 1999, reversing a 3-year upward trend that began

in 1997. Canada remained the largest shipper of aluminum

materials to the United States, followed by Russia. Total

exports from the United States increased 7% in 2000.

The price of primary ingot on the domestic and the

international markets fluctuated during the year. The 2000

monthly average domestic price decreased by almost 6 cents per

pound from January to December. The annual average,

however, increased compared with that of the previous year.

At the end of 2000, world inventories, as reported by the

International Aluminium Institute (IAI), decreased slightly

compared with those of 1999. Inventories of primary metal

held by the London Metal Exchange Ltd. (LME) decreased

dramatically, whereas inventories of aluminum alloy increased.

Primary aluminum was produced in 43 countries in 2000. 

The United States remained the largest producer with 15% of

the world total, followed by Russia with 14%, China with an

estimated 11%, and Canada with 10%. World primary metal

production increased by about 2% compared with that of 1999.

Production

Primary.—Domestic primary aluminum production, which

totaled a reported 3,668,438 metric tons (t), decreased by 3%

compared with that of 1999 (table 1). Production data were

obtained from the 12 domestic producers, all of whom

responded to the request from the U.S. Geological Survey

(USGS) for data.

On May 3, 2000, Alcoa Inc. and Reynolds Metals Co.

announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the

European Union (EU) had approved their proposed merger and

that the merger had been completed. Reynolds shareholders had

Aluminum in the 20th Century

Aluminum is the second most abundant metallic element in

the earth’s crust after silicon, yet it is a comparatively new

industrial metal that has been produced in commercial

quantities for just over 100 years. In April 1886, a formal

patent application was filed that permitted, for the first time,

the mass commercial production of aluminum. In 1900, the

Pittsburgh Reduction Company (Alcoa Inc.) was the sole

domestic producer of primary aluminum metal, and

production had grown to 3,244 metric tons (7.15 million

pounds) from 83 pounds in 1883. World production in 1900

totaled 7,339 tons and took place at nine reduction plants

owned by six companies in four countries. The United States

was the leading producer, followed by Switzerland (2,500

tons), France (1,026 tons), and the United Kingdom (569

tons). The metal was used mainly as a substitute for copper in

the transmission of electricity and for culinary articles,

machinery parts, special alloys, explosives, paint, and as a

substitute for stone and zinc in lithographic work.

In 2000, the United States remained the world’s largest

producer and consumer of aluminum; however, its dominance

in the industry had eroded over the last 40 years of the

century. At the close of World War II, domestic primary

aluminum production accounted for over 40% of the world’s

production. In 2000, primary aluminum was produced in 43

countries, and the United States accounted for only about 15%

of the 24 million tons of production. Since the inception of

the aluminum industry, metal has been recovered from scrap

and its importance as a source of aluminum supply continues

to grow. In 2000, metal recovered from scrap accounted for

about 35% of the domestic supply of aluminum. Energy costs

and concerns over waste management will continue to provide

the impetus for increased recycling rates. Today, aluminum is

used in a wide range of applications, such as automobiles,

airplanes, buildings, tools, appliances, packaging, electrical

systems, and countless other components of everyday life. 

Measured either in quantity or value, aluminum’s use exceeds

that of any other metal except steel, and it is important in

virtually all segments of the world economy.
6.2 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2000

approved the merger on February 11. Under the terms of the

consent decree entered into with the DOJ and an undertaking

agreement with the EU, Alcoa was forced to sell a 25% interest

in Reynolds’ Longview, WA, smelter, as well as Reynolds’

interests in three alumina refineries—Worsley, Australia (56%);

Stade, Germany (50%); and Sherwin, TX (100%). As a result

of the merger, each outstanding share of Reynolds common

stock was converted into 1.06 shares of Alcoa common stock

(Alcoa Inc., 2000g).

On June 1, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. and algroup, the aluminum

division of Alusuisse Lonza Group Inc., announced that,

following the approval of the DOJ and the EU, the companies

had reached agreement on their merger plan (Alcan Aluminium

Ltd., 2000a). The EU gave its approval subject to commitments

made by the companies to alleviate the EU’s competition

concerns in the aluminium trihydrate (ATH) market. Among its

commitments, Alcan proposed selling algroup’s ATH facility in

Martinswerk, Germany, and the algroup lithography operations

in Bridgenorth, United Kingdom (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000j). 

The merger, which involved the combination of a cash payment

and the exchange of 17.1 Alcan common shares for every

algroup share, was finalized on October 17 (Alcan Aluminium

Ltd., 2000h).

Increased energy costs, particularly in the Pacific Northwest,

led several aluminum smelters to reduce production capacity

during the latter half of the year. By yearend, a total of

729,000 t/yr of primary smelter capacity had been closed, about

45% of the 1.62 Mt/yr of engineered capacity for the 10

smelters operating in the region. Columbia Falls Aluminum Co.

had idled two and one-half of its five potlines at its 168,000-t/yr

Columbia Falls, MT, smelter and temporarily reduced

production capacity by 84,000 t/yr (Metal Bulletin, 2000i). 

Northwest Aluminum Corp. closed its 82,000-t/yr smelter in

The Dalles, OR (Metal Bulletin, 2000j). Goldendale Aluminum

Co. idled all but 25,000 t/yr of capacity at its 168,000-t/yr

smelter in Goldendale, WA (Metal Bulletin, 2000j). Kaiser

Aluminum & Chemical Corp. closed its 73,000-t/yr Tacoma,

WA, smelter and idled 110,000 t/yr of capacity at its 200,000-

t/yr smelter in Spokane (Mead), WA (Kaiser Aluminum &

Chemical Corp., 2000b). Alcoa temporarily idled its 121,000-

t/yr smelter in Troutdale, OR (Alcoa Inc., 2000j), and Vanalco

Inc. idled its 116,000-t/yr smelter in Vancouver, WA (Metal

Bulletin, 2000v).

In June, Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp. temporarily closed

two potlines at its 257,000-t/yr smelter in Hannibal, OH,

resulting in a loss of 7,000 metric tons per month (t/mo) of

aluminum metal production. The decision to close was based

on low aluminum prices, higher than usual alumina prices, and

higher electrical energy prices in the peak summer months. 

During the closure, the company sold its excess alumina and

electricity (Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp., 2000b). In

August, Ormet announced the restart of the two idled potlines,

which were back in operation by the end of September (Ormet

Primary Aluminum Corp., 2000a).

Alcan restarted 60,000 t/yr of capacity at its 186,000-t/yr

primary aluminum smelter in Sebree, KY, to meet increased

customer demand and to compensate for smelter closures in

Canada and the United Kingdom. The restart was completed by

yearend (Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 2000f).

In January, Alcoa announced plans to restart 200,000 t/yr of

primary aluminum smelter capacity by the end of the year. The

restarts would be spread over the 450,000-t/yr of capacity that

had been idled since 1994 and was expected to involve lowcost, operating smelters in the United States and Australia

(Alcoa Inc., 2000k).

Alcoa and Michigan Avenue Partners (MAP) announced that

they had reached an agreement whereby MAP would acquire

the 204,000-t/yr aluminum smelter in Longview, WA. Alcoa

was required to sell 25% of Longview as a condition of the EU

approval of the Alcoa/Reynolds merger, but Alcoa accepted

MAP’s offer to purchase the entire operation. MAP is a

Chicago investment group. One of its affiliates, McCook

Metals L.L.C. is the second largest aluminum plate company in

North America and produces specialty products for aircraft,

aerospace, and defense industries. The sale was contingent on

financing and regulatory approval (Alcoa Inc., 2000m).

Century Aluminum Co. purchased Xstrata AG’s 23% interest

in the 215,000-t/yr Mount Holly, SC, primary aluminum

smelter. The $95 million purchases increased Century

Aluminum’s interest in the smelter to 49.67%. Alcoa, which

owned 50.33% of the smelter, will continue to operate and

manage the facility (Regan, 2000a).

Century Aluminum and Southwire Co. reached a definitive

agreement for the purchase of Southwire’s 237,000-t/yr smelter

in Hawesville, KY. Completion of the $468 million transaction

was subject to the completion of a labor agreement,

arrangement of financing, and the receipt of regulatory

approvals (Southwire Co., 2000).

Noranda Aluminum Inc. commissioned its new single-piece

anode process at its 222,000-t/yr aluminum smelter in New

Madrid, MO. Completion of the $72 million expansion, which

was expected by mid-2002, will increase production capacity at

the smelter by 15% to 253,000 t/yr (Platt’s Metals Week,

2000o).

Alcan revealed plans for a $22 million capital project to

expand extrusion billet production at its Sebree, KY, aluminum

smelter by 65,000 t/yr. The project, which was begun in August

and would require approximately 20 months to complete,

involved engineering work and construction of an ultrasonic

billet inspection station, a new continuous homogenization

furnace, as well as an automated billet sawing and stacking

system (Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 2000c).

Ormet announced that it planned to curtail carbon anode

operations at its Hannibal smelter by the end of September

2001. The company reported that the closure was primarily in

response to the Maximum Achievable Control Technology

requirements, as established under the provisions of the Clean

Air Act, that were due to take effect at their smelter in October

2001. Ormet’s decision not to modernize the facility to meet

the new environmental standards was owing to the age and

configuration of the facility and the potential development of

advanced technology. The company was negotiating with

outside suppliers for the purchase of its 170,000-t/yr carbon

anode requirement. The purchased anodes, which would be

larger than those produced by Ormet, reportedly would allow

increased metal production without the consumption of

additional power (Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp., 2000c).

In May, members of United Steelworkers of America

(USWA) Local 5724, which represents 1,200 employees at

Ormet’s Hannibal, OH, smelter, ratified a new labor agreement. 

Terms of the contract, which was set to expire at the end of

August 2003, were not disclosed (Regan, 2000b).

Century Aluminum and the USWA reached agreement on a

new 5-year labor contract at the Hawesville, KY, primary
ALUMINUM—2000 6.3

aluminum smelter. Terms of the agreement, which will become

effective upon completion of the purchase of the smelter, were

not disclosed (Metal Bulletin, 2000h).

A labor dispute between the USWA and Kaiser, which began

in September 1998, officially ended on September 18 when an

arbitration panel ruled on a half-dozen unresolved issues that

were blocking completion of a new contract. The new contract

runs through September 30, 2005, calls for a 2.6% average

annual increase in the overall wage and benefit package, and

reduces the total number of hourly jobs by approximately 19%

at the five plants covered by the contract (Kaiser Aluminum &

Chemical Corp., 2000a).

MAP and USWA ratified a new 5-year labor contract

covering workers at the Scottsboro, AL, rolling mill. The

contract included increases in wages, pensions, retiree medical

benefits, and enhanced opportunities to share in productivity

gains. The mill produces about 136,000 t/yr (300 million

pounds per year) of mill-finished and painted sheet products

(Metal Bulletin, 2000t).

Alcan announced that it was investing $15 million at its Terre

Haute, IN, light gauge rolling facility. The project, which

ultimately would increase the plant’s capacity by about 22,700

t/yr (50 million pounds per year), included a wide foil mill with

doubling capability to complement existing rolling equipment. 

The facility produces light gauge aluminum fin and foil

products (Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 2000g).

Kaiser completed the sale of its Micromill® assets and

patented technology to Alcoa for an undisclosed price. The

Micromill process is a continuous casting technology developed

by Kaiser in the early 1990s, which was designed to convert

molten metal into aluminum sheet in a single continuous step. 

The prototype plant built in Reno, NV, a key element of the sale

to Alcoa along with all patent rights to the technology, was

designed to produce 41,000 t/yr (90 million pounds per year) of

flat rolled aluminum (Metal Bulletin, 2000c).

Commonwealth Industries Inc. announced that its subsidiary,

Commonwealth Aluminum Corp., signed a 10-year guaranteed

supply agreement with Glencore Ltd. for the purchase of

primary aluminum. Commonwealth agreed to purchase a

minimum of 544,000 t (1.2 billion pounds) of aluminum

beginning January 1, 2001. This purchase will fill only part of

Commonwealth’s metal requirements for its fabrication

facilities. Commonwealth Aluminum is a large recycler of

aluminum, and more than one-half of its raw material comes

from scrap (Commonwealth Industries Inc., 2000).

McCook Metals, a subsidiary of MAP, entered the aluminum

extrusion market. The company began casting 2000, 6000, and

7000 series extrusion billets at its rolling mill in McCook, IL. 

Depending on the alloy, the plant uses scrap and/or primary

metal to make the billets (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000l).

Norsk Hydro ASA purchased Wells Aluminum Corp., a

major U.S. extrusion company based in Baltimore, MD. The

acquisition will increase Hydro’s extrusion capacity by 75,000

t/yr and, according to the company, will make it the fourth

largest extrusion company in the United States with a potential

sales volume of 110,000 t/yr. Wells was a custom extruder,

finisher, and fabricator of soft alloy aluminum products

principally serving the building and construction, transportation,

consumer durables, and electrical markets. Wells had a network

of 7 facilities with 12 extrusion presses in 6 Midwestern and

Southeastern States plus its own casting facility for extrusion

billet (Norsk Hydro ASA, 2000b).

Alcoa purchased Excel Extrusions Inc., a subsidiary of

Noranda Aluminum Inc. Excel’s plant in Warren, OH, has the

capacity to produce about 16,000 t/yr (35 million pounds per

year) of soft alloy aluminum extrusions, which are used

primarily in the building and construction industries. The plant

also has a vertical paint line with a capacity to coat about

11,000 t/yr (24 million pounds per year) of extrusions (Alcoa

Inc., 2000h).

Butler Manufacturing Co. announced plans to build a new

aluminum extrusion and finishing plant in Greeneville, TN, for

its Vistawall Architectural Products division, a manufacturer of

engineered windows, curtain walls, storefront and skylight

systems for the nonresidential building construction market

(Butler Manufacturing Co., 2000). The plant initially will add

9,000 t/yr (20 million pounds per year) of capacity, increasing

the company’s extrusion capacity by 50% (Platt’s Metals Week,

2000f).

Indalex Aluminum Solutions Group, a subsidiary of Caradon

plc of the United Kingdom, underwent some major changes

during the year. Indalex acquired the aluminum extrusion and

billet casting operations of Columbia Pacific Aluminum Corp.,

a subsidiary of Columbia Ventures Corp. The purchase

included casting plants in City of Industry, CA, and Rockwall,

TX, as well as three extrusion plants in California—Modesto,

Watsonville, and City of Industry (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000h). 

Indalex closed two of its older extrusion facilities in Dolton, IL,

and Winton, NC (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000k). The company

also launched several expansion plans. Indalex announced

plans to build a new 79,000-t/yr (175-million-pound-per-year)

casting facility in Toronto, Canada. The plant will become part

of Indalloy, the casting division of Indalex (Indalex Aluminum

Solutions Group, 2000b). Expansion plans for existing facilities

were also announced. Indalex planned to invest $42 million

during 2001 to improve and expand its facilities in Gainesville,

GA; Elkhart, IN; and Toronto, Canada (Indalex Aluminum

Solutions Group, 2000a).

Quanex Corp. purchased Temroc Metals Inc., an aluminum

extrusion and fabrication company based in Hamel, MN, which

produced customized aluminum extrusions and fabricated metal

products for recreational vehicles, architectural products,

electronics, and other markets (American Metal Market, 2000f).

Alcoa announced plans to begin construction of a new cast

aluminum rod production facility in early 2001. The facility

will produce cast rod in sizes tailored to forged and impactextruded applications in the automotive, industrial, and

consumer markets, and will increase the availability of standard

and special rod and bar, standard and custom profiles, seamless

and structural pipe and tube, and drawn seamless tube (Alcoa

Inc., 2000i).

Alcoa acquired Cordant Technologies Inc. Cordant was

composed of three business units: Howmet Castings, a supplier

of investment cast superalloy and titanium components used in

jet aircraft and electrical power generation; Huck Fasteners, a

designer and manufacturer of high-performance fasteners and

fastening systems; and Thiokol Propulsions, a supplier of solid

rocket propulsion systems. Cordant had approximately 17,000

employees worldwide at some 58 facilities in Canada, France,

Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States (Alcoa Inc.,

2000e). With the purchase of Cordant, Alcoa acquired 84.7%

of Howmet International Inc. By the end of June, Alcoa had

purchased all of the outstanding shares of Howmet and became

the company’s sole owner (Alcoa Inc., 2000f).
6.4 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2000

Alcoa also purchased the assets of privately held C-KOE

Aluminum Inc. of Dallas, TX. C-KOE Aluminum produced

primary grade aluminum particle ingot for the chemicals and

metals markets (Alcoa Inc., 2000b).

Secondary.—Metal recovered from new and old scrap

decreased to 3.45 Mt in 2000 (table 3), according to data

derived by the USGS from its “Aluminum Scrap” survey. Of

the 78 companies and/or plants to which monthly or annual

survey requests were sent, 57 responded, which represented

91% of the total scrap consumed, as listed in table 4.

According to figures released by the Aluminum Association

Inc., the Can Manufacturers Institute and the Institute of Scrap

Recycling Industries Inc., 62.6 billion aluminum UBCs were

recycled in the United States in 2000, for a beverage can

recycling rate of 62.1% or nearly two of every three aluminum

cans shipped. Although the recycling rate was slightly lower

than the 1999 rate of 62.5%, this was the 12th consecutive year

that the U.S. recycling rate exceeded 60%. According to the

organizations, the average aluminum beverage can produced

domestically is comprised of more than 51% recycled content

(Aluminum Association Inc., 2001a).

Superior Aluminum Alloys installed a third furnace at its

New Haven, IN, facility increasing the plant’s capacity by 42%. 

The plant’s capacity will increase to about 8,000 t/mo (17

million to 18 million pounds per month) or more than 90,000

t/yr. The company also installed an automatic sow-casting

system, which will enable it to pour up to one sow per minute

(Platt’s Metals Week, 2000p).

Behr Metals, a subsidiary of Joseph Behr & Sons, also

installed a new furnace at its facility that doubled the plant’s

smelting capacity. A new 102-t (225,000-pound) furnace was

installed at the company’s Rockford, IL, plant and was expected

to produce about 3,000 t (7 million pounds) of metal per month

(Metal Bulletin, 2000f).

Alcan’s extrusion scrap recycling facility in Sebree, KY,

started up during the latter half of the year. The feed for this

plant was expected to be new extrusion scrap, most of which

would be generated by Alcan’s customers. The furnace has an

capacity of 50,000 t/yr (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000b).

In October, Norsk Hydro’s new remelt plant in Henderson,

KY, came on-stream with an initial capacity of 90,000 t/yr of

extrusions. The plant will recycle aluminum scrap into primary

quality aluminum extrusion billets (Norsk Hydro ASA, 2001a,

p. 21).

Wabash Alloys LLC closed 25% of its capacity at its East

Syracuse, NY, plant. Prior to the cutback, the plant had a

capacity of about 7,000 t/mo (15 million pounds per month)

(Worden, 2000c).

Huron Valley Steel Corp. closed its 27,000-t/yr (60-millionpound-per-year) River Rouge, MI, smelter. The facility, known

as Fritz Products, produced specification ingot, such as A380.1,

from shredded aluminum scrap provided by Huron Valley. In

lieu of operating the smelter, the company will concentrate on

improving the quality of and expanding the markets for

shredded aluminum products based on recent improvement in

their aluminum particle sorting technologies. Longer-term

plans called for upgrading and reopening the River Rouge

smelter (Worden, 2000c).

Keystone Aluminum Inc. reportedly closed its secondary

smelter in Mars, PA. The plant produced aluminum deox for

the steel industry (Worden, 2000a).

In December, Alchem Aluminum Inc., a wholly owned

subsidiary of IMCO Recycling Inc., began operations at its new

91,000-t/yr smelter in Saginaw County, MI, that will supply

General Motors Corp. (GM) with more than 900,000 t (2 billion

pounds) of specification aluminum alloys over a 13-year period. 

All of the production from this plant will be delivered in molten

form to GM’s Saginaw metal casting operation to manufacture

engine components (IMCO Recycling Inc., 2001a, p. 3, 6).

Quanex purchased a continuous cast rolling mill in Ft.

Lupton, CO, from Alcoa. In August 1999, Alcoa purchased the

Ft. Lupton and the San Antonio, TX, rolling mills from ACX

Technologies Inc. Both of the plants converted UBCs to can

sheet. Upon reviewing the Alcoa purchase, the DOJ determined

that the acquisition of the Ft. Lupton facility would likely lessen

competition in the manufacture and sale of can lid stock since

Alcoa controlled 50% of the North American market and Ft.

Lupton was one of only five other North American producers. 

Therefore, to avoid antitrust violations, Alcoa was required to

sell the facility and upon its purchase, Quanex was required to

continue to operate the plant in the manufacture and sale of can

lid stock (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000m).

IMCO closed its Sikeston, MO, and Bedford, IN, aluminum

recycling plants. The material processed at these plants will be

handled at other IMCO facilities and most of the plants’

equipment will be sent to other plants (IMCO Recycling Inc.,

2000). The closure of the Bedford and Sikeston plants

reportedly reduced IMCO’s domestic annual capacity by about

10% or 122,000 t (270 million pounds) (IMCO Recycling Inc.,

2001b). IMCO also temporarily closed its Wendover, UT, plant

that normally recycled aluminum dross (IMCO Recycling Inc.,

2001a, p. 8).

Consumption

In 2000, the transportation industry accounted for slightly

more than 3.6 Mt of total U.S. shipments of aluminum products

(table 6). Shipments to the container and packaging industry,

which was the second largest domestic end-use market,

continued to decline and was less than 2.3 Mt. Total shipments

of aluminum products to domestic users in 2000 was at the same

level as that of 1999.

The Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV),

initiated in 1993, represents a historic and unprecedented

collaboration among teams of scientists and engineers from the

U.S. automotive industry, the Federal Government, and

academia. One of the goals of the PNGV is the development of

family car prototypes that will get nearly three times the

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Federal regulatory

requirement of 27.5 miles per gallon. At the North American

International Auto Show, held in January, Ford Motor Co. and

GM introduced their prototypes to the public. Both the GM

Prodigy and the Ford Precept were reported to be aluminum

intensive vehicles that would use aluminum for the frame and

body panels (Wrigley, 2000d). Meanwhile, the use of

aluminum in the typical family vehicle continued to grow from

75 kilograms (kg) (166 pounds) in 1991 to more than 111 kg

(245 pounds) in 2000 (Wrigley, 2000f).

DaimlerChrysler Corp. announced that it planned to purchase

the major components for its new cross-mounted V-6 engines

from Nemak SA, Monterrey, Mexico. When engine production

begins in 2002, the block and head castings are expected to use

more than 14,000 t (31 million pounds) of recycled aluminum

annually (Wrigley, 2000g). Later in the year, GM announced
ALUMINUM—2000 6.5

that it would purchase, on an annual basis, aluminum cylinder

head castings from Nemak for up to 350,000 of its Gen III

Vortec V-8 truck engines. Nemak’s 7,300 t/yr (16 million

pounds per year) of head castings would supplement the

castings already being provided by GM’s own casting

operations in Saginaw, MI, and Castech SA’s facilities in

Saltillo, Mexico (Wrigley, 2000c).

Ford opened a new aluminum casting plant in Brook Park,

OH, to produce engine blocks for its new 2.3 liter, in-line fourcylinder engine. Initial production at the plant was expected to

be about 110,000 aluminum engine blocks per year. Precision

sand casting will be used to produce the engine blocks

(Wrigley, 2000b). In November, Ford and Nemak signed an

agreement giving Nemak control of Ford’s two big aluminum

parts-casting plants in Ontario, Canada, the Windsor Aluminum

Plant and the Essex Aluminum Plant. These two plants

consume enough secondary aluminum alloy to produce an

estimated 81,600 t (180 million pounds) of engine castings each

year (Wrigley, 2000a).

Alcan and Ford signed a multiyear aluminum supply

agreement. Alcan will provide metal in various forms,

including foundry ingot for cast products and flat-rolled

autobody sheet for Ford’s stamping plants. Alcan will also

provide design and technology support services, and Ford will

purchase minimum monthly volumes of metal with options for

additional amounts as required (Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 2000b).

Anticipating a major increase for aluminium suspension

system components in the automotive market, Hayes Lemmerz

International Inc. announced plans to build a new foundry in

Montague, MI. The plant reportedly would use primary

aluminum casting alloys to produce control arms, knuckles,

crossmembers, and other components for the North American

automotive industry (Wrigley, 2000e).

Pechiney sold its remaining interest in American National

Can Group (ANC) to Rexam plc of the United Kingdom. With

can plants elsewhere in Europe, the addition of ANC’s 38

billion beverage cans per year gives Rexam an annual

canmaking capacity of 45 billion cans and makes the company

the world’s largest can manufacturer (Metal Bulletin, 2000q).

Ball Corp., a metal and plastic packaging supplier, announced

several plant closures during the year. Ball’s Salisbury, NC,

aluminum beverage can plant, which had the capacity to

produce about 1 billion cans per year, was closed during the

third quarter. Ball also announced that it had halted a previous

owner’s plans to install a beverage can line in a plant in China

and had written off a 10% stake in a Russian beverage can joint

venture (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000d). Ball closed a two-piece

aluminum beverage can manufacturing line at its Richmond,

British Columbia, plant, and a metal coating and sheeting

operation at its Hamilton, Ontario, facility was expected to close

by March 2001 (American Metal Market, 2000c).

Crown Cork & Seal reported the reorganization of its U.S.

metal packaging units from a single business unit into three

divisions—beverage cans, food cans, and aerosol cans. The

breakup would give the company the flexibility to sell or joint

venture the individual divisions (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000i).

Stocks

Domestic inventories of aluminum ingot, mill products, and

scrap decreased to 1.55 Mt at yearend 2000 from 1.87 Mt at

yearend 1999 (Aluminum Association Inc., 2001b). The LME

reported that primary aluminum metal ingot at its U.S.

warehouses decreased dramatically to 125 t at yearend 2000

from 12,700 t at yearend 1999. The LME also reported that at

yearend 2000 its U.S. warehouses did not hold any stocks of

aluminum alloy ingot compared with 860 t at yearend 1999

(London Metal Exchange Ltd., 2000).

Prices

The monthly average U.S. market price of primary aluminum

metal, as reported by Platt’s Metals Week, fluctuated

throughout the year. The monthly average price began the year

at 80.1 cents per pound and, by December, had fallen to 74.3

cents per pound. However, the average price for the year

increased from 65.7 cents per pound in 1999 to 74.6 cents per

pound in 2000.

The LME cash price for high-grade primary aluminum ingot

followed the same general trend as the U.S. market price. The

2000 average annual LME cash price was 70.3 cents per pound.

In May 1999, the Commodity Exchange (COMEX) division

of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) launched an

aluminum futures contract for primary aluminum ingot. During

its first full year of trading, the average monthly spot settlement

price followed the trend of both the U.S. market and LME

prices. The monthly average, based on a rolling average of the

daily spot settlement price, declined from 80.3 cents per pound

in January to 74.6 cents per pound in December.

Purchase prices for aluminum scrap, as quoted by American

Metal Market, also fluctuated during the year but closed at

lower levels than those at the beginning of the year. The

yearend price ranges for selected types of aluminum scrap were

as follows: mixed low-copper-content aluminum clips, 47.5 to

48.5 cents per pound; old sheet and cast aluminum, 38.5 to 39.5

cents per pound; and clean, dry aluminum turnings, 40 to 41

cents per pound.

Aluminum producers’ buying price range for processed and

delivered UBCs, as quoted by American Metal Market, also

closed lower at yearend. The price range began the year at 57 to

59 cents per pound and closed the year at 53 to 54 cents per

pound. Resource Recycling published a monthly transaction

price for aluminum UBCs in its Container Recycling Report. 

During the year, the monthly average decreased significantly

from 62.9 cents per pound in January to 53.9 cents per pound in

December. However, similar to the U.S. market price trend of

primary aluminum ingot, the annual average price for aluminum

UBCs in 2000 of 57.7 cents per pound was higher than the 1999

annual average of 50.6 cents per pound.

The yearend indicator prices for selected secondary aluminum

ingots, as published in American Metal Market, also decreased

significantly compared with those of 1999. The closing prices

for 2000 were as follows: alloy 380 (1% zinc content), 68.7

cents per pound; alloy 360 (0.6% copper content), 74.1 cents

per pound; alloy 413 (0.6% copper content), 73.8 cents per

pound; and alloy 319, 72.7 cents per pound. Platt’s Metals

Week published an annual average U.S. price of 65.6 cents per

pound for A-380 alloy (3% zinc content). The average LME

cash price for a similar 380 alloy was 55.2 cents per pound.

Trade

Total exports of aluminum materials from the United States

increased 7% in 2000 compared with those of 1999 (table 8). 
6.6 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2000

Exports of semifabricated material and scrap increased but

exports of crude metals and alloys decreased compared with

those of 1999 (table 9). About two-thirds of total U.S. exports

were accounted for by Canada and Mexico.

Imports for consumption decreased in 2000 compared with

those of 1999, reversing a 3-year upward trend that began in

1997 (table 10). Canada remained the major source country by

supplying 55% of the total imports in 2000 (table 11). Russia

continued to be the second largest supplier of aluminum

materials. The decline in imports of crude metal and alloys

from Russia was more than compensated for by increased

imports of semifabricated materials and scrap.

World Review

Despite the temporary closure of production capacity in the

Pacific Northwest region of the United States, world production

of primary aluminum metal increased by 2% in 2000 compared

with that of 1999 (table 12). Production increased owing in part

to the opening of new smelters in Canada and Mozambique. 

U.S. and Asian demand was weak, especially during the latter

half of the year, whereas European demand was reported to be

steady.

Unwrought aluminum inventories held by members of the IAI

decreased slightly to 1.79 Mt at yearend 2000 from 1.80 Mt at

yearend 1999. Unwrought aluminum is defined by the IAI as

aluminum in its basic cast form made from primary metal or

from scrap and which is unworked in the metallurgical sense. 

IAI total aluminum inventories decreased to 3.09 Mt at yearend

2000 from 3.18 Mt at yearend 1999. Total aluminum is

unwrought aluminum plus unprocessed scrap, metal in process,

and finished semifabricated (mill) products (International

Aluminium Institute, 2001).

Inventories of primary aluminum metal held by the LME

decreased dramatically from 774,000 t at yearend 1999 to

322,000 t at yearend 2000. Aluminum alloy inventories,

however, increased to 88,000 t at yearend 2000 from 78,000 t at

yearend 1999 (London Metal Exchange Ltd., 2000).

Armenia.—The Government of Armenia and Russia’s

Sibirsky Aluminy signed a joint-venture agreement to rebuild

the Armenal foil mill in Yerevan. Sibirsky agreed to invest

about $32 million in exchange for 44% of the plant ownership. 

The remaining 56% would remain with the state-controlled

Kanaker Aluminum Works. The mill, which had been idled for

6 years, was expected to reach its full capacity of about 2,200

t/mo of foil by the middle of 2001. Sibirsky planned to increase

its ownership to 74% over 3 or 4 years (Interfax Mining &

Metals Report, 2000a).

Australia.—Capral Aluminium Ltd. sold its 150,000 t/yr

Kurri Kurri primary aluminum smelter in New South Wales to

Germany’s VAW Aluminium AG (Platt’s Metals Week,

2000g). VAW, whose worldwide smelter capacity increased by

30% to 575,000 t/yr with this purchase, announced plans to

modernize and expand capacity at Kurri Kurri by 15,000 t/yr

before 2003 (Metal Bulletin, 2000w). Capral also announced

plans to phase out its sheet rolling operations at Granville by the

end of 2000. The associated metal recycling and remelt facility

would be retained and converted to extrusion billet production. 

Capral intended to concentrate on its downstream processing

and distribution business (Metal Bulletin, 2000g).

Rio Tinto plc became the sole owner of Comalco Ltd., a

major Australian supplier of bauxite, alumina, and primary

aluminum metal to the world market. Rio Tinto acquired the

publicly held 27.6% of Comalco during the first half of 2000. 

Comalco’s interests include the Weipa bauxite mine (100%) in

Queensland, the Boké Mine (4%) in Guinea, the Gladstone

alumina refinery (30%) in Queensland, the Eurallumina refinery

(56%) in Italy, the Bell Bay (100%) and Boyne Island (54%)

smelters in Australia, and the Tiwai Point smelter (79%) in New

Zealand (Rio Tinto plc, 2001, p. 39).

Pechiney agreed to purchase AMP Life Limited’s 15.5%

direct stake in the Tomago primary aluminum smelter in New

South Wales. The purchase would increase Pechiney’s interest

in the 440,000 t/yr smelter to 51.55% from 36.05%. The other

participants in the Tomago joint venture are Gove Aluminium

Finance Ltd. (36.05%) and VAW Tomago Inc. and VAW

Australia Pty Ltd. with a combined stake of 12.4% (Pechiney,

2000a).

Alcoa of Australia Limited, a joint venture of Alcoa Inc. and

WMC Ltd., announced the restart of its idled capacity at the

Portland and Point Henry primary aluminum smelters. The

capacity had been idled since the mid-1990s. Alcoa of

Australia was operator and part owner of the 450,000-t/yr

Portland smelter and 100% owner/operator of the 180,000-t/yr

Point Henry smelter (American Metal Market, 2000b). On

September 15, Alcoa increased its ownership in the Portland

smelter to 55% from 45% with the purchase of Eastern

Aluminium Ltd. (Alcoa, 2001b, p. 10-11).

Azerbaijan.—Fondel Metal Participants, a Dutch company,

won a tender for the management of Azerbaijan’s aluminum

holding company, Azeraluminy. Fondel agreed to modernize

the company’s facilities that include the 60,000-t/yr Sumgait

smelter, the Gyandja alumina refinery, and local alunite mines. 

The Gyandja refinery, which can process both imported

bauxites and local alunite ore, was the company’s only

operational facility in 2000 (Metal Bulletin, 2000d).

Bahrain.—The Government of Bahrain approved in principle

a $1.7 billion expansion project for Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C.

(Alba) and passed the proposal on to the ministerial committee

of finance and economy for further study. The project, if

approved, would increase capacity at Alba’s 500,000-t/yr

primary aluminum smelter to 750,000 t/yr (American Metal

Market, 2000a).

Brazil.—Vale do Rio Doce Alumínio S.A. (Aluvale) reported

the start of a 43,000-t/yr expansion at its Alumínio Brasileiro

S.A. (Albrás) primary aluminum smelter. The $90 million

expansion at the 361,000-t/yr smelter was expected to be

completed by September 2001 (Metal Bulletin, 2000a).

Cia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA) began construction on a

70,000-t/yr expansion at its 237,000-t/yr primary aluminum

smelter in Sao Paulo. The $400 million project, which also

included investments in CBA’s hydroelectric plants, was

expected to be completed by the end of 2002 (Kinch, 2000).

Billiton plc acquired an indirect 2.1% stake in Companhia

Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) through its purchase of a 66.97%

share of Sweet River Investment Ltd. The Sweet River assets

correspond to a 7.74% share of Valepar SA, the controlling

shareholder of CVRD. CVRD through its fully owned

subsidiary Aluvale, has interests in the Albras and Santa Cruz

primary aluminum smelters (Billiton plc, 2000a).

Canada.—On October 21, approximately 32 months after

groundbreaking ceremonies, the first reduction cell at Alcan

Aluminium Ltd.’s Alma smelter was energized. Startup of the

smelter’s 432 reduction cells will continue through the fall of
ALUMINUM—2000 6.7

2001, at which time the smelter was expected to reach its full

capacity of 400,000 t/yr (Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 2000i).

On December 8, Alcan announced that it would temporarily

close 50,000 t/yr of capacity at its primary aluminum smelter in

Kitimat, British Columbia, for at least 10 months. Alcan

believed that the temporary shut down and other energy

reduction steps would conserve enough energy to keep the other

six potlines at the 272,000-t/yr smelter operational. An acute

shortage of water in the Nechako Reservoir, the result of 3

consecutive years of low inflows into the reservoir, reduced the

hydroelectric power availability and forced the company to take

this action (Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 2000j).

Workers at the 372,000-t/yr Aluminerie de Bécancour

primary smelter in Quebec accepted a new 4-year labor

agreement that reportedly included a 3% wage increase the first

year and 2.8% increases each year thereafter. The previous 6-

year contract expired on June 30 (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000a).

Lavalum, a joint venture of scrap processor SNF/Quebec

Metal Recycle Inc. and the provincial Government of Quebec,

announced the opening a new secondary aluminum smelter. 

The smelter was expected to produce 2,950 t/mo (6.5 million

pounds per month) of aluminum alloys (Worden, 2000b).

China.—During the year, numerous expansion plans for

primary aluminum smelters throughout China were announced.

Baotou Aluminium Group planned to add a new 50,000-t/yr

potline to its 110,000-t/yr smelter by the end of 2001 (Platt’s

Metals Week, 2000e).

The 20,000-t/yr Hubei Aluminium Smelter received

Government approval to proceed with a planned 100,000-t/yr

expansion program (CRU Aluminium Monitor, 2000a).

Work reportedly began on the 100,000-t/yr expansion at the

85,000-t/yr Lanzhou Aluminium Smelter. Completion of the

project was expected in 2 to 3 years (American Metal Market,

2000e).

The Taiiyuan Aluminium Works in Shanxi Province began

construction work on a planned 80,000-t/yr expansion at its

30,000-t/yr primary aluminum smelter. Once the new line

became operational at the end of 2001, the company planned to

close one of the two existing 15,000-t/yr potlines because of

pollution factors (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000q).

Tongchuan Aluminium Industry commissioned a new 5,000-

t/yr potline at its 50,000-t/yr smelter in Shaanxi Province (CRU

Aluminium Monitor, 2000b).

Xiezhou Aluminium Plant in Shanxi Province reported the

completion of a new 40,000-t/yr potline at its 30,000-t/yr

smelter. The company planned to upgrade the existing potlines

and increase capacity to 100,000 t/yr by the end of 2001 (Platt’s

Metals Week, 2000t).

Yunnan Aluminium Plant reportedly completed its smelter

expansion increasing capacity from the previous 40,000 t/yr to

130,000 t/yr. The company was awaiting Government approval

to further expand the smelter’s capacity to 250,000 t/yr (Platt’s

Metals Week, 2000u).

Zunyi Aluminium Plant started construction on a new

100,000-t/yr potline at its 32,000-t/yr smelter in Guizhou

Province, which could be completed in 2002 (Platt’s Metals

Week, 2000v).

Egypt.—The Aluminium Company of Egypt (Egyptalum)

announced plans to increase capacity at its 195,000-t/yr primary

smelter to 245,000 t/yr by 2002. In October 1997, a 50,000-t/yr

prebaked potline was commissioned and an existing potline

(Potline 5) was shut down. Egyptalum expects to complete the

conversion of Potline 5 to prebake technology by mid-2002,

thereby increasing the smelter’s capacity to 245,000 t/yr

(Aluminium Company of Egypt, Smelter, accessed May 25,

2001, at URL http://www.egyptalum.com.eg/smelter.html).

France.—PSA Peugot Citroën and Pechiney signed a

strategic partnership agreement for the development of

aluminum applications in Peuleot and Citroën vehicles. The 10-

year agreement provides the framework for cooperation

between the two groups with the aim of increasing production

of mass-produced aluminum parts and making innovative

developments for vehicle weight reduction (Pechiney, 2000b).

Germany.—VAW Aluminium AG and Sweden’s Sapa AB,

formerly Gränges AB, terminated their agreement aimed at

VAW taking over Sapa’s foil business, Eurofoil. VAW

reported that it had withdrawn its application with the German

cartel office after it became apparent that the office would not

give its approval. The former agreement had included foil mills

in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Sweden (Köhl, 2000).

Hungary.—Magyar Aluminium Rt (MAL) integrated its

affiliates into one holding company to reduce administrative

overhead and to simplify strategic planning. MAL incorporated

Ajkai Timfold, owner of the 300,000-t/yr Ajka alumina

refinery, and Inotai Aluminium, which owns 93% of the

35,000-t/yr Inota aluminum smelter (Metal Bulletin, 2000m).

India.—Alcan announced the sale of its 54.62% interest in

Indian Aluminium Co., Ltd. (Indal) to Hindalco Industries Ltd. 

The purchase included about 100,000 t/yr of primary aluminum

smelter capacity (Metal Bulletin, 2000b).

Hindalco’s board of directors approved a $575 million

expansion of its operations in Renukoot. Aluminum smelter

capacity would be expanded to 342,000 t/yr from 242,000 t/yr

and the alumina refinery capacity would increase to 660,000 t/yr

from 450,000 t/yr. The expansion was expected to be

completed by July 2002 (Raghuvanshi, 2000).

Expansion plans continued at National Aluminium Co. Ltd. 

Bauxite production capacity at the Panchpatmali Mine was

scheduled to double to 4.8 Mt/yr by 2001. Capacity at the

800,000-t/yr alumina refinery at Damanjodi was expected to

increase to 1.575 Mt/yr in early 2002, and the Angul smelter

expansion that would increase capacity to 345,000 t/yr from

230,000 t/yr was expected to be commissioned by mid-2002

(Hall, 2000).

Indonesia.—Production at P.T. Indonesia Asahan Aluminium

Co.’s (PT Inalum) primary aluminum smelter returned to 85%

to 90% of its 225,000-t/yr capacity with 440 of its 510 pots online. Receding water levels in Lake Toba in 1998-99 had

reduced hydroelectric power generation forcing PT Inalum to

reduce production levels at the smelter by as much as 60% in

mid-1998 (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000c).

Iran.—The production rate at Almahdi Aluminium Corp.’s

primary aluminum smelter at Bandar Abbas reached about

25,000 t/yr. The company expected the smelter, which was

commissioned in June 1997, to reach full production of 110,000

t/yr by the end of 2001 (Metal Bulletin, 2000e).

Japan.—Alcoa announced that construction had begun on a

new forged aluminum commercial vehicle wheel plant in Joetsu

City, Niigata Prefecture, to meet increased demand for polished

aluminum truck and bus wheels in Japan. The plant was

expected to be operational by the latter half of 2001 and to

reach full capacity in late 2002 (Alcoa Inc., 2000d).

Nippon Light Metal Co. Ltd. announced a major restructuring

of its extrusion business that would close one-third of the
6.8 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2000

company’s 33 extrusion lines by the end of March 2001. The

company also reported the curtailment of production of

aluminum substrates for computer disks (Metal Bulletin,

2000p).

Mitsubishi Materials Corp. and Mitsubishi Aluminium Co.

Ltd. announced plans to build an integrated aluminum recycling

plant that would consolidate aluminum UBC recycling

operations that were being conducted at several different

locations. The plant would convert UBCs into slabs ready for

rolling into can stock. Slab production, which was expected to

start in 2001, was estimated at 60,000 t/yr (Metal Bulletin,

2000o).

Korea, Republic of.—Alcan, through its subsidiary Alcan

Taihan Aluminium Limited, acquired Aluminium of Korea

Limited (Koralu). The acquisition of Koralu positioned Alcan

as Asia’s leading aluminum rolled products company. The

Koralu facility included casting, hot rolling, cold rolling, and

extensive finishing operations as well as aluminum foundry

alloy and billet operations supported by a research and

development center (Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 2000e).

Malaysia.—Malaysia’s Aluminium Industries commissioned

a new aluminum foil mill. The plant was capable of producing

foil down to 0.006 millimeters thickness for the pharmaceutical

and food packaging industries (Metal Bulletin, 2000n).

Mexico.—Hayes Lemmerz launched a capacity expansion

program at its Chihuahua wheel plant that was expected to

increase production to 1.2 million cast light-alloy wheels per

year from 300,000 wheels per year (Wrigley, 2000e).

Mozambique.—On September 29, the Mozambique

Aluminium Co.’s (Mozal) primary aluminum smelter near

Maputo was officially opened. The feasibility study for the

smelter started in November 1995, and construction began in

May 1998. The 250,000-t/yr smelter uses Pechiney’s AP30S

technology and has one potline with a total of 288 pots. The

smelter is a joint venture involving Billiton plc (47%),

Mitsubishi Corp. (25%), the Industrial Development Corp. of

South Africa Ltd. (24%), and the Government of Mozambique

(4%). The smelter produced its first metal on June 18, 2000,

and exported its first consignment of ingots to Europe in August

(Billiton plc, 2000b; Millbank, 2000). By the end of December,

all 288 pots were in operation (Mozambique Aluminium Co.,

2000). Billiton reported that the company will complete

feasibility studies into the possible construction of a second

250,000-t/yr potline at Mozal. Any decision, however, could be

at least a year away (Metal Bulletin, 2000l).

Nigeria.—Reynolds, which was merged with Alcoa,

transferred its 10% interest in Aluminium Co. of Nigeria

(Alscon) to the other private partner in the company, Germany’s

Ferrostaal AG, whose ownership increased to 30%. The

remaining 70% of Alscon was owned by the Nigerian

government. The responsibility for the technical running of the

193,000-t/yr smelter, which has been closed since June 1999,

was also transferred from Reynolds to Ferrostaal (Metal

Bulletin, 2000r).

Norway.—Elkem ASA’s aluminum operations are organized

in Elkem Aluminium ANS, a 50-50 partnership with Alcoa. In

2000, Alcoa acquired over 30% of the outstanding shares of

Elkem ASA (Alcoa Inc., 2001b, p. 10).

Elkem Aluminium ANS announced plans to modernize and

expand its 121,000-t/yr Mosjøen primary aluminum smelter. 

Two of the plants four potrooms (two potlines) were converted

from Soderberg to prebaked technology in 1989. The

remaining Soderberg line is scheduled to be converted and

expanded by 2003. Upon completion, annual capacity at the

smelter would increase to 188,000 t/yr (Elkem ASA, 2000).

Meanwhile, conversion work on Potrooms 1 and 2 at the

83,000-t/yr Lista smelter was expected to be completed in the

first half of 2001. The installation of a new Soderberg

technology was expected to yield significant environmental

improvements while increasing production capacity by 10,000

t/yr (Elkem ASA, 2001, p. 26).

Norsk Hydro ASA confirmed that the company will invest

approximately $600 million in the expansion and modernization

of its Sunndal primary aluminum smelter. A new smelter with a

production capacity of 238,800 t/yr will be built on the site and

a 66,000-t/yr Soderberg facility, which was started in 1954, will

be closed gradually to prevent the loss of production during

construction. The company stated that the remaining 90,000

t/yr of existing capacity will continue to operate. The new

smelter will consist of 340 new cells using Hydro’s HAL250

technology. Upon completion in 2004, total capacity at the site

will increase to 328,800 t/yr, making it the largest aluminum

smelter in Europe (outside of Russia). The design of the cell

linings and rectifiers will be such that amperage can gradually

be increased, providing an additional 22,000 t/yr of production

capacity by 2007 (Norsk Hydro ASA, 2000a: Norsk Hydro

ASA, 2001b).

Oman.—A feasibility study for a proposed $2.5 billion,

480,000-t/yr primary aluminum smelter in Sohar was

completed. An implementation review to identify potential

technologies and project funding was begun (Mining Journal,

2000b).

Russia.— A new aluminum company, Russky Aluminy

(Russian Aluminium), was formed by combining the assets of

the Sibneft shareholder group and Siberian Aluminium. 

Russian Aluminium manages about 70% of Russia’s primary

aluminum smelting capacity. The company controls Russia’s

three largest smelters—Bratsk (900,000 t/yr), Krasnoyarsk

(800,000 t/yr), and Sayansk (400,000 t/yr). On the alumina

side, the company controls the Achinsk (900,000 t/yr) and the

Nikolayev (1.05 Mt/yr) refineries. The downstream operations

that are either fully or partly owned by the company include the

Samara Metallurgical Plant, the Sayanal foil mill, the Rostar can

plant, and the Belaya Kalitva Metallurgical Production Assn.

(Metal Bulletin, 2000s).

A second new group, SUAL Holding, was a merger of the

aluminum assets of Siberian-Urals Aluminium Co. and the

Trustconsult Group. SUAL controls the Irkutsk (262,000 t/yr),

Bogoslovsk (162,000 t/yr), Uralsky (70,000 t/yr), and

Kandalaksa (63,000 t/yr) primary aluminum smelters. The

company also owns the Bogoslovsk (930,000 t/yr) and Uralsky

(570,000 t/yr) refineries, the Northern and Southern Urals

bauxite mines plus the Srende-Timan bauxite deposits (CRU

Alumina Monitor, 2000). Downstream facilities include the

Kamensk-Uralsky Metallurgy Plant (rolling mill), the

Mikhailovsky Nonferrous Metal Processing Plant (Mikhalum

foil plant), and the Irkutsk and Kirinsky cable plants (Interfax

Mining & Metal Report, 2000d).

Scotland.—Alcan reported the closure of its 8,000-t/yr

primary aluminum smelter in Kinlochleven. The Kinlochleven

smelter, built in 1907, was one of the world’s oldest smelters

still in operation (Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 2000f).

South Africa.—Billiton was conducting a feasibility study for

an additional 125,000-t/yr potline at its 500,000-t/yr Hillside
ALUMINUM—2000 6.9

smelter (Mining Journal, 2000a).

Spain.—Alcoa Inespal built a new aluminum extrusion plant

at La Salva del Camp to make extruded aluminum profiles for

the automotive and construction industries. By yearend, a

1,350-t press with an output of 4,000 t/yr was operational. A

second line was expected to startup in August 2001, doubling

the plant’s capacity (Alcoa Inc., 2001a, p. 24).

Norsk Hydro announced plans to build a 60,000-t/yr

aluminum remelt plant in Azuqueca near Madrid. The plant,

which will produce extrusion ingot from scrap for growing

markets in Spain and Portugal, was expected to be completed by

yearend 2001 (Norsk Hydro ASA, 2000e).

Sweden.—Gränges AB changed its name to Sapa AB. Sapa

was already being used as a corporate and brand name by

Gränges’ aluminum extrusion division. The formal change of

name and company logo took place in mid-February (Metal

Bulletin, 2000k).

Glencore International AG reported that it had acquired

Kubikenborg Aluminium Sundsvall AB (KAS), owner of the

100,000-t/yr primary aluminum smelter in Sundsvall, Sweden. 

KAS had been formed by the plant’s management group that

bought the smelter from Gränges in 1998 (American Metal

Market, 2000d).

Switzerland.—Algroup, the aluminum division of Alusuisse

Lonza Group Inc., announced its decision to continue the

operation of its 35,000-t/yr primary aluminum smelter at Steg at

least until the end of 2005. The continuation of the Steg plant,

which was originally scheduled for closure at the end of 2001,

became possible because of the extension of a fixed power price

and supply contract to 2005. The continuation of plant

operations will require some technical adjustments that will

result in an increase in capacity to 43,000 t/yr (algroup, 2000).

Norsk Hydro signed an agreement with Aluminium Martigny

S.A. to continue operating its remelt plant in Martigny. The

agreement saved the plant, which produced about 25,000 t/yr of

extrusion billet and foundry alloys, from imminent closure. 

While the potrooms at the Martigny primary smelter will remain

closed, Norsk Hydro will operate the casthouse to produce

specialty products for extruders and foundries in Europe (Norsk

Hydro ASA, 2000d).

Taiwan.—New Sun Metal Industry Co. completed the

expansion of its secondary aluminum smelter that increased

capacity to 156,000 t/yr. The expansion enabled the company

to diversify into sheet rolling, t-bar, anode, and deox production

(Metal Bulletin, 2000u).

United Kingdom.—Alcan reported the restart of 50,000 t/yr

of primary aluminum capacity at its smelter in Lynemouth to

compensate for the closure of Alcan’s Isle Maligne smelter in

Canada and the Kinlochleven smelter in Scotland. The restart

was completed by the end of the year (Alcan Aluminium Ltd.,

2000f).

Alcan also announced the planned closure of its foil plant in

Rogerstone, Newport, South Wales by June 2001. Some

products will be transferred to other plants in the Alcan network

but the majority of the plant’s business will be discontinued. 

The larger Rogerstone sheet facility on the same site will

continue to operate and remain a key part of Alcan’s sheet

manufacturing system in Europe (Alcan Aluminium Ltd.,

2000d).

Alcoa announced the acquisition of British Aluminium. The

acquisition included three soft-alloy extrusion operations at

Banbury, St. Helens, and Latchford, England; a heat-treat plate

mill in Kitts Green, Birmingham, England; and a sheet mill in

Dolgarrog, Wales. The acquisition also included two

distribution businesses, Baco Metal Centres and Aluminium

Supply Aerospace, with branches located throughout the United

Kingdom and Ireland (Alcoa Inc., 2000l).

Alcoa also acquired Baco Consumer Products, Ltd.,

headquartered near London. Baco is the United Kingdom’s

leading supplier of household wraps, including aluminium foil,

plastic bags, cling film, and trash bags (Alcoa Inc., 2000c).

Alcoa announced the acquisition of MCG Closures Limited

from Wassall plc. The acquisition included plants near

Birmingham, England; Rieti, Italy; and a distribution center in

the Netherlands. MCG became part of Alcoa Closure Systems

International, 1 of 25 Alcoa business units and a leading global

manufacturer of plastic closures for the beverage industry

(Alcoa Inc., 2000a).

Norsk Hydro signed an agreement with Aluminium Holding

UK Ltd. to purchase its entire shareholding in Deeside

Aluminium Ltd. in Wrexham, Wales. Deeside operates an

extrusion ingot casting plant that uses aluminum scrap as a feed

source. The plant has an output of 38,000 t/yr of extrusion

ingot. Upon approval of the takeover by the United Kingdom

authorities, Norsk Hydro plans a significant improvement

program that will improve productivity and increase capacity to

43,000 t/yr. The improvement program will also pave the way

for a possible future expansion to 60,000 t/yr (Norsk Hydro

ASA, 2000c).

Ukraine.—Kaiser completed a technical feasibility study for

the reconstruction of smelting capacity at Zaporozhye

Aluminum Works (Zalk). The conversion of the smelter’s

Soderberg technology to prebaked anode technology was

expected to increase capacity at the 110,000-t/yr primary

aluminum smelter to about 160,000 t/yr and to reduce costs. 

Financing for this conversion was expected to be secured from

the sale of 68.1% of the state-owned shares in the company. 

The Government would retain 25% of the shares and employees

6.9% (Interfax Mining & Metals Report, 2000c). At the end of

November, the Ukranian State Property Fund announced that

Kremenchug Auto Works (Kraz) Foreign Trade Company had

won the tender for the shares in Zalk with a bid of $101.5

million. Glencore International reportedly owns about 90% of

the shares in Kraz Foreign Trade Company (Interfax Mining &

Metals Report, 2000b).

Ukrainian Aluminium Co., a company linked with Russia’s

Sibirsky Aluminy, purchased a 30% stake in the 1.05 Mt/yr

Nikolayev alumina plant. Ukrainian Aluminium planned to

modernize the alumina plant and increase its capacity to 1.3

Mt/yr. As a condition of the sale, the company also agreed to

build a primary aluminum smelter in the Ukraine (Platt’s Metals

Week, 2000n). Construction of the new 100,000-t/yr smelter

was due to begin by 2002 and would take 5 to 6 years to

complete (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000s). By the end of 2000,

Ukrainian Aluminium acquired an additional 15% stake in the

Nikolayev alumina refinery (Platt’s Metals Week, 2000r).

Venezuela.—Norsk Hydro acquired a 33.3% stake in

Pianmeca, located in Puerto Ordaz next to the Venalum smelter,

which will supply liquid aluminum to the casthouse. Pianmeca

expected to produce 30,000 t of extrusion ingots and 8,000 t of

wire rod in 2001. Norsk Hydro planned to increase future

production levels at the plant through investments and plant

improvements (Norsk Hydro ASA, 2000f).
6.10 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2000

Technology

Toronto University scientists completed an evaluation of

Aluminum Power Inc.’s aluminum-air fuel cell. The scientists

reported that “although nickel-metal-hydride and lithium-ion

battery systems represent a tremendous advance in battery

technology, their power pales in comparison with the energy

available from an aluminum-air cell.” The cell generates power

through an electro mechanical reaction between the aluminum,

placed in an alkaline solution, and oxygen from the air. 

Electricity is produced as the aluminum oxidizes in the alkaline

solution. Key to the cell’s effectiveness is its high energy

output, which results from the characteristic energy density of

aluminum and the fact that three electrons are released for every

atom of aluminum reacted (American Metal Market, 2000g).

The aluminum-air cell technology can be adapted to a variety

of applications, including electric vehicles, emergency power

sources, and portable electronic devices. Aluminum Power

announced that it had achieved 8 hours of talk time and 51⁄2 days

of standby power using its newly developed aluminum-air fuel

cell for mobile telephones in a digital mode compared with 2

hours of talk time for lithium-ion or nickel-cadmium batteries. 

The company claimed that when the technology is perfected

about 25 hours of talk time and 240 hours of standby power

would be possible (Pinkham, 2000).

Outlook

Weakness in the national economies of most areas of the

world is expected to lead to very little growth, or possibly a

small decrease, in demand for aluminum in 2001. It is

anticipated that this weakness will be short-lived and that

demand will pick up in 2002 and thereafter.

On the supply side, energy costs and shortages continued to

force companies to temporarily idle smelter capacity. By July

2001, the United States had idled almost 1.8 Mt of capacity;

combined with announced capacity reductions in Brazil and

Canada, almost 2.2 Mt/yr of production capacity was removed

from the world supply. However, the reduction in demand and

additional production, from new smelters in Canada and

Mozambique plus brownfield expansions that are coming onstream, are expected to keep world supply and demand fairly

balanced in 2001. In later years, however, if demand picks up

and the energy cost and supply situations have not been

reversed, shortages could appear.

On the demand side, the automotive and construction

industries are expected to be the drivers for aluminum demand

in the future. Growth in the packaging and container industry

has stabilized, especially in the United States and Europe. 

There is still room for growth in the packaging industries of

Asia and Latin America, but even there the growth rate over the

past few years has slowed. Overall, world demand is expected

to continue to grow, despite a possible drop in the growth rate

for the next year or so as the world economies begin their

recoveries.

References Cited

Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 2000a, Alcan and algroup to merge: Montreal and

Zurich, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. press release, June 1, 2 p.

———2000b, Alcan and Ford sign multi-year supply agreement for automotive

aluminum: Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. press release, January 24, 3 p.

———2000c, Alcan announces expansion project to increase billet production

at Sebree: Henderson, KY, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. press release, August 9, 

2 p.

———2000d, Alcan announces the planned closure of Rogerstone Foil

operations: Uxbridge, UK, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. press release, April 12, 

1 p.

———2000e, Alcan finalized the acquisition of Koralu: Montreal, Alcan

Aluminium Ltd. press release, May 9, 1 p.

———2000f, Alcan restarts potlines at its Sebree and Lynemouth smelters: 

Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. press release, May 10, 1 p.

———2000g, Alcan to expand light gauge capacity with investment at Indiana

rolling mill: Terre Haute, IN, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. press release, August

14, 1 p.

———2000h, Merger a success, launch of the new Alcan: Montreal and

Zurich, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. press release, October 18, 2 p.

———2000i, Successful start-up of first reduction cell–Alma smelter produces

first metal: Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. press release, October 30, 1 p.

———2000j, Unprecedented water shortage forces Alcan to curtail production

in B.C.: Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Ltd. press release, December 8, 1 p.

Alcoa Inc., 2000a, Alcoa acquires MCG Closures Limited: London, Alcoa Inc.

press release, April 7, 1 p.

———2000b, Alcoa acquires primary grade aluminum particle ingot producer

C-KOE Aluminum: Pittsburgh, Alcoa Inc. press release, August 29, 1 p.

———2000c, Alcoa acquires U.K.-based Baco Consumer Products, Ltd.: 

Pittsburgh, Alcoa Inc. press release, August 4, 1 p.

———2000d, Alcoa announces plan to build wheel plant: Pittsburgh, Alcoa

Inc. press release, October 24, 1 p.

———2000e, Alcoa completes acquisition of Cordant: Pittsburgh, Alcoa Inc.

press release, May 25, 1 p.

———2000f, Alcoa completes acquisition of Howmet: Pittsburgh, Alcoa Inc.

press release, June 20, 1 p.

———2000g, Alcoa completes merger with Reynolds Metals: Pittsburgh and

Richmond, Alcoa Inc. press release, May 3, 1 p.

———2000h, Alcoa purchases Noranda Aluminum Inc.’s Excel Extrusions

unit: Pittsburgh, Alcoa Inc. press release, January 7, 1 p.

———2000i, Alcoa to build cast aluminum rod facility: Cressona, PA, Alcoa

Inc. press release, November 29, 1 p.

———2000j, Alcoa to curtail production at Troutdale aluminum smelter: 

Pittsburgh, Alcoa Inc. press release, June 28, 1 p.

———2000k, Alcoa to restart primary aluminum production: Pittsburgh, Alcoa

Inc. press release, January 19, 1 p.

———2000l, European Commission approves Alcoa’s acquisition of British

Aluminium businesses: Pittsburgh, Alcoa Inc. press release, October 27, 

1 p.

———2000m, Michigan Avenue Partners to acquire Alcoa’s Longview

aluminum smelter: Pittsburgh and Chicago, Alcoa Inc. press release,

December 27, 1 p.

———2001a, Annual report—2000: Pittsburgh, Alcoa Inc., 68 p.

———2001b, Form 10-K—2000: Securities and Exchange Commission, 46 p.

algroup, 2000, algroup will continue the operation of its aluminium smelter at

Steg (Switzerland) until the end of 2005 and expand capacity: Zurich,

algroup press release, May 26, 2 p.

Aluminum Association Inc., 2001a, Americans recycle 2 of 3 aluminum cans: 

Washington, DC, Aluminum Association Inc. press release, April 19, 4 p.

———2001b, The aluminum situation: Aluminum Association Inc., February,

4 p.

American Metal Market, 2000a, Alba capacity hike advances: American Metal

Market, v. 108, no. 220, November 14, p. 10.

———2000b, Alcoa plans Australian restart: American Metal Market, v. 108,

no. 83, May 1, p. 2.

———2000c, Ball to close beverage can line: American Metal Market, v. 108,

no. 117, June 19, p. 2.

———2000d, Glencore seals KAS acquisition: American Metal Market, v. 108,

no. 205, October 24, p. 8.

———2000e, Lanzhou smelter lifts capacity: American Metal Market, v. 108,

no. 174, August 8, p. 2.

———2000f, Quanex completes Temroc acquisition: American Metal Market,

v. 108, no. 232, December 4, p. 8.

———2000g, Scientists outline advantages of aluminum-air cell battery: 

American Metal Market, v. 108, no. 133, July 12, p. 4.

Billiton plc, 2000a, Billiton to acquire a minority interest in Valepar SA: 

London, Billiton plc press release, July 26, 2 p.

———2000b, Mozal smelter officially opened: London, Billiton plc press

release, September 29, 1 p.

Butler Manufacturing Co., 2000, Butler to build $24 million Vistawall plant in

Tennessee: Kansas City, MO, Butler Manufacturing Co. press release, April

4, 1 p.

Commonwealth Industries Inc., 2000, Commonwealth Aluminum signs longterm supply agreement: Louisville, KY, Commonwealth Industries Inc. press

release, October 4, 2 p.

CRU Alumina Monitor, 2000, Industry News: CRU Alumina Monitor, October,
ALUMINUM—2000 6.11

p. 6.

CRU Aluminium Monitor, 2000a, Industry News: CRU Aluminium Monitor,

January, p. 11.

———2000b, Industry News: CRU Aluminium Monitor, August, p. 11.

Elkem ASA, 2000, Modernization and expansion of Elkem Aluminium

Mosjøen: Oslo, Norway, Elkem ASA press release, December 20, 1 p.

———2001, Annual report—2000: Oslo, Norway, Elkem ASA, 78 p.

Hall, Andrew, 2000, The aluminum industry in India: Light Metal Age, v. 58,

no. 9, 10, October, p. 48-52.

IMCO Recycling Inc., 2000, IMCO Recycling says second quarter net will be

well below estimate, expects better second half: Irving, TX, IMCO Recycling

Inc. press release, June 20, 2 p.

———2001a, Annual report—2000: Irving, TX, IMCO Recycling Inc., 37 p.

———2001b, IMCO Recycling shuts down processing capacity in Indiana and

expects fourth quarter loss: Irving, TX, IMCO Recycling Inc. press release,

January 22, 2 p.

Indalex Aluminum Solutions Group, 2000a, Indalex launches $42 (US) million

expansion of three plants in North America: Bannockburn, IL, Indalex

Aluminum Solutions Group press release, November 10, 2 p.

———2000b, 2nd largest North American extruder restructures business and

invests in new Toronto plant: Toronto, Indalex Aluminum Solutions Group

press release, April 27, 1 p.

Interfax Mining & Metals Report, 2000a, Armenal JV to produce 550 tonnes of

foil in July: Interfax Mining & Metals Report, v. 9, issue 28, July 7-13, p. 10.

———2000b, Glencore International subsidiary wins Zaporozhye Aluminum

tender: Interfax Mining & Metals Report, v. 9, issue 49, December 1-7, p. 5.

———2000c, Kaiser Aluminum completes Zaporozhye plant feasibility study: 

Interfax Mining & Metals Report, v. 9, issue 33, August 11-17, p. 10.

———2000d, Russia’s second largest aluminum holding company set up: 

Interfax Mining & Metals Report, v. 9, issue 38, September 15-21, p. 3-4.

International Aluminium Institute, 2001, Aluminium inventories: International

Aluminium Institute Form 351, February 12, 2 p.

Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp., 2000a, Kaiser Aluminum says new labor

contract enables sweeping productivity improvement; company to record onetime charge for settlement costs: Houston, TX, Kaiser Aluminum &

Chemical Corp. press release, September 18, 3 p.

———2000b, Kaiser Aluminum to curtail additional Northwest smelter

capacity; power sale proceeds to help mitigate employee impact: Houston,

TX, Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. press release, November 20, 2 p.

Kinch, Diana, 2000, Brazilians resume smelter expansions: Metal Bulletin

Monthly, no. 351, March, p. 18-21.

Köhl, Christian, 2000, Sapa, VAW end Eurofoil deal: American Metal Market,

v. 108, no. 109, June 7, p. 16.

London Metal Exchange Ltd., 2000, Aluminium stocks: London Metal

Exchange Ltd., December 29, 2 p.

Metal Bulletin, 2000a, Albrás primary aluminium expansion on schedule: Metal

Bulletin, no. 8506, September 7, p. 9.

———2000b, Alcan withdraws from India to focus on flat-rolled opportunities: 

Metal Bulletin, no. 8462, March 27, p. 9.

———2000c, Alcoa buys Micromill from Kaiser: Metal Bulletin, no. 8447,

February 3, p. 4.

———2000d, Al production may restart at Sumgait: Metal Bulletin, no. 8525,

November 13, p. 5.

———2000e, Bandar Abbas smelter raises production: Metal Bulletin, no.

8486, June 22, p. 8.

———2000f, Behr increases secondary aluminium capacity: Metal Bulletin,

no. 8455, March 2, p. 9.

———2000g, Capral to close its rolling business: Metal Bulletin, no. 8474,

May 11, p. 4.

———2000h, Century in labour agreement at Hawesville: Metal Bulletin, no.

8514, October 5, p. 5.

———2000i, Columbia Falls cuts 51,000 tpy of production as power costs bite: 

Metal Bulletin, no. 8533, December 11, p. 5.

———2000j, Golden Northwest Aluminium cuts more production: Metal

Bulletin, no. 8537, December 29, p. 3.

———2000k, Gränges takes Sapa name: Metal Bulletin, no. 8446, January 31,

p. 15.

———2000l, Here comes Mozal II: Metal Bulletin, no. 8511, September 25, 

p. 14.

———2000m, Hungarian producer forms new holding company: Metal

Bulletin, no. 8497, July 31, p. 3.

———2000n, Malaysian firm installs new aluminium foil mill: Metal Bulletin,

no. 8533, December 11, p. 7.

———2000o, New Al can recycling plant planned for Japan: Metal Bulletin,

no. 8498, August 7, p. 10.

———2000p, NLM plans major restructuring programme: Metal Bulletin, no.

8458, March 13, p. 5.

———2000q, Pechiney sells remaining ANC stake: Metal Bulletin, no. 8465,

April 6, p. 4.

———2000r, Reynolds pulls out of Alscon: Metal Bulletin, no. 8532,

December 7, p. 4.

———2000s, Russky Aluminy works on consolidating assets, building market

share and developing alumina: Metal Bulletin, no. 8495, July 24, p. 6.

———2000t, Scottsboro Aluminum and USW agree deal: Metal Bulletin, no.

8461, March 23, p. 4.

———2000u, Taiwan’s secondary aluminium smelter completes expansion

plan: Metal Bulletin, no. 8527, November 20, p. 21.

———2000v, Vanalco shuts down last potline: Metal Bulletin, no. 8510,

September 21, p. 5.

———2000w, VAW wants to buy Capral’s Kurri Kurri smelter: Metal Bulletin,

no. 8484, June 15, p. 5.

Millbank, Paul, 2000, Mozambique moves onto the metals map: Metal Bulletin

Monthly, no. 357, September, p. 36-41.

Mining Journal, 2000a, Billiton looks to expand: Mining Journal, v. 334, no.

8572, March 3, p. 183-185.

———2000b, Sohar smelter study complete: Mining Journal, v. 334, no. 8566,

January 21, p. 40-41.

Mozambique Aluminium Co., 2000, 288 pots in operation: Maputo,

Mozambique, Mozal press release, November-December, 1 p.

Norsk Hydro ASA, 2000a, Europe’s largest aluminium plant: Oslo, Norway,

Norsk Hydro ASA press release, August 16, 2 p.

———2000b, Extrusion completes Wells deal: Oslo, Norway, Norsk Hydo

ASA press release, February 24, 1 p.

———2000c, Hydro to acquire Deeside Aluminium: Oslo, Norway, Norsk

Hydro ASA press release, July 25, 1 p.

———2000d, Hydro to operate Swiss remelter: Oslo, Norway, Norsk Hydro

ASA press release, December 12, 1 p.

———2000e, New remelt plant in Spain: Oslo, Norway, Norsk Hydro ASA

press release, September 20, 1 p.

———2000f, Venezuela casthouse joins Hydro supply chain: Oslo, Norway,

Norsk Hydro ASA press release, November 9, 1 p.

———2001a, Annual report—2000: Oslo, Norway, Norsk Hydro ASA, 112 p. 

———2001b, Sunndal expansion plans confirmed: Oslo, Norway, Norsk

Hydro ASA press release, June 13, 2 p.

Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp., 2000a, Ormet announces complete potline

restart scheduled for September: Wheeling, WV, Ormet Primary Aluminum

Corp. press release, August 7, 2 p.

———2000b, Ormet announces plans to curtail aluminum production; sell

power and alumina: Wheeling, WV, Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp. press

release, May 18, 2 p.

———2000c, Ormet curtails Hannibal carbon operations: Wheeling, WV,

Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp. press release, December 15, 2 p.

Pechiney, 2000a, Pechiney and AMP Life Limited exchange irrevocable offers

for Pechiney to acquire AMP Life’s 15.5% direct stake in the Tomago

aluminum smelter: Paris, Pechiney press release, October 3, 1 p.

———2000b, PSA Peugeot Citroën and Pechiney sign a strategic partnership

agreement: Paris, Pechiney press release, June 22, 1 p.

Pinkham, Myra, 2000, New aluminum-air fuel cell outlasts other power sources: 

American Metal Market, v. 108, no. 171, September 4, p. 11.

Platt’s Metals Week, 2000a, ABI union accepts new offer: Platt’s Metals Week,

v. 71, no. 28, July 10, p. 13-14.

———2000b, Alcan to start up recycling furnace, primary capacity: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 71, no. 20, May 15, p. 3-4.

———2000c, Asahan runs at 85-90% capacity: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no.

46, November 13, p. 5.

———2000d, Ball to close Salisbury aluminum can plant, cut others: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 71, no. 23, June 5, p. 14-15.

———2000e, Baotou to build new aluminum line: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71,

no. 45, November 6, p. 5.

———2000f, Butler Manufacturing to build aluminum extrusion plant: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 71, no. 1, January 3, p. 6-7.

———2000g, Capral completes sales of Kurri Kurri: Platt’s Metals Week, v.

71, no. 43, October 23, p. 5.

———2000h, Caradon/Indalex to buy Columbia plants, expand: Platt’s Metals

Week, v. 71, no. 18, p. 4-5.

———2000i, Crown Cork & Seal rebuilding struggling can businesses: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 71, no. 49, December 4, p. 8.

———2000j, EC forces rethink of Alcan-Pechiney merger plan: Platt’s Metals

Week, v. 71, no. 12, March 20, p. 1, 10-11.

———2000k, Indalex grows Al extrusions despite slowdown in demand: 

Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no. 47, November 20, p. 3-4.

———2000l, McCook to produce billet: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no. 11,

March 13, p. 11.

———2000m, Nichols must keep Lupton focus: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no.

1, January 3, p. 7.

———2000n, Nikolaev stake winner close; smelter may be built: Platt’s Metals

Week, v. 71, no. 13, March 27, p. 7.

———2000o, Noranda Aluminum expansions make slow steady progress: 
6.12 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2000

Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no. 13, March 27, p. 7-8.

———2000p, Superior to start up new furnace: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no.

24, June 12, p. 12.

———2000q, Taiyuan begins expansion construction: Platt’s Metals Week, v.

71, no. 43, October 23, p. 5.

———2000r, Ukraine fails to sell alumina stake: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71,

no. 48, November 27, p. 7-8.

———2000s, Ukraine to invest in new smelter: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no.

45, November 6, p. 4.

———2000t, Xiezhou’s 40,000mt ready: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no. 27,

July 3, p. 8.

———2000u, Yunnan faces expansion delays: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no.

24, June 12, p. 11.

———2000v, Zunyi begins expansion: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 71, no. 15,

April 10, p. 9.

Raghuvanshi, Vivek, 2000, Hindalco starts expansion: American Metal Market,

v. 108, no. 12, January 20, p. 4.

Regan, Bob, 2000a, Century Aluminum completes Mt. Holly deal: American

Metal Market, v. 108, no. 70, April 12, p. 12.

———2000b, Ormet sets wage talks with USW: American Metal Market, v.

108, no. 139, July 20, p. 16.

Rio Tinto plc, 2001, Annual report and financial statements—2000: London,

Rio Tinto plc, 136 p.

Southwire Co., 2000, Century and Southwire extend date for closing aluminum

smelter acquisition: Carrollton, GA, Southwire Co. press release, November

16, 1 p.

Worden, Edward, 2000a, De-ox producer Keystone reportedly halts operations: 

American Metal Market, v. 108, no. 176, September 12, p. 10.

———2000b, Secondary aluminum smelter starts operating in Quebec: 

American Metal Market, v. 108, no. 125, June 29, p. 7.

———2000c, Wabash slashes capacity, Huron Valley closes plant: American

Metal Market, v. 108, no. 187, September 27, p. 9.

Wrigley, Al, 2000a, Agreement gives Nemak control of Ford’s WAP, EAP

plants: American Metal Market, v. 108, no. 218, November 10, p. 4.

———2000b, Ford opens new aluminum casting plant: American Metal

Market, v. 108, no. 146, July 31, p. 12.

———2000c, GM picks Nemak for aluminum castings: American Metal

Market, v. 108, no. 186, September 26, p. 16.

———2000d, GM’s plans for Precept give aluminum shot in the arm: 

American Metal Market, v. 108, no. 7, January 12, p. 6.

———2000e, Hayes plans to build aluminum casting foundry: American Metal

Market, v. 108, no. 50, March 15, p. 6.

———2000f, Metals still ride high in drive for lighter autos: American Metal

Market, v. 108, no. 38, February 28, p. 6.

———2000g, Nemak to supply castings for DaimlerChrysler engine: American

Metal Market, v. 108, no. 49, March 14, p. 6.

GENERAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

U.S. Geological Survey Publications

Aluminum. Ch. in Mineral Commodity Summaries, annual.

Aluminum. Mineral Industry Surveys, monthly.

Aluminum and Bauxite. Ch. in United States Mineral

Resources, Professional Paper 820, 1973.

Bauxite and Alumina. Ch. in Mineral Commodity Summaries,

annual.

Primary Aluminum Plants Worldwide, 1998.

U.S. Trade in Bauxite and Alumina. Mineral Industry Surveys,

quarterly.

World Bauxite Resources, Professional Paper 1076-B, 1986.

Other

Alumina Plants Worldwide, U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1993.

Aluminum. Ch. in Mineral Facts and Problems, U.S. Bureau of

Mines Bulletin 675, 1985.

Aluminum Association Inc. Aluminum Statistical Review,

annual.

Bauxite Mines Worldwide, U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1994.
TABLE 1

SALIENT ALUMINUM STATISTICS 1/

(Thousand metric tons, unless otherwise specified)

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

United States:

 Primary production 3,577 3,603 3,713 3,779 3,668

 Value (million dollars) $5,630 $6,120 $5,360 $5,470 $6,030

 Price (average cents per pound), U.S. market (spot) 71.3 77.1 65.5 65.7 74.6

 Inventories (December 31):

 Aluminum industry 2/ 1,860 1,860 1,930 1,870 1,550

 LME stocks in U.S. warehouses 3/ 33 8 13 14 (4/)

 National Defense Stockpile 57 (4/) -- -- --

 Secondary recovery: 5/ 3,310 3,550 3,440 3,690 r/ 3,450

 New scrap 1,730 2,020 1,950 2,120 r/ 2,080

 Old scrap 1,570 1,530 1,500 1,570 r/ 1,370

 Exports (crude and semicrude) 1,500 1,570 1,590 1,640 1,760

 Imports for consumption (crude and semicrude) 2,810 3,080 3,550 4,000 3,910

 Aluminum industry shipments 6/ 8,330 8,880 9,260 9,840 9,840

 Supply, apparent 7/ 8,340 8,740 9,040 9,890 r/ 9,610

 Consumption, apparent 8/ 6,610 6,720 7,090 7,770 r/ 7,530

World production 20,800 r/ 21,700 r/ 22,600 r/ 23,600 r/ 24,000 e/

e/ Estimated. r/ Revised. -- Zero.

1/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits, except "Primary production" and "Prices."

2/ Includes ingot, semifabricated material, and scrap. Data for 1996 through 1998 from Current Industrial Reports, Series M33-D, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau. Data for 1999 and 2000 from Aluminum Association Inc.

3/ Includes aluminum alloyed material.

4/ Less than 1/2 unit.

5/ Metallic recovery from purchased, tolled, or imported new and old scrap expanded for full industry coverage.

6/ Shipped to domestic industry.

7/ Defined as domestic primary metal production plus secondary recovery plus imports minus exports plus adjustments for Government and

industry stocks changes.

8/ Apparent supply less recovery from purchased new scrap. 

TABLE 2

PRIMARY ANNUAL ALUMINUM PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN THE UNITED STATES, BY COMPANY 1/

Yearend capacity

(thousand metric tons)

Company 1999 2000 2000 ownership 

Alcan Aluminum Corp.:

 Sebree, KY 186 186 Alcan Aluminium Ltd., 100%.

Alcoa Inc.: 2/

 Alcoa, TN 210 210 Alcoa Inc., 100%.

 Badin, NC 115 115 Do.

 Evansville, IN (Warrick) 300 300 Do.

 Ferndale, WA (Intalco) 272 272 Alcoa Inc., 61%; Mitsui and Co. Ltd., 32%; YKK Corp., 7%.

 Frederick, MD (Eastalco) 174 174 Do.

 Longview, WA 3/ 204 204 Alcoa Inc., 100%

 Massena, NY 3/ 123 123 Do.

 Massena, NY 125 125 Do.

 Mount Holly, SC 215 r/ 215 Alcoa Inc., 50.3%; Century Aluminum Co., 49.7%.

 Rockdale, TX 315 315 Alcoa Inc., 100%.

 Troutdale, OR 3/ 121 121 Do.

 Wenatchee, WA 220 220 Do.

 Total 2,390 r/ 2,390

Century Aluminum Co.:

 Ravenswood, WV 168 r/ 168 Century Aluminum Co., 100%.

Columbia Falls Aluminum Co.:

 Columbia Falls, MT 168 168 Glencore AG, 100%

Goldendale Aluminum Co.:

 Goldendale, WA 168 168 Private interest, 60%; employees, 40%.

Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp.:

 Mead, WA (Spokane) 200 200 MAXXAM Inc., 100%.

 Tacoma, WA 73 73 Do.

 Total 273 273

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 2--Continued

PRIMARY ANNUAL ALUMINUM PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN THE UNITED STATES, BY COMPANY 1/

Yearend capacity

(thousand metric tons)

Company 1999 2000 2000 ownership 

NSA:

 Hawesville, KY 237 237 Southwire Co., 100%.

Noranda Aluminum Inc.:

 New Madrid, MO 222 r/ 222 Noranda Mines Ltd., 100%.

Northwest Aluminum Corp.:

 The Dalles, OR 82 82 Private interests, 100%.

Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp.:

 Hannibal, OH 255 257 Ormet Corp., 100%.

Vanalco Inc.:

 Vancouver, WA 116 116 Vanalco Inc., 100%.

 Grand total 4,270 4,270

r/ Revised.

1/ Data are rounded to no more three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2/ Individual plant capacities are U.S. Geological Survey estimates based on company reported total.

3/ Alcoa and Reynolds merged in June 2000.

TABLE 3

U.S. CONSUMPTION OF AND RECOVERY FROM PURCHASED NEW AND OLD

ALUMINUM SCRAP, BY CLASS 1/ 2/

(Metric tons)

Calculated recovery

Class Consumption Aluminum Metallic

1999:

 Secondary smelters 2,130,000 r/ 1,450,000 r/ 1,560,000 r/

 Integrated aluminum companies 1,230,000 1,010,000 1,080,000

 Independent mill fabricators 787,000 674,000 720,000

 Foundries 101,000 85,300 91,300

 Other consumers 8,880 8,810 8,810

 Total 4,250,000 r/ 3,230,000 r/ 3,460,000 r/

 Estimated full industry coverage 4,560,000 r/ 3,450,000 r/ 3,690,000 r/

2000:

 Secondary smelters 1,960,000 1,350,000 1,450,000

 Integrated aluminum companies 1,060,000 873,000 930,000

 Independent mill fabricators 800,000 689,000 736,000

 Foundries 95,600 80,200 85,800

 Other consumers 14,600 14,600 14,600

 Total 3,940,000 3,010,000 3,220,000

 Estimated full industry coverage 4,220,000 3,220,000 3,450,000

r/ Revised.

1/ Excludes recovery from other than aluminum-base scrap.

2/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

TABLE 4

U.S. STOCKS, RECEIPTS, AND CONSUMPTION OF PURCHASED NEW AND OLD ALUMINUM SCRAP AND

SWEATED PIG IN 2000 1/ 2/

(Metric tons)

Stocks, Net Stocks,

Class of consumer and type of scrap January 1 receipts 3/ Consumption December 31

Secondary smelters:

 New scrap:

 Solids 12,800 r/ 300,000 294,000 18,300

 Borings and turnings 7,950 r/ 325,000 324,000 9,660

 Dross and skimmings 4,260 r/ 531,000 532,000 4,080

 Other 4/ 3,750 r/ 222,000 222,000 3,060

 Total 28,700 r/ 1,380,000 1,370,000 35,100

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 4--Continued

U.S. STOCKS, RECEIPTS, AND CONSUMPTION OF PURCHASED NEW AND OLD ALUMINUM SCRAP AND

SWEATED PIG IN 2000 1/ 2/

(Metric tons)

Stocks, Net Stocks,

Class of consumer and type of scrap January 1 receipts 3/ Consumption December 31

Secondary smelters--Continued:

 Old scrap:

 Castings, sheet, clippings 6,650 r/ 352,000 354,000 4,730

 Aluminum-copper radiators 2,130 r/ 20,600 21,000 1,710

 Aluminum cans 5/ 1,170 r/ 88,200 88,000 1,350

 Other 6/ 5,930 r/ 119,000 119,000 5,990

 Total 15,900 r/ 580,000 582,000 13,800

 Sweated pig 465 r/ 10,800 11,100 191

 Total secondary smelters 45,100 r/ 1,970,000 1,960,000 49,100

Integrated aluminum companies, foundries, independent

 mill fabricators, other consumers:

 New scrap:

 Solids 22,400 801,000 806,000 17,900

 Borings and turnings 104 23,100 22,900 318

 Dross and skimmings 131 8,480 8,470 137

 Other 4/ 9,690 r/ 212,000 214,000 6,930

 Total 32,400 r/ 1,040,000 1,050,000 25,300

 Old scrap:

 Castings, sheet, clippings 3,060 148,000 144,000 6,940

 Aluminum-copper radiators 439 6,500 6,700 241

 Aluminum cans 13,600 r/ 750,000 737,000 26,900

 Other 6/ 22 29,800 29,800 22

 Total 17,100 r/ 935,000 918,000 34,100

 Sweated pig 86 2,840 2,740 179

 Total integrated aluminum companies, etc. 49,500 r/ 1,980,000 1,970,000 59,600

All scrap consumed:

 New scrap:

 Solids 35,200 r/ 1,100,000 1,100,000 36,200

 Borings and turnings 8,050 r/ 348,000 347,000 9,970

 Dross and skimmings 4,400 r/ 540,000 540,000 4,210

 Other 4/ 13,400 r/ 433,000 437,000 9,990

 Total 61,100 r/ 2,420,000 2,420,000 60,400

 Old scrap:

 Castings, sheet, clippings 9,710 r/ 500,000 498,000 11,700

 Aluminum-copper radiators 2,570 r/ 27,100 27,700 1,960

 Aluminum cans 14,700 r/ 838,000 825,000 28,300

 Other 6/ 5,960 r/ 149,000 149,000 6,010

 Total 33,000 r/ 1,510,000 1,500,000 47,900

 Sweated pig 551 r/ 13,600 13,800 370

 Total of all scrap consumed 94,600 r/ 3,950,000 3,940,000 109,000

r/ Revised.

1/ Includes imported scrap. According to reporting companies, 24.5% of total receipts of aluminum-base scrap, or

974,000 metric tons, was received on toll arrangements.

2/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

3/ Includes inventory adjustment.

4/ Includes data on foil, can stock clippings, and other miscellaneous.

5/ Used beverage cans toll treated for primary producers are included in secondary smelter tabulation.

6/ Includes municipal wastes (includes litter) and fragmentized scrap (auto shredder).
TABLE 5

PRODUCTION AND SHIPMENTS OF SECONDARY ALUMINUM ALLOYS BY INDEPENDENT SMELTERS

IN THE UNITED STATES 1/

(Metric tons)

1999 2000

Net Net 

Production shipments 2/ Production shipments 2/ 

Diecast alloys:

 13% Si, 360, etc. (0.6% Cu, maximum) 24,700 r/ 24,600 r/ 30,600 30,200

 380 and variations 424,000 r/ 419,000 r/ 515,000 526,000

Sand and permanent mold:

 95/5 Al-Si, 356, etc. (0.6% Cu, maximum) 31,300 r/ 31,200 r/ 127,000 126,000

 No. 319 and variations 148,000 r/ 139,000 r/ 137,000 139,000

 F-132 alloy and variations 38,100 r/ 37,500 r/ 30,400 30,200

 Al-Mg alloys 639 639 639 639

 Al-Zn alloys 2,520 r/ 1,950 r/ 2,240 2,930

 Al-Si alloys (0.6% to 2.0% Cu) 2,020 2,020 2,020 2,020

 Al-Cu alloys (1.5% Si, maximum) 924 924 2,290 2,290

 Al-Si-Cu-Ni alloys 949 952 949 951

 Other 712 761 1,320 1,350

Wrought alloys, extrusion billets 221,000 r/ 221,000 r/ 210,000 210,000

Miscellaneous:

 Steel deoxidation (3/) (3/) (3/) (3/)

 Pure (97.0% Al) (3/) (3/) (3/) (3/)

 Aluminum-base hardeners 3,470 3,480 3,470 3,470

 Other 4/ 125,000 r/ 121,000 r/ 122,000 124,000

 Total 1,020,000 r/ 1,000,000 r/ 1,190,000 1,200,000

Less consumption of materials other than scrap:

 Primary aluminum 77,400 r/ XX 77,600 XX

 Primary silicon 49,200 r/ XX 50,200 XX

 Other 10,400 r/ XX 16,700 XX

Net metallic recovery from aluminum scrap and sweated pig 887,000 r/ XX 1,040,000 XX

 consumed in production of secondary aluminum ingot 5/

r/ Revised. XX Not applicable. 

1/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2/ Includes inventory adjustment.

3/ Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data; included with "Miscellaneous: Other."

4/ Includes other die-cast alloys.

5/ No allowance made for melt-loss of primary aluminum and alloying ingredients.

TABLE 6

DISTRIBUTION OF END-USE SHIPMENTS OF ALUMINUM PRODUCTS

IN THE UNITED STATES, BY INDUSTRY 1/

1999 2000

Quantity Percent Quantity Percent

(thousand of grand (thousand of grand

Industry metric tons) total metric tons) total

Containers and packaging 2,320 20.7 2,260 20.4

Building and construction 1,470 13.1 1,450 13.1

Transportation 3,600 32.2 3,610 32.5

Electrical 739 6.6 770 6.9

Consumer durables 760 6.8 770 6.9

Machinery and equipment 661 5.9 679 6.1

Other markets 293 2.6 293 2.6

 Total to domestic users 9,840 88.1 9,840 88.6

Exports e/ 1,330 11.9 1,270 11.4

 Grand total 11,200 100.0 11,100 100.0

e/ Estimated.

1/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

Source: The Aluminum Association Inc.
TABLE 7

U.S. NET SHIPMENTS OF ALUMINUM WROUGHT

AND CAST PRODUCTS, BY PRODUCERS 1/ 2/

(Thousand metric tons)

1999 2000

Wrought products:

 Sheet, plate, foil 5,000 r/ 4,840

 Pipe, tube, extruded, shapes 1,640 r/ 1,920

 Rod, bar, wire, cable 549 r/ 303

 Forgings (including impacts) 108 r/ 106

 Powder, flake, paste 54 59

 Total 7,360 r/ 7,230

Castings:

 Sand 158 NA 

 Permanent and semipermanent mold 533 NA 

 Die 1,030 NA 

 Other 135 NA 

 Total 1,850 NA 

 Grand total 9,210 NA 

r/ Revised. NA Not available.

1/ Net shipments derived by subtracting the sum of producers'

domestic receipts of each mill shape from the domestic industry's

gross shipments of that shape.

2/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may

not add to totals shown.

Source: The Aluminum Association Inc.; U.S. Department of

Commerce.

TABLE 8

U.S. EXPORTS OF ALUMINUM, BY COUNTRY 1/

Metals and alloys, crude Plates, sheets, bars, etc. 2/ Scrap Total

Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value

Country or territory (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands)

1999:

 Azerbaijan -- -- 1 $3 -- -- 1 $3

 Brazil 110 $714 60,200 172,000 17 $96 60,300 173,000

 Canada 145,000 225,000 489,000 1,180,000 162,000 149,000 795,000 1,560,000

 France 143 541 6,990 30,900 85 129 7,220 31,500

 Germany 1,610 6,900 5,640 32,200 90 279 7,340 39,400

 Hong Kong 661 1,230 4,110 15,600 24,600 33,100 29,400 49,900

 Italy 127 269 2,530 12,500 53 122 2,710 12,900

 Japan 71,700 113,000 10,400 87,400 35,200 40,700 117,000 241,000

 Korea, Republic of 798 2,440 16,700 53,100 29,300 29,100 46,800 84,600

 Mexico 93,700 147,000 152,000 444,000 60,400 79,100 306,000 670,000

 Netherlands 130 289 1,310 6,610 711 793 2,150 7,700

 Philippines 14 65 536 2,460 296 98 847 2,620

 Russia 5 73 9 85 -- -- 14 158

 Saudi Arabia 1 7 8,150 22,400 64 128 8,210 22,500

 Singapore 111 575 1,850 13,200 1,290 1,750 3,250 15,500

 Slovakia -- -- 9 54 -- -- 9 54

 Slovenia -- -- 55 128 3 12 58 140

 South Africa (3/) 8 327 1,930 (3/) 4 328 1,940

 Taiwan 660 1,740 10,900 33,200 31,300 29,800 42,900 64,800

 Thailand 106 205 3,900 14,400 92 135 4,100 14,700

 Ukraine -- -- (3/) 4 -- -- (3/) 4

 United Kingdom 1,040 5,270 16,700 72,800 403 810 18,100 78,800

 Venezuela 229 1,990 17,900 38,700 -- -- 18,100 40,700

 Other 2,640 7,610 98,500 330,000 73,500 80,000 175,000 418,000

 Total 318,000 515,000 907,000 2,570,000 419,000 445,000 1,640,000 3,530,000

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 8--Continued

U.S. EXPORTS OF ALUMINUM, BY COUNTRY 1/

Metals and alloys, crude Plates, sheets, bars, etc. 2/ Scrap Total

Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value

Country or territory (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands)

2000:

 Azerbaijan -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

 Brazil 829 1,520 31,900 98,100 159 180 32,900 99,800

 Canada 125,000 208,000 504,000 1,310,000 225,000 221,000 854,000 1,740,000

 France 30 122 5,530 29,400 1,790 3,290 7,350 32,800

 Germany 858 5,130 4,980 30,100 1,150 2,820 6,990 38,100

 Hong Kong 1,440 2,420 2,610 13,000 28,900 34,400 33,000 49,900

 Italy 33 111 2,070 12,000 8 11 2,110 12,100

 Japan 44,300 74,400 9,840 74,400 27,800 35,500 81,900 184,000

 Korea, Republic of 3,640 11,900 20,500 77,000 34,100 38,100 58,200 127,000

 Mexico 87,700 140,000 156,000 523,000 78,000 105,000 321,000 768,000

 Netherlands 244 1,020 3,280 12,900 415 621 3,940 14,500

 Philippines 41 61 774 3,530 265 435 1,080 4,020

 Russia -- -- 211 1,180 47 64 258 1,250

 Saudi Arabia 1 11 8,380 20,300 2 6 8,380 20,300

 Singapore 414 1,160 2,630 15,700 346 459 3,390 17,300

 Slovakia -- -- 11 35 -- -- 11 35

 Slovenia -- -- (3/) 4 -- -- (3/) 4

 South Africa 24 220 80 919 15 68 118 1,210

 Taiwan 2,200 3,540 8,430 31,000 30,300 31,500 40,900 66,000

 Thailand 822 1,720 6,860 24,300 1,020 1,420 8,700 27,400

 Ukraine -- -- 1 25 -- -- 1 25

 United Kingdom 1,090 3,770 20,400 94,700 5,450 5,910 26,900 104,000

 Venezuela 63 125 17,200 40,200 33 117 17,300 40,500

 Other 4,800 12,400 102,000 353,000 141,000 167,000 248,000 532,000

 Total 273,000 468,000 907,000 2,770,000 576,000 648,000 1,760,000 3,880,000

-- Zero.

1/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2/ Includes castings, forgings, and unclassified semifabricated forms.

3/ Less than 1/2 unit.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

TABLE 9

U.S. EXPORTS OF ALUMINUM, BY CLASS 1/

1999 2000

Quantity Value Quantity Value

Class (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands)

Crude and semicrude:

 Metals and alloys, crude 318,000 $515,000 273,000 $468,000

 Scrap 419,000 445,000 576,000 648,000

 Plates, sheets, bars, strip, etc. 857,000 2,280,000 845,000 2,380,000

 Castings and forgings 15,300 113,000 14,700 137,000

 Semifabricated forms, n.e.c. 34,600 171,000 48,000 248,000

 Total 1,640,000 3,530,000 1,760,000 3,880,000

Manufactures:

 Foil and leaf 65,000 211,000 61,100 219,000

 Powders and flakes 8,320 35,800 9,600 47,500

 Wire and cable 33,100 127,000 29,500 122,000

 Total 106,000 374,000 100,000 388,000

 Grand total 1,750,000 3,900,000 1,860,000 4,270,000

1/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
TABLE 10

U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF ALUMINUM, BY CLASS 1/

1999 2000

Quantity Value Quantity Value

Class (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands)

Crude and semicrude:

 Metals and alloys, crude 2,650,000 $3,760,000 2,490,000 $4,030,000

 Plates, sheets, strip, etc., n.e.c. 2/ 593,000 1,330,000 628,000 1,530,000

 Pipes, tubes, etc. 24,100 98,100 20,800 109,000

 Rods and bars 118,000 349,000 142,000 449,000

 Scrap 615,000 666,000 625,000 744,000

 Total 4,000,000 6,200,000 3,910,000 6,860,000

Manufactures:

 Foil and leaf 3/ 89,900 271,000 87,800 293,000

 Flakes and powders 3,560 10,100 5,020 14,000

 Wire 97,600 172,000 118,000 231,000

 Total 191,000 452,000 211,000 538,000

 Grand total 4,190,000 6,660,000 4,120,000 7,400,000

1/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2/ Includes plates, sheets, circles, and disks.

3/ Excludes etched capacitor foil.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

TABLE 11

U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF ALUMINUM, BY COUNTRY 1/

Metals and alloys, crude Plates, sheets, bars, etc. 2/ Scrap Total

Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value

Country (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands)

1999:

 Argentina 22,400 $32,200 1,330 $2,330 3,990 $5,110 27,700 $39,700

 Australia 60,900 89,700 2,050 4,220 9 14 63,000 94,000

 Bahrain 22,700 32,300 26,600 48,400 -- -- 49,200 80,700

 Belgium 20 468 4,050 11,900 198 197 4,260 12,600

 Brazil 56,700 74,100 1,720 3,450 33,100 37,800 91,500 115,000

 Canada 1,500,000 2,210,000 427,000 943,000 287,000 314,000 2,210,000 3,460,000

 Croatia -- -- 273 933 -- -- 273 933

 Czech Republic 83 106 591 1,740 40 45 714 1,890

 France 492 4,960 11,800 53,500 11,500 10,400 23,900 68,900

 Germany 813 4,490 38,900 146,000 6,810 10,100 46,500 161,000

 Italy 2,130 2,530 3,030 9,780 518 581 5,670 12,900

 Japan 429 942 23,600 80,100 816 929 24,800 82,000

 Korea, Republic of -- -- 21,400 42,300 -- -- 21,400 42,300

 Mexico 2,460 4,280 17,700 56,100 86,100 90,700 106,000 151,000

 Netherlands 1,280 2,070 3,490 10,400 10,700 13,100 15,400 25,600

 Norway 3,280 6,270 1,610 2,830 140 142 5,030 9,240

 Panama 367 650 1,230 3,340 5,820 6,390 7,420 10,400

 Russia 711,000 939,000 54,700 96,800 65,300 68,600 831,000 1,100,000

 Slovakia 203 216 1 2 -- -- 204 218

 Slovenia -- -- 4,000 11,800 -- -- 4,000 11,800

 South Africa 18,300 24,000 4,070 10,400 169 144 22,500 34,500

 Spain 273 427 3,230 7,360 2,100 2,370 5,600 10,200

 Tajikistan 17,200 20,600 -- -- -- -- 17,200 20,600

 Ukraine 26,600 30,600 (3/) 10 5,510 6,310 32,200 36,900

 United Arab Emirates 17,800 25,100 -- -- 3,240 3,130 21,000 28,300

 United Kingdom 10,900 14,300 15,100 56,000 19,500 21,000 45,500 91,300

 Venezuela 127,000 178,000 16,800 29,100 26,000 29,500 169,000 236,000

 Other 53,000 69,700 51,200 143,000 46,500 45,300 151,000 258,000

 Total 2,650,000 3,760,000 735,000 1,770,000 615,000 666,000 4,000,000 6,200,000

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 11--Continued

U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF ALUMINUM, BY COUNTRY 1/

Metals and alloys, crude Plates, sheets, bars, etc. 2/ Scrap Total

Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value Quantity Value

Country (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands)

2000:

 Argentina 59,000 100,000 1,360 2,950 1,300 1,710 61,700 105,000

 Australia 23,000 38,800 2,840 6,300 -- -- 25,800 45,100

 Bahrain 22,000 37,300 22,000 45,100 103 49 44,100 82,500

 Belgium 21 97 3,690 11,600 99 120 3,810 11,800

 Brazil 42,800 69,700 9,810 17,200 32,900 48,900 85,500 136,000

 Canada 1,420,000 2,390,000 435,000 1,050,000 289,000 345,000 2,150,000 3,780,000

 Croatia -- -- 163 547 -- -- 163 547

 Czech Republic 21 29 307 1,040 -- -- 328 1,070

 France 869 8,230 10,400 43,200 11,400 9,820 22,700 61,300

 Germany 643 4,810 41,700 163,000 6,740 8,380 49,100 176,000

 Italy 200 265 2,980 10,700 35 44 3,220 11,000

 Japan 336 787 21,400 80,500 753 1,360 22,500 82,700

 Korea, Republic of 89 274 13,300 33,900 514 1,050 13,900 35,200

 Mexico 4,570 6,670 22,000 79,000 76,000 85,800 102,000 171,000

 Netherlands 218 626 4,200 13,000 2,510 2,620 6,930 16,300

 Norway 7,010 13,500 106 418 -- -- 7,110 14,000

 Panama 12 14 1,480 4,710 7,200 9,040 8,690 13,800

 Russia 670,000 996,000 66,500 159,000 100,000 122,000 837,000 1,280,000

 Slovakia 255 273 2 9 -- -- 257 282

 Slovenia -- -- 4,350 14,000 -- -- 4,350 14,000

 South Africa 24,000 36,400 23,300 53,500 599 660 47,900 90,600

 Spain 343 644 402 1,630 161 205 905 2,470

 Ukraine 10,200 12,600 -- -- 6,830 7,240 17,000 19,800

 United Arab Emirates 53,300 94,900 -- -- 4,990 6,080 58,300 101,000

 United Kingdom 5,290 8,210 15,400 60,700 5,650 6,340 26,300 75,200

 Venezuela 120,000 165,000 24,900 47,900 19,800 23,300 165,000 236,000

 Other 25,800 42,400 63,700 187,000 58,400 64,200 148,000 293,000

 Total 2,490,000 4,030,000 791,000 2,080,000 625,000 744,000 3,910,000 6,860,000

-- Zero.

1/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2/ Includes circles, disks, rods, pipes, tubes, etc.

3/ Less than 1/2 unit.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

TABLE 12

ALUMINUM, PRIMARY: WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY 1/ 2/

(Thousand metric tons)

Country 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 e/

Argentina 184 187 187 205 r/ 260

Australia 1,372 1,495 1,627 1,718 1,769 3/

Azerbaijan 1 5 -- e/ -- e/ --

Bahrain 461 490 501 r/ 503 r/ 509 3/

Bosnia and Herzegovina e/ 4/ 10 15 28 r/ 70 r/ 90

Brazil 1,195 1,200 1,208 1,250 1,277 3/

Cameroon e/ 82 91 82 r/ 92 r/ 95

Canada 2,283 2,327 2,374 2,390 2,373 3/

China e/ 1,770 1,960 2,340 2,530 r/ 2,550

Croatia e/ 4/ 38 3/ 35 35 35 35

Egypt 179 178 195 r/ 193 r/ 193

France 380 399 e/ 424 455 r/ 441 3/

Germany 576 572 612 634 r/ 644 3/

Ghana 137 152 56 e/ 104 r/ 156 3/

Greece 141 133 146 160 r/ 163 3/

Hungary e/ 30 3/ 35 35 35 35

See footnotes at end of table.
TABLE 12--Continued

ALUMINUM, PRIMARY: WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY 1/ 2/

(Thousand metric tons)

Country 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 e/

Iceland 5/ 104 123 173 r/ 220 r/ 224 3/

India 6/ 531 484 542 550 e/ 560

Indonesia e/ 6/ 225 216 3/ 130 100 160

Iran 80 r/ 92 r/ 124 r/ 137 r/ 140

Italy 184 188 188 e/ 187 r/ 189 3/

Japan 7/ 17 17 16 r/ 11 r/ 7 3/

Mexico 6/ 61 66 62 67 r/ 66

Mozambique -- -- -- -- 54

Netherlands 227 232 264 e/ 287 r/ 300

New Zealand 283 r/ 310 r/ 318 r/ 327 r/ 325

Nigeria e/ -- 3/ 3 20 16 --

Norway 863 919 996 1,020 r/ 1,026 3/

Poland 8/ 52 54 54 55 e/ 55

Romania 9/ 141 163 170 r/ 174 r/ 175

Russia 2,874 2,906 3,005 3,146 3,245 3/

Serbia and Montenegro 4/ 37 66 61 r/ 73 r/ 70

Slovakia 6/ 111 r/ 110 r/ 108 r/ 109 r/ 110 3/

Slovenia e/ 4/ 60 60 50 e/ 50 50

South Africa 570 673 677 r/ 679 r/ 671 3/

Spain 362 360 362 364 r/ 366 3/

Suriname e/ 32 3/ 32 29 10 --

Sweden 98 98 96 e/ 99 r/ 101 3/

Switzerland 27 27 32 34 r/ 35

Tajikistan 198 206 r/ 196 229 300 3/

Turkey 60 62 62 62 60

Ukraine 90 e/ 101 107 112 104 3/

United Arab Emirates 259 378 387 440 e/ 500

United Kingdom 240 248 258 272 305 3/

United States 3,577 3,603 3,713 3,779 3,668 3/

Venezuela 629 634 585 r/ 570 570

 Total 20,800 r/ 21,700 r/ 22,600 r/ 23,600 r/ 24,000

e/ Estimated. r/ Revised. -- Zero.

1/ World totals and estimated data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to

totals shown.

2/ Primary aluminum is defined as "The weight of liquid aluminum as tapped from pots, excluding the

weight of any alloying materials as well as that of any metal produced from either returned scrap or

remelted materials." International reporting practices vary from country to country, some nations

conforming to the foregoing definition and others using different definitions. For those countries for

which a different definition is given specifically in the source publication, that definition is provided in

this table by footnote. Table includes data available through May 11, 2001.

3/ Reported figure.

4/ Primary ingot plus secondary ingot.

5/ Ingot and rolling billet production.

6/ Primary ingot.

7/ Excludes high-purity aluminum containing 99.995% or more as follows, in metric tons: 1996--

29,351; 1997--36,136; 1998--35,063; 1999--34,893 (revised); and 2000--40,956.

8/ Primary unalloyed ingot plus secondary unalloyed ingot.

9/ Primary unalloyed metal plus primary alloyed metal, thus including weight of alloying material.