ALUMINUM—1999 5.1

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 1999, 12 domestic companies operated 23 primary

aluminum reduction plants that produced almost 3.8 million

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

accounted for 39% of the production; Maryland, New York,

Ohio, and West Virginia, 22%; and other States, 39%. The

value was estimated to be $5.5 billion.

During the year, two proposed mergers that involved five

major aluminum companies were announced—a two-way

merger between Alcoa Inc. and Reynolds Metals Company and

a three-way merger of Alcan Aluminium Limited, Pechiney,

and algroup, which was the aluminum division of Alusuisse

Lonza Group Inc.

Aluminum recovered from purchased scrap increased by 9%

to about 3.75 Mt. Of this recovered metal, 59% came from new

(manufacturing) scrap, and 41%, 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 1999. The recycling rate for

aluminum UBC’s remained relatively stable at 62.5%.

The transportation and the container and packaging

industries remained the largest domestic markets for aluminum

products in 1999. The transportation industry accounted for

37% of domestic consumption; containers and packaging, 24%;

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

electrical, 7%; and other uses, 9%.

U.S. imports for consumption continued to increase

significantly in 1999. During the last 3 years, imports

increased by 43%. Canada remained the largest shipper of

aluminum materials to the United States, and imports of crude

metal and alloys from Russia reached an all-time high. Total

exports from the United States increased slightly in 1999.

The price of primary ingot on the domestic and the

international markets trended upward during the year, thus

reversing the yearlong downward trend in 1998. The 1999

monthly average domestic price increased by almost 16 cents

per pound from January to December. The annual average,

however, was relatively stable compared with that of the

previous year.

At the end of 1999, world inventories, as reported by the

International Primary Aluminium Institute (IPAI), decreased

compared with those of the previous year. Inventories of

primary metal held by the London Metal Exchange Ltd. (LME)

increased, whereas inventories of aluminum alloy decreased.

Primary aluminum was produced in 44 countries in 1999. 

The United States was the largest producer with 16% 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 3% compared with that of 1998. 

Industry Structure—Mergers

On August 19, Alcoa and Reynolds announced that they had

reached a definitive merger agreement under which Alcoa

would acquire all outstanding shares of Reynolds in a stock-forstock transaction. Alcoa, which was the world’s leading

producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and

alumina, had 215 operating locations in 31 countries. 

Revenues for all of 1999 were $16.3 billion (Alcoa Inc, 2000b,

p. 56). Reynolds, which was the third largest aluminum

company in the world, employed approximately 18,000 people

at more than 100 locations in 24 countries. Reynolds revenues

in 1999 were $4.8 billion (Reynolds Metals Company, 2000, p.

20). The merger was dependent upon the approval of

Reynold’s shareholders, the Antitrust Division of the U.S.

Department of Justice (DOJ), and the European Union (EU)

(Alcoa Inc., 1999e).

On May 3, 2000, Alcoa and Reynolds announced that the

DOJ and the EU had approved their proposed merger and that

the merger had been completed. Reynolds shareholders had

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 will 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., 2000a).

On August 11, 1999, Alcan, Pechiney, and algroup

announced that they had reached agreement on the principal

terms of a proposed merger of the three companies. The

combined company, if approved, would be called A.P.A. and

would employ approximately 91,000 people in 59 countries. In

1999, Alcan, algroup, and Pechiney had combined sales and

operating revenues of $18.9 billion (Alcan Aluminium Limited,

2000c, p. 66; algroup, 2000, p. 34; Pechiney, 2000, p. 161). 

On completion of the proposed merger, Alcan shareholders

would hold 44% of the share capital of A.P.A.; Pechiney, 29%;

and algroup, 27%. The merger was subject to approval by the

companies’ shareholders, the DOJ, and the EU (Alcan

Aluminium Limited, 1999d, p. 1).

On April 13, 2000, the three companies announced their

decision to withdraw the previously announced three-way

merger plan and to terminate their Combination Agreement

insofar as Pechiney was concerned. The companies had been

unable to receive regulatory approval from either the DOJ or

the EU. According to the companies, the required divestments
5.2 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—1999

for approval would have threatened the economic viability of

the proposed three-way merger. The Combination Agreement

between Alcan and algroup, however, remained in effect with

respect to their proposed two-way merger (Alcan Aluminium

Limited, 2000d).

On April 21, Alcan reported that the applicable waiting

period under U.S. antitrust regulations had expired and,

consequently, that there was no U.S. antitrust barrier to

proceeding with the Alcan-algroup merger (Alcan Aluminium

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

commitments made by the companies to alleviate the EU’s

competition concerns in the aluminum 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, 2000).

On June 1, the companies announced that they had reached

agreement on their revised merger plan. Pending shareholder

approval, the merger will involve the combination of a cash

payment and the exchange of 17.1 Alcan common shares for

every algroup share. The combined sales and operating

revenues of the two companies in 1999 was $12.3 billion

(Alcan Aluminium Limited, 2000c, p. 66; algroup, 2000, p.

34). Alcan, which was a leading producer of primary metal

and rolled products, had operations in more than 30 countries

with some 30,000 employees. Algroup, which was one of

Switzerland’s largest corporations, employed more than 23,000

people who were engaged in aluminum and packaging

activities in 18 countries (Alcan Aluminum Limited, 2000b).

Production

Primary.—Domestic primary aluminum production, which

totaled a reported 3,778,608 metric tons (t), increased by 2%

compared with that of 1998 (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. There was also a slight increase in domestic

production capacity (table 2).

Glencore AG acquired Columbia Falls Aluminum Co., which

operated a 168,000-metric-ton-per-year (t/yr) primary

aluminum smelter in Columbia Falls, MT. Prior to the

acquisition, Glencore and Pechiney split production (50-50)

from the smelter under a 5-year tolling agreement that will

expire in October 2000 (Platt’s Metals Week, 1999h). In

October, members of the Aluminium Workers’ Trades Council

AFL-CIO at Columbia Falls signed a new 5-year labor

agreement, which replaced the previous agreement that expired

on October 15. Under the new contract, improvements were

made to the employees’ health insurance and retirement

programs, and hourly wages were increased (Metal Bulletin,

1999f).

Mitsui & Co. Ltd. increased its share in the Ferndale, WA,

and Frederick, MD, primary aluminum smelters with its

purchase of TosTem Corp.’s 9% interest in the plants. After

the purchase, ownership of the plants was Alcoa, 61%; Mitsui,

32%; and YKK Corp., 7% (CRU Aluminium Monitor, 1999).

Southwire Co. began producing metal from the new fifth

potline at its NSA primary aluminum smelter in Hawesville,

KY. The 50,000-t/yr potline, which was expected to be fully

operational by the end of the year, will increase the smelter’s

capacity to 237,000 t/yr (Metal Bulletin, 1999g).

Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. announced the restart

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

Mead, WA (Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp., 1999b). 

Half of the idled 20,000-t/yr potline at Kaiser’s Tacoma, WA,

smelter also was restarted to meet internal requirements. 

Restart of the remaining portion of the Tacoma potline would

depend upon market supply-and-demand considerations. The

capacity at the two smelters had been temporarily idled since

September 1998 (Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp., 2000,

p. 6).

Improvements by Noranda Aluminum Inc. will increase

production capacity at its New Madrid, MO, smelter to 253,000

t/yr by 2003 from 230,000 t/yr in 1999 (Mining Journal,

1999b).

On July 2, Century Aluminum Co. and the United

Steelworkers union (USW) announced the ratification of a new

4-year labor contract that would cover workers at Century’s

168,000-t/yr primary aluminum smelter in Ravenswood, WV. 

The previous contract expired on May 31 (Metal Bulletin,

1999d).

Alcan and the USW agreed to a 5-year labor contract that

would cover workers at Alcan’s 186,000-t/yr Sebree, KY,

primary aluminum smelter. The agreement reportedly included

improvements in wages and benefits. The previous contract

expired on October 28 (Metal Bulletin, 1999a).

Noranda sold its rolling mill in Scottsboro, AL, to Michigan

Avenue Partners. The operation, which was renamed

Scottsboro Aluminum, produced painted and bare aluminum

sheet and welded aluminum tube and had a capacity of

approximately 181,000 t/yr of aluminum products (Metal

Bulletin, 1999l).

Pechiney announced the purchase of Century’s aluminum

rolling mill and cast plate facility. The rolling mill at

Ravenswood, WV, had the capacity to produce 270,000 t/yr of

rolled aluminum products for the aerospace and transportation

markets. The cast plate plant at Vernon, CA, had the capacity

to produce 7,000 t/yr of cast aluminum plate for the machinery

and equipment markets (Pechiney, 1999).

Caradon Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of the United Kingdom’s

Caradon Plc, merged with Easco Inc., the largest independent

aluminum extruder in the United States. Easco operated 8

plants with a total of 21 soft-alloy extrusion presses, and

Caradon ran 13 presses at 2 plants in the United States and 4

plants in Canada. The new company, Indalex Aluminum

Solutions, became North America’s second largest extruder.

Alcoa, which had about 65 presses in North America, was the

largest (Platt’s Metals Week, 1999c).

Coastal Aluminum Rolling Mills Inc. announced a $12

million expansion at its Williamsport, PA, rolling mill. The

major component of the expansion is the addition of a new

light-gauge foil mill capable of producing aluminum foil as

thin as 0.006 millimeter (mm) (0.00025 inch). The new mill

will allow Coastal to enter the aluminum converter foil market

and to produce flexible packaging for the pharmaceutical and
ALUMINUM—1999 5.3

food and beverage markets (Light Metal Age, 1999).

Alcan and ARCO Aluminum Inc. announced a $22 million

expansion of their jointly owned Logan Aluminum Co. rolling

mill in Kentucky. The expansion, which included a new

200,000-t/yr pusher furnace to replace older technology, should

increase plant efficiency and, thereby, increase capacity by

approximately 15,000 t/yr (Alcan Aluminium Limited, 1999b).

Reynolds sold its can complex in Muscle Shoals, AL, to Wise

Alloys LLC, an affiliate of Wise Metals Group LLC. Included

in the sale were a rolling mill, two reclamation plants, and a

coil coating facility (Reynolds Metals Company, 1999c).

Kaiser was in the initial stages of a product mix

enhancement program at its Trentwood, WA, rolling mill. The

company expected to move its product mix away from beverage

can body stock toward higher value-added product lines, such

as beverage can lid and tab stock and products for the

automotive and other niche markets (Kaiser Aluminum &

Chemical Corp., 1999d; Platt’s Metals Week, 1999i).

Secondary.—Metal recovered from new and old scrap

increased to 3.7 Mt in 1999 (table 3), according to data derived

by the USGS from its “Aluminum Scrap” survey. Of the 83

companies and/or plants to which monthly or annual survey

requests were sent, 57 responded, which represented 77% 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, 63.9 billion aluminum UBC’s were

recycled in the United States in 1999. The recycling rate was

62.5%, which was a slight decrease from the 62.8% recycling

rate reported in 1998; the rate is based on the number of cans

shipped during the year. This was the 11th consecutive year in

which the aluminum can recycling rate was greater than 60%. 

According to the organizations’ joint press release, aluminum

beverage cans produced domestically in 1999 had an average

51.2% recycled content, the highest average recycled content

percentage of all packaging materials (Aluminum Association

Inc., 2000a).

Alcan announced plans to add a remelt furnace at its Sebree

plant to process new scrap generated by the company’s

extrusion billet customers. The company also planned to use a

blend of primary aluminum and remelt scrap in its extrusion

billets. The new furnace will have the capacity to handle

50,000 t/yr of scrap. Target date for completion of the $5

million project was the end of 2000 (Platt’s Metals Week,

1999a).

Hydro Aluminum Metal Products, a division of Norsk Hydro

ASA, announced plans to build an aluminum remelt plant in

Henderson, KY, that will process aluminum scrap and produce

aluminum billet. The new plant will have an initial capacity of

90,000 t/yr of “primary quality” billet and should be in

operation in 2001. The state-of-the-art technology, which was

being used in other Hydro remelt plants in Europe, reportedly

ensured a product that would be interchangeable with primary

aluminum billet produced from smelters (Metal Bulletin,

1999i).

Delta Group Inc. has installed a new 3,400-metric-ton-permonth (t/mo) (7.5-million-pound-per-month) furnace at its

secondary aluminum plant in Muskego, WI. The new furnace

replaces the company’s old 2,000-t/mo (4.5-million-pound-permonth) furnace at the same location (Platt’s Metals Week,

1999f).

CM Metals, which purchased secondary aluminum producer

Gettysburg Foundry and Alloys in November 1998, announced

plans to move a large portion of that plant’s 2,270-t/mo (5-

million-pound-per-month) capacity to a Chicago location and

to begin production of 1,360 t/mo (3 million pounds per month)

of secondary aluminum alloys by the end of the year. The

company planned to bring the remaining capacity at the

Gettysburg plant online sometime in 2001 (Platt’s Metals

Week, 1999l). 

Superior Aluminum Alloys announced plans to add a third

furnace at its New Haven, IN, plant. The expansion would add

from 27,200 to 38,600 t/yr (60-85 million pounds per year) to

the smelter’s output, which has been estimated to fall in the

range of 54,400 to 68,000 t/yr (120-150 million pounds per

year) of secondary aluminum (Platt’s Metals Week, 1999m).

Resource LLC opened a new secondary aluminum smelter in

Friendly, WV. The first of four planned furnaces was in

operation and had a capacity to process more than 2,700 t/mo

(6 million pounds per month) of dross concentrates, white

dross, and scrap. The second of these tilting rotary furnaces

was planned for startup by the end of the year. Resource was

also installing a cold processing line capable of concentrating

7,300 t/mo (16 million pounds per month) of black dross and

salt cake to be used as feed for its own furnaces or sold (Metal

Bulletin, 1999m).

IMCO Recycling Inc. purchased Alcan’s secondary

aluminum alloys plant in Shelbyville, TN. The plant had the

capacity to produce 54,400 t/yr (120 million pounds per year)

of specification aluminum alloys. The facility was built in 1989

and is located near numerous producers of automobiles and

auto and truck components (IMCO Recycling Inc., 1999a).

IMCO also announced that it had signed a contract to supply

approximately 1.36 Mt (3 billion pounds) of recycled aluminum

metal to Commonwealth Industries Inc. during a 10-year

period. The metal will be produced at IMCO’s Uhrichsville,

OH, plant and will be delivered in molten form to

Commonwealth’s rolling mill, which is located nearby. To

meet the terms of the new contract, IMCO began an $8.5

million expansion project that included the installation of two

new reverberatory furnaces and other improvements at the

Uhrichsville plant. When completed in 2000, the expansion

will increase the facility’s rated capacity to 272,000 t/yr (600

million pounds per year) from 163,000 t/yr (360 million pounds

per year) (IMCO Recycling Inc., 1999b).

IMCO also signed a long-term supply contract with General

Motors Corp. (GM). IMCO agreed to supply GM with more

than 907,000 t of secondary aluminum specification alloys

during the next 13 years. The metal will be produced at

IMCO’s plants at Coldwater, MI, and Shelbyville, TN, until a

proposed new secondary smelter at Zilwaukee, MI, can be built

(Platt’s Metals Week, 1999p; Wrigley, 1999b).

Wise Alloys LLC announced plans to restart the Southern

Reclamation aluminum scrap recycling facility in Muscle

Shoals, AL, that it had purchased from Reynolds earlier in the

year (Reynolds Metals Company, 1999c). The facility, which
5.4 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—1999

had been idle for more than a year, is capable of processing

6,800 to 8,200 t/mo (15-18 million pounds per month) of

aluminum UBC’s. The molten metal produced at the plant will

be transported to the company’s rolling mill, which is also

located in Muscle Shoals (Platt’s Metals Week, 1999n).

ACX Technologies Inc. sold Golden Aluminum Company,

its subsidiary, to Alcoa (Alcoa Inc., 1999b). Golden ownership

had reverted to ACX in August when Crown Cork & Seal

Company Inc. exercised its option to return the plants to ACX

(Platt’s Metals Week, 1999b). Golden’s operations included a

rolling facility in Ft. Lupton, CO, that produced up to 31,800

t/yr (70 million pounds per year) of coated and mill finished

sheet for food and beverage containers, as well as an idled

rolling facility in San Antonio, TX. Under a consent decree

with the DOJ, Alcoa agreed to sell the Ft. Lupton facility. 

Alcoa planned to retain the San Antonio plant for development

work and non-can sheet production (Alcoa Inc., 1999b).

Consumption

In 1999, the transportation industry accounted for 3.6 Mt of

total U.S. shipments of aluminum products (table 6). The

container and packaging industry, which was the second largest

domestic end use market, consumed more than 2.3 Mt of

aluminum products. Total shipments of aluminum products to

domestic users increased by approximately 6% in 1999

compared with those of 1998.

Drucker Research Company Inc. released a report in which

past trends and future growth potential of aluminum use in

North American passenger cars and light trucks were analyzed.

According to Drucker, the aluminum content has increased to

approximately 115 kilograms (kg) (250 pounds) per vehicle in

1999 from 45 kg (100 pounds) per vehicle in the late 1970’s, a

compound growth rate of more than 4% per year during the 20

year period; in the past 8 years alone, aluminum usage has

grown by almost 30 kg (65 pounds) per vehicle. Drucker

predicted a 2.5% to 3.0% compound annual growth rate for

average vehicle aluminum content during the next 10 years.

The aluminum content by 2010 is projected to be about 147 kg

(325 pounds) per vehicle, 104 kg of cast products and 43 kg of

mill products (Schultz and Haupricht, 1999).

Ford Motor Co. signed a letter of intent to acquire Troy

Design & Manufacturing Co. (TDM), a designer of metal

fabricating tools with special skills in aluminum parts-stamping

dies. The unusual acquisition reportedly underscored Ford’s

plans to produce lightweight vehicles with aluminum bodies

and structural components. TDM, which had

engineering/design service facilities in Redford and Warren,

MI, was regarded as one of the top companies in automotive

draw die development work (Wrigley, 1999a).

Kaiser announced the sale of its 50% interest in AKW to

Accuride Corporation, Kaiser’s partner in the joint venture. 

AKW was formed in 1997 to design, manufacture, and sell

heavy duty aluminum wheels (Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical

Corp., 1999a).

Alcoa acquired the remaining 50% interest in A-CMI from

Hayes Lemmerz International Inc. A-CMI was a joint venture

formed in 1995 between Alcoa and CMI International to

produce cast aluminum products for the automotive industry.

Hayes Lemmerz had purchased CMI International in February

1999. A-CMI’s plants were located in Kentucky, Michigan,

and Norway (Alcoa Inc., 1999a).

Despite an increase (0.2%) in the number of aluminum cans

shipped in the United States in 1999 (Aluminum Association

Inc., 2000a), several packaging companies announced plans to

close aluminum can manufacturing facilities. Crown Cork &

Seal announced plans to close its 1.2-billion-can-per-year

Atlanta, GA, aluminum beverage can plant (Platt’s Metals

Week, 1999e). Ball Corporation announced that it would close

one of its two beverage can manufacturing plants in Tampa,

FL. The plant, which had been acquired from Reynolds in

1998, produced approximately 1.5 billion aluminum beverage

cans per year (Ball Corporation, 1999). American National

Can Group Inc. (ANC) announced that it would close its

Piscataway, NJ, aluminum can plant. The reasons cited were

overcapacity in the industry as a whole and in the ANC system,

as well as the location of a comparable, slightly smaller ANC

plant just 12 miles away in Monmouth Junction, NJ (Platt’s

Metals Week, 1999o).

Stocks

Domestic inventories of aluminum ingot, mill products, and

scrap decreased to 1.87 Mt at yearend 1999 from 1.93 Mt at

yearend 1998 (Aluminum Association Inc., 2000b). The LME

reported that its U.S. warehouses held 12,700 t of primary

aluminum metal ingot compared with approximately 11,300 t

at yearend 1998. It also reported that aluminum alloy ingot at

its U.S. warehouses at yearend 1999 totaled 860 t, a significant

decrease from the 1,500 t held at yearend 1998 (London Metal

Exchange, 1999).

Prices

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

metal, as reported by Platt’s Metals Week, trended upward

during the year. The monthly average price began the year at

58.8 cents per pound and by December, the monthly average

had risen to 74.7 cents per pound, which was an increase of

almost 16 cents per pound for the year. The average price for

the year was 65.7 cents per pound, a very slight increase

compared with the 1998 average annual price of 65.5 cents per

pound (table 1).

The LME cash price for high-grade primary aluminum ingot

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

1999 average annual LME cash price was 61.7 cents per pound.

Purchase prices for aluminum scrap, as quoted by American

Metal Market, followed the general trend of primary ingot

prices, and scrap prices, which closed the year at significantly

higher levels than those at the beginning of the year, averaged

more than 10 cents per pound higher than those at yearend

1998. The yearend price ranges for selected types of aluminum

scrap were as follows: mixed low-copper-content aluminum

clips, 53.5 to 54.5 cents per pound; old sheet and cast

aluminum, 48.5 to 49.5 cents per pound; and clean, dry

aluminum turnings, 48.5 to 49.5 cents per pound.
ALUMINUM—1999 5.5

Aluminum producers’ buying price range for processed and

delivered UBC’s, as quoted by American Metal Market, also

trended upward during the year. The price range began the

year at 44 to 45 cents per pound and closed the year at 57 to 59

cents per pound. Resource Recycling published a monthly

transaction price for aluminum UBC’s in its Container

Recycling Report. During the year, the monthly average

increased significantly from 44.4 cents per pound in January to

59.6 cents per pound in December. Similar to the U.S. market

price trend of primary aluminum ingot, however, the annual

average price for 1999 of 50.6 cents per pound was only

marginally higher than the 1998 annual average of 50.0 cents

per pound.

The yearend indicator prices for selected secondary

aluminum ingots, as published in American Metal Market, also

increased significantly compared with those of 1998. The

closing prices for 1999 were as follows: alloy 380 (1% zinc

content), 78.34 cents per pound; alloy 360 (0.6% copper

content), 81.78 cents per pound; alloy 413 (0.6% copper

content), 81.48 cents per pound; and alloy 319, 81.06 cents per

pound. Platt’s Metals Week published an annual average U.S.

price of 65.05 cents per pound for A-380 alloy (3% zinc

content). The average annual LME cash price for a similar 380

alloy was 54.03 cents per pound.

The New York Mercantile Exchange launched a new

Commodity Exchange (COMEX) aluminum futures contract on

May 14. The futures contract called for Midwest delivery with

a minimum grade of P1020A, or 99.7% purity, in

approximately 20-t (44,000-pound) lots. The first two COMEX

warehouses were located at Owensboro, KY, and Clarksville,

TN (Platt’s Metals Week, 1999q).

Foreign Trade

Total exports from the United States increased slightly in

1999 compared with those of 1998 (table 8). Exports of

semifabricated materials and crude metals and alloys increased,

but exports of aluminum scrap declined compared with those of

1998 (table 9). Almost three-fourths of total U.S. exports were

accounted for, in decreasing order of shipments, by Canada,

Mexico, and Japan.

Imports for consumption continued to increase significantly

in 1999 compared with those of the previous year (table 10).

During the past 3 years, imports have increased by 43%. 

Canada remained the major source country by supplying 55%

of the total imports in 1999 (table 11). Russia continued to be

the second largest supplier of aluminum materials. Imports of

crude metal and alloys from Russia increased significantly

(18%) in 1999 and reached an all-time high of more than

711,000 t.

World Review

To meet the increased worldwide demand for aluminum,

production of primary aluminum metal increased by 3% in

1999 compared with that of 1998 (table 12). The U.S. demand

remained strong, and demand in European and Asian markets

improved during the course of the year.

In 1999, the IPAI revised the guidelines that govern the

reporting of aluminum inventories and published dual sets of

data for 1999. The switchover to the new guidelines became

official with 2000 data. A full explanation of and reasons for

the change can be obtained from IPAI directly. The contact

information can be found on their web site at URL

http://www.world-aluminium.org/.

From the end of January through the end of December 1999,

inventories of unwrought aluminum, as reported by IPAI,

decreased by approximately 180,000 t (old inventory definition)

or 100,000 t (new definition). Dual data for the end of selected

months, where available, are given below.

Using the old definition, unwrought aluminum inventories

held by members of the IPAI were as follows: December 1998,

1.69 Mt; January 1999, 1.73 Mt; and December 1999, 1.55 Mt. 

Total metal inventories were as follows: December 1998, 3.16

Mt; January 1999, 3.18 Mt; and December 1999, 2.96 Mt

(International Primary Aluminium Institute, 2000a).

Using the new definitions, yearend 1998 data were not

available. Unwrought aluminum inventories were as follows:

January 1999, 1.90 Mt, and December 1999, 1.80 Mt. Total

inventories were as follows: January 1999, 3.34 Mt, and

December 1999, 3.18 Mt (International Primary Aluminium

Institute, 2000b).

Inventories of primary aluminum metal held by the LME,

however, increased to 774,000 t at yearend 1999 from 636,000 t

at yearend 1998, whereas aluminum alloy inventories followed

the IPAI inventory trend and decreased to 78,000 t at yearend

1999 from 96,000 t at yearend 1998 (London Metal Exchange,

1999).

Argentina.—Aluar Aluminio SA completed the $349 million

expansion at its Puerto Madryn primary aluminum smelter in

Argentina. The 72,000-t/yr expansion increased capacity at the

smelter to 260,000 t/yr (Metal Bulletin, 1999c).

Australia.—Tomago Aluminium Company Pty Limited

completed an upgrade of its primary aluminum smelter in New

South Wales. Two of the plant’s existing potlines were

upgraded, and 80 new pots were added to the lines, which

increased capacity at the smelter to 440,000 t/yr. Participants

in the smelter were Pechiney Pacific Pty Limited (36.05%),

Gove Aluminium Finance Limited (36.05%), TOA Pty Limited

(15.5%), VAW Australia Pty Limited (6.2%), and V.A.W.

Tomago, Inc. (6.2%) (Metal Bulletin, 1999n).

Brazil.—Norsk Hydro entered into a 10-year purchasing

agreement with Vale do Rio Doce Alumínio S.A. (Aluvale) for

approximately 1 Mt of primary aluminum metal from the

Alumínio Brasileiro S.A. (Albras) smelter in Barcarena. The

345,000-t/yr Albras smelter was jointly owned by Aluvale

(51%), a wholly owned subsidiary of Companhia Vale do Rio

Doce (CVRD), and the Japanese group Nippon Amazon

Aluminium Co. Ltd. (NAAC) (49%) (Burgert, 1999).

Alcoa Alumínio S.A., Alcoa’s Brazilian subsidiary, planned

to build a 72,000-unit-per-year aluminum wheel plant in

Pernambuco. Initially, the plant will only finish wheels

imported in unfinished form from Alcoa’s wheel plant in

Hungary. When the Brazilian market increases its need for

aluminum wheels, Alcoa expects to build a $35 million second

stage that will produce unfinished wheels (Kepp, 1999).
5.6 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—1999

Reynolds launched Reyco, a food service packaging and

consumer products subsidiary that will operate a new

manufacturing facility in Sao Paulo. The Reyco facility, which

began operations on April 12, will produce food service

packaging products, including aluminum foil containers and

institutional aluminum foil and film wrap, under the Reynolds

brand name. Consumer products will include aluminum foil,

plastic wrap, aluminum foil containers, and plastic bags. Reyco

will focus initially on the Brazilian market with plans to

expand throughout South America in the near future (Reynolds

Metals Company, 1999b).

Canada.—Alcan announced that it would invest an

additional $136 million at its 375,000-t/yr primary aluminum

smelter under construction at Alma, Quebec. The additional

funds will be spent on new equipment for the smelter’s casting

house to produce foundry ingot for the automotive industry and

aluminum rod for the energy transmission market (Metal

Bulletin, 1999b).

Alcan announced the permanent closure of its 75,000-t/yr

primary aluminum smelter at Isle-Maligne Works, Quebec. 

The closure, originally scheduled for September 2000, was

completed by yearend 1999 (Alcan Aluminium Limited,

1999a).

In July, Alcan and the Canadian Auto Workers union

reached agreement on terms for a new 3-year labor contract

that would cover workers at the primary aluminum smelter at

Kitimat, British Columbia. The plan included a 1% basic pay

raise and a performance bonus scheme that could pay out from

3% to as much as 6% per year. A committee was formed to

review pension provisions (Metal Bulletin, 1999j).

Alcan also announced that it would invest $46 million to

expand production of aluminum rolled sheet for the automotive

and distribution markets. The expansion, which was scheduled

for completion by the end of 2000, will increase production at

the Kingston, Ontario, plant by 40% during the next several

years. Aluminum sheet produced at Kingston was used by

automakers for exterior body panel applications, such as doors,

fenders, hoods, and trunks (Alcan Aluminium Limited, 1999e).

China.—China Aluminium Corp. (Chalco), which was

formally inaugurated at the beginning of August, took over the

management of China’s aluminum assets that were formerly

controlled by the State Bureau of Nonferrous Metals Industry. 

Chalco’s stated goals are to reduce production costs at smelters

under its management and to attract foreign investment. Some

of the major aluminum smelters and refineries managed by

Chalco include Shanxi, Shandong, Great Wall Aluminium Co.,

Pingguo, and Qinghai. In all, approximately 1 Mt of aluminum

smelter production capacity would be under its control (Metal

Bulletin, 1999e).

Alcoa and Chalco signed a memorandum of understanding

(MOU) to form a strategic partnership expected to involve the

association of several aluminum production facilities of Chalco

and Alcoa. This MOU, which was expected to be finalized by

the end of June 2000, will supersede the MOU Alcoa entered

into last year with the China State Nonferrous Metals Industry

Administration (Alcoa Inc., 1999f).

Dubai.—Dubai Aluminium Co. (Dubal) completed its $725

million Condor expansion project 3 months ahead of schedule. 

The 240-cell expansion, which was energized in early October,

increased capacity at the primary aluminum smelter to 536,000

t/yr from 390,000 t/yr, thus making it the largest stand-alone

aluminum smelter in the Western world (Platt’s Metals Week,

1999g).

Lucky Recycling Ltd. announced plans to double capacity at

its 1,000-t/mo secondary aluminum smelter to 2,000 t/mo by

mid-2000. A new reverberatory furnace will be installed

alongside the old induction furnace. The old furnace produced

high-grade diecasting alloys from clean, purer grades of scrap,

whereas the new furnace will use more irony aluminum scrap

to produce commodity grade ingots (Metal Bulletin, 1999k).

Egypt.—Alcoa signed a MOU with the Egyptian

Government’s Holding Company for Metallurgical Industries

and The Aluminium Co. of Egypt (Egyptalum), its subsidiary

company, on the terms of an Alcoa majority-owned strategic

partnership designed to modernize Egyptalum’s operations and

improve the company’s competitiveness. Egyptalum’s

aluminum operations included a 180,000-t/yr primary

aluminum smelter, a rolling mill, and a soft-alloy extrusion

plant in Nag-Hammady. Negotiations for a definitive

agreement were expected to be completed in 2000 (Alcoa Inc.,

1999c).

Finland.—Foster Wheeler Service Oy has been awarded a

contract by Corenso United Oy Ltd. to supply a bubbling-bed

gasifier and gas boiler for a recycling project in Varkaus that

would recover 2,200 t/yr of aluminum from food and drink

packaging. The gasification plant and steam boiler were

designed to burn the gas that results from the recycling of the

coreboard in the packaging. The recovered aluminum would be

cast into blocks and then further processed at an aluminum foil

plant (Worden, 1999).

France.—Pechiney restarted a combined 18,000 t/yr of idled

capacity at its Auzat and Lannemezan primary aluminum

smelters in France. Auzat and Lannemezan were each capable

of producing about 45,000 t/yr of aluminum ingot (Platt’s

Metals Week, 1999j, k).

Germany.—VAW Aluminium AG signed a letter of intent to

purchase three aluminum foil rolling mills from the Swedish

group Gränges AB. Gränges’ Eurofoil group had annual sales

of $170 million and about 460 employees. Its production

facilities in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Sweden made about

60,000 t/yr of thin aluminum foil. The purchase would

increase VAW’s output of rolled products to about 700,000 t/yr

(Burgert and Köhl, 1999).

Ghana.—Volta Aluminium Co. (Valco) primary aluminum

smelter, which was 90% owned by Kaiser, received a power

allocation for 2000 and 2001 from the Volta River Authority

that will allow it to reopen another potline; that is, Valco will

be able to operate four of five potlines, which is equivalent to

about 80% of its 200,000-t/yr capacity, during each of those 2

years (Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp., 1999c).

Iceland.—Hydro Aluminium A.S., a wholly owned

subsidiary of Norsk Hydro, and Icelandic authorities have

agreed to study the feasibility of building a primary aluminum

smelter on the eastern coast of Iceland at Reydarfjördur. The

smelter would have an initial capacity of 120,000 t/yr. The

studies were expected to take a year to complete (Norsk Hydro
ALUMINUM—1999 5.7

ASA, 1999).

Expansion at Columbia Ventures Corp.’s 60,000-t/yr Nordic

Aluminum Corp. (Nordural) primary aluminum smelter has

been delayed. Plans had called for the smelter to expand by

30,000 t/yr at the beginning of 1999, but the availability of

additional power and the completion of financing for the

project have fallen behind schedule. Once construction begins,

it will take 13 to 15 months to complete the project (Platt’s

Metals Week, 1999d).

Korea, Republic of.—Alcan and Taihan Electric Wire Co.,

Ltd. (TEC) announced the formation of Alcan Taihan

Aluminum Limited, a jointly owned company to serve the

aluminum rolled products market throughout the Asia-Pacific

region. Alcan, which held a 56% equity interest in the

company, assumed management responsibility for all aspects of

the business. The new company consisted of the rolling assets

previously held by TEC, which included casting, hot and cold

rolling, and finishing operations. The facility’s output was

anticipated to increase from the 1999 estimated output of

100,000 t/yr to a target capacity of 300,000 t/yr during the next

5 years (Alcan Aluminium Limited, 1999c).

Malaysia.—A Japanese-Malaysian joint-venture aluminum

can manufacturing plant with an annual production capacity of

500 million can bodies and 700 million ends began operations. 

KJM Aluminum Can Sdn. Bhd., owned by Mitsubishi

Materials Corp. (25%), Mitsubishi Corp. (15%), and

Malaysia’s Kian Joo Can Factory Berhad (60%), is located

about 50 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpur. Production from

the plant will be marketed in Malaysia and other Asian

countries (Furukawa, 1999).

Netherlands.—Koninkliijke Hoogovens N.V., parent

company of Hoogovens Aluminium, merged with British Steel. 

Corus Group plc, the new company, will retain Hoogovens’

aluminum smelters, extrusion plants, and rolling mills. 

Hoogovens’ primary aluminum smelters included the 110,000-

t/yr Delfzijl smelter in the Netherlands, the 85,000-t/yr Voerde

smelter in Germany, and a 20% share of the 230,000-t/yr

Alouette smelter in Canada (Metal Bulletin, 1999h).

Nigeria.—On June 9, the Aluminium Smelter Co. of Nigeria

(Alscon) suspended operations at its 193,000-t/yr Ikot Abasi

primary aluminum smelter because of a lack of working capital. 

The smelter, which was commissioned in 1997, has only

managed a 29% production rate at best. The smelter was

jointly owned by the Nigerian Government (70%), Ferrostaal of

Germany (20%), and Reynolds (10%) (Mining Journal, 1999a).

Norway.—Elkem ASA began reconstruction work on

potlines 1 and 2 at its primary aluminum smelter in Lista. 

According to Elkem, the conversion of the lines to Elkem’s

new Soderberg technology will improve environmental

conditions and cost efficiencies at the plant (Elkem ASA, 2000,

p. 18).

Spain.—Alcoa completed the acquisition of Reynolds’

aluminum extrusion plant in Irurzun, as well as its distribution

operation for architectural systems, which had warehouses in

several cities in Spain. The Irurzun plant has the capacity to

produce 22,000 t/yr of soft alloy extrusions for use primarily in

industrial and residential building applications (Reynolds

Metals Company, 1999a).

Suriname.—In the first half of the year, Alcoa shut down its

30,000-t/yr primary aluminum smelter for an indefinite period

of time. The decision was based on high relative production

costs and power supply problems caused by low rainfall (Alcoa

Inc., 1999g).

Turkey.—Alcoa and Kibar Holding Company of Turkey

signed a Letter of Intent to form a strategic alliance with

respect to Assan Alüminyum, Kibar’s Turkish aluminum

business. Assan was the leading aluminum rolled products

producer in Turkey. Its continuous casting operation had the

capacity to produce 60,000 t/yr of aluminum castings. 

Expansion programs were expected to increase capacity to

90,000 t/yr by the end of 1999 (Alcoa Inc., 1999d).

Ukraine.—Zaporozhye Aluminum Works opened a wire rod

mill capable of producing 15,000 t/yr of 9- to 15-mm diameter

rod. The plant operated initially at 25% of capacity and was

expected to reach 75% of capacity by the end of 1999 (Metal

Bulletin, 1999o).

Zaporozhye also completed the first stage of a facility to

produce aluminum foil and packaging materials. The second

stage, a cold-rolled sheet mill, should be completed by the end

of 2000, and the third stage, which will produce 36,000 t/yr of

aluminum foil, was scheduled for completion in the first half of

2001 (Interfax Mining & Metals Report, 1999).

Outlook

Aluminum demand in the United States and the rest of the

world should remain strong with the major growth area

continuing to be the transportation industry, especially the

automotive market. World production should also increase and

keep pace with demand despite some short term idling of

capacity in the United States during the first half of 2000 owing

to increases in domestic energy costs. At yearend 1999, two

major greenfield smelter projects under construction were

nearing completion. One, a smelter in Mozambique, poured its

first metal in June 2000, 6 months ahead of schedule

(Mozambique Aluminium Co., 2000). To meet the anticipated

increase in future demand, additional greenfield and brownfield

expansions are being considered.

References Cited

Alcan Aluminium Limited, 1999a, Alcan Aluminium Limited announces reduction

in primary metal production: Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Limited press

release, March 22, 1 p.

———1999b, Alcan and ARCO Aluminum announce Logan expansion and new

operating agreement: Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Limited press release, April

22, 1 p.

———1999c, Alcan and Taihan Electric Wire Co. launch new Korean company: 

Montreal, Canada, and Seoul, South Korea, Alcan Aluminium Limited press

release, September 30, 2 p.

———1999d, Alcan, Pechiney, and algroup announce proposed merger to form

world’s largest aluminium company and global leader in both flexible and

specialty packaging: Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Limited press release, August

11, 22 p.

———1999e, Alcan to expand Kingston, Ontario plant to meet market growth for

auto sheet and distribution: Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Limited press release,

March 2, 1 p.

———2000a, Alcan Aluminium Limited advises that the applicable waiting

period under U.S. antitrust regulations with respect to the proposed Alcanalgroup merger has expired: Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Limited press release,

April 21, 1 p.
5.8 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—1999

———2000b, Alcan and algroup to merge: Montreal, Canada, and Zurich,

Switzerland, Alcan Aluminium Limited press release, June 1, 2 p.

———2000c, Annual report—1999: Montreal, Alcan Aluminium Limited, 69 p.

———2000d, Proposed Alcan-Pechiney-algroup merger will not proceed; Alcanalgroup merger agreement remains in force: Montreal, Canada, Paris, France,

and Zurich, Switzerland, Alcan Aluminium Limited press release, April 13, 2 p.

Alcoa Inc., 1999a, Alcoa acquires remaining 50% interest in A-CMI from Hayes

Lemmerz: Pittsburgh, PA, and Northville, MI, Alcoa Inc. press release, August

2, 1 p.

———1999b, Alcoa and ACX close sale of Golden Aluminum; agreement

reached with DOJ for sale of Ft. Lupton: Pittsburgh, PA, and Golden, CO,

Alcoa Inc. press release, November 2, 1 p.

———1999c, Alcoa and Egyptalum sign memorandum of understanding: 

Pittsburgh, PA, Alcoa Inc. press release, August 11, 1 p.

———1999d, Alcoa and Kibar Holding Company sign letter of intent: Pittsburgh,

PA, and Istanbul, Turkey, Alcoa Inc. press release, August 10, 1 p.

———1999e, Alcoa and Reynolds agree to merge: Pittsburgh, PA, and

Richmond, VA, Alcoa Inc. press release, August 19, 2 p.

———1999f, Alcoa signs memorandum of understanding with China Aluminum

Corp. (Chalco): Pittsburgh, PA, and Beijing, China, Alcoa Inc. press release,

November 8, 1 p.

———1999g, Alcoa to shut down Suralco smelter: Pittsburgh, PA, Alcoa Inc.

press release, March 23, 1 p.

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

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

———2000b, Annual report—1999: Pittsburgh, PA, Alcoa Inc., 67 p.

algroup, 2000, Annual report—1999: Zurich, algroup, 72 p.

Aluminum Association Inc., 2000a, Aluminum can recycling rate is 62.5 percent

for 1999: Washington, DC, Aluminum Association Inc. press release, April 6, 4

p.

———2000b, The aluminum situation: Aluminum Association Inc., February, 4

p.

Ball Corporation, 1999, Ball Corporation announces plans to close acquired

Tampa, Fla., beverage can plant: Broomfield, CO, Ball Corporation press

release, April 13, 1 p.

Burgert, Philip, 1999, Hydro lines up Brazilian supply: American Metal Market,

v. 107, no. 203, October 21, p. 1, 12.

Burgert, Philip, and Köhl, Christian, 1999, VAW buying units from Gränges,

Japan’s MCC: American Metal Market, v. 107, no. 212, November 3, p. 16.

CRU Aluminium Monitor, 1999, Industry news: CRU Aluminium Monitor, April,

p. 12.

Elkem ASA, 2000, Annual report—1999: Oslo, Elkem ASA, 75 p.

Furukawa, Tsukasa, 1999, Malaysian can plant starts up: American Metal

Market, v. 107, no. 134, July 14, p. 5.

IMCO Recycling Inc., 1999a, IMCO Recycling completes purchase of Tennessee

aluminum alloys plant: Irving, TX, IMCO Recycling Inc. press release,

February 2, 1 p.

———1999b, IMCO Recycling signs new supply contract, plans expansion at its

Uhrichsville, Ohio plant: Irving, TX, IMCO Recycling Inc. press release, April

22, 1 p.

Interfax Mining & Metals Report, 1999, Zaporozhye Aluminum builds first stage

of foil mill: Interfax Mining & Metals Report, v. 8, issue 52, December 17-23,

p. 10.

International Primary Aluminium Institute, 2000a, Aluminium inventories: 

International Primary Aluminium Institute Form 350, February 10, 2 p.

———2000b, Aluminium inventories: International Primary Aluminium Institute

Form 351, February 10, 2 p.

Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp., 1999a, Kaiser Aluminum completes

previously announced sale of interest in AKW: Houston, TX, Kaiser Aluminum

& Chemical Corp. press release, April 1, 1 p.

———1999b, Kaiser Aluminum set for partial restart of capacity in Pacific

Northwest: Houston, TX, Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. press release,

February 2, 1 p.

———1999c, Kaiser Aluminum’s Valco smelter receives power allocation

sufficient for four-line operation in 2000 and 2001: Houston, TX, Kaiser

Aluminum & Chemical Corp. press release, December 16, 1 p.

———1999d, Kaiser Aluminum to enhance product mix in flat-rolled products

business: Houston, TX, Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. press release,

December 15, 2 p.

———2000, Form 10-K—1999: Securities and Exchange Commission, 71 p.

Kepp, Michael, 1999, Alcoa rolls out plan for Brazil wheel plant: American Metal

Market, v. 107, no. 226, November 23, p. 6.

Light Metal Age, 1999, Coastal expansion: Light Metal Age, v. 57, no. 5, 6, June,

p. 82.

London Metal Exchange, 1999, Aluminium stocks: London Metal Exchange,

December 30, 2 p.

Metal Bulletin, 1999a, Alcan agrees Sebree labour pact: Metal Bulletin, no. 8423,

November 4, p. 12.

———1999b, Alma investment increased by C$200m: Metal Bulletin, no. 8424,

November 8, p. 5.

———1999c, Aluar completes primary smelter expansion: Metal Bulletin, no.

8427, November 18, p. 5.

———1999d, Century agrees contract, Ormet in further negotiations: Metal

Bulletin, no. 8391, July 8, p. 4.

———1999e, Chalco aims to cut costs, seek foreign investments: Metal Bulletin,

no. 8401, August 16, p. 6.

———1999f, Columbia Falls agrees new labour contract: Metal Bulletin, no.

8420, October 25, p. 7.

———1999g, Hawesville expansion comes on stream at Southwire: Metal

Bulletin, no. 8371, April 29, p. 4.

———1999h, Hoogovens’ Al operations to be retained by BSKH: Metal Bulletin,

no. 8383, June 10, p. 3.

———1999i, Hydro to produce ‘primary’ billet from remelt in Kentucky: Metal

Bulletin, no. 8389, July 1, p. 10.

———1999j, Kitimat back on line after labour stoppage: Metal Bulletin, no.

8397, July 29, p. 5.

———1999k, Lucky Recycling to double capacity: Metal Bulletin, no. 8424,

November 8, p. 12.

———1999l, Norandal rolling mill purchase is completed: Metal Bulletin, no.

8364, April 1, p. 9.

———1999m, Resource starts first of four secondary aluminium furnaces: Metal

Bulletin, no. 8383, June 10, p. 9.

———1999n, Tomago smelter upgrade completed: Metal Bulletin, no. 8340,

January 7, p. 9.

———1999o, Zaporozhye starts wire rod production: Metal Bulletin, no. 8387,

June 24, p. 5.

Mining Journal, 1999a, Ikot Abasi shuts down: Mining Journal, v. 332, no. 8536,

June 18, p. 460.

———1999b, Noranda building on a firm base: Mining Journal, v. 332, no.

8523, March 19, p. 191.

Mozambique Aluminium Co., 2000, First aluminium produced at Mozal: London,

Mozambique Aluminium Co. press release, June 18, 2 p.

Norsk Hydro ASA, 1999, Hydro to look closer at Iceland aluminium project: 

Oslo, Norsk Hydro ASA press release, June 30, 1 p.

Pechiney, 1999, Pechiney completes purchase of Century’s two aluminum

fabrication plants: Paris, Pechiney press release, September 21, 1 p.

———2000, Form 20-F—1999: Securities and Exchange Commission, 167 p.

Platt’s Metals Week, 1999a, Alcan Sebree plan to squeeze US aluminum scrap

market: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 70, no. 32, August 9, p. 2-3.

———1999b, Alcoa grab for Golden leaves full outcome uncertain: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 70, no. 35, August 30, p. 12.

———1999c, Caradon/Easco start extrusion consolidation trend: Platt’s Metals

Week, v. 70. no. 31, August 2, p. 5-6.

———1999d, Columbia to finalize Iceland expansion early next year: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 70, no. 49, December 6, p. 12.

———1999e, Crown closes Atlanta plant: Platt’s Metals Week. v. 70, no. 11,

March 12, p. 13.

———1999f, Delta’s Muskego plant producing: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 70, no.

30, July 26, p. 6.

———1999g, Dubal expansion done: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 70, no. 42, October

18, p. 16.

———1999h, Glencore agrees to acquire Columbia Falls Aluminum: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 70, no. 21, May 24, p. 3.

———1999i, Kaiser Trentwood mill joins shift away from cansheet: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 70, no. 51, December 20, p. 12-13.

———1999j, Pechiney holds despite outlook: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 70, no.

121, March 22, p. 7.

———1999k Pechiney restarts may lead others, but majors hold: Platt’s Metals

Week, v. 70, no. 4, January 25, p. 5-6.

———1999l, Secondaries seek to revive capacity, increase prices: Platt’s Metals

Week, v. 70, no. 9, March 1, p. 10.

———1999m, Superior to expand: Platt’s Metals Week, v. 70, no. 13, March 29,

p. 13.

———1999n, Wise to restart Southern Reclamation, boost Shoals mill output: 

Platt’s Metals Week, v. 70, no. 41, October 11, p. 13.

———1999o, ANC to close plant [sic] can plant; market questionable: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 70, no. 52, December 27, p. 5-6.

———1999p, GM to manage aluminum supply, output in IMCO contract: Platt’s

Metals Week, v. 70, no. 11, March 12, p. 1, 11-12.

———1999q, NYMEX aluminum off and running—Off-market trade seen: 

Platt’s Metals Week, v. 70, no. 20, p. 1, 7.
ALUMINUM—1999 5.9

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

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

Reynolds Metals Company, 1999a, Alcoa completes purchase of Reynolds’

extrusion plant in Irurzun Spain: Richmond, VA, Reynolds Metals Company

press release, March 31, 1 p.

———1999b, Reynolds Metals Company announces expansion of packaging and

consumer products business into South America: Richmond, VA, Reynolds

Metals Company press release, April 15, 1 p.

———1999c, Reynolds Metals completes sale of Alabama can stock complex to

Wise Alloys: Richmond, VA, Reynolds Metals Company press release, March

31, 2 p.

———2000, Form 10-K405—1999: Securities and Exchange Commission, 76 p.

Shultz, R.A., and Haupricht, W.J., 1999, Trends in aluminum use for passenger

cars and light trucks in North America: Light Metal Age, v. 57, no. 1, 2,

February, p. 108-113. 

Worden, Edward, 1999, Finns eye aluminum recovery: American Metal Market,

v. 107, no. 178, September 15, p. 9.

Wrigley, Al, 1999a, Ford prepares for aluminum vehicles: American Metal

Market, v. 107, no. 15, January 25, p. 4.

———1999b, Imco’s smelter plans get cold shoulder in Mich.: American Metal

Market, v. 107, no. 188, September 29, p. 7.

GENERAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

U.S. Geological Survey Publications

Aluminum. Ch. in Mineral Commodity Summaries, annual.1

Aluminum. Mineral Industry Surveys, monthly.1

Aluminum and Bauxite. Ch. in United States Mineral

Resources, Professional Paper 820, 1973.

Bauxite and Alumina. Ch. in Mineral Commodity Summaries,

annual.1

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

quarterly.1

Primary Aluminum Plants Worldwide, 1998.1

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

Other

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

Mines Bulletin 675, 1985.

Aluminum Association Inc. Aluminum Statistical Review,

annual.

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

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

1Prior to January 1996, published by the U.S. Bureau of Mines.
TABLE 1

SALIENT ALUMINUM STATISTICS 1/

(Thousand metric tons, unless otherwise specified)

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

United States:

 Primary production 3,375 3,577 3,603 3,713 3,779

 Value (million dollars) $6,390 $5,630 $6,120 $5,360 $5,470

 Price (average cents per pound), U.S. market (spot) 85.9 71.3 77.1 65.5 65.7

 Inventories (December 31):

 Aluminum industry 2/ 2,000 1,860 1,860 1,930 1,870

 LME stocks in U.S. warehouses 3/ 45 33 8 13 14

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

 Secondary recovery: 5/ 3,190 3,310 3,550 3,440 3,750

 New scrap 1,680 1,730 2,020 1,950 2,200

 Old scrap 1,510 1,570 1,530 1,500 1,550

 Exports (crude and semicrude) 1,610 1,500 1,570 1,590 1,640

 Imports for consumption (crude and semicrude) 2,980 2,810 3,080 3,550 4,000

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

 Supply, apparent 7/ 7,980 8,340 8,740 9,040 9,940

 Consumption, apparent 8/ 6,300 6,610 6,720 7,090 7,740

World: Production 19,700 20,700 r/ 21,600 r/ 22,500 r/ 23,100 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. 1995 through 1998 data from Current Industrial Reports, Series M33-D, U.S.

Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 1999 data from the 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 1998 1999 1999 ownership 

Alcan Aluminum Corp.:

 Sebree, KY 186 186 Alcan Aluminium Limited, 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 & Co. Ltd., 32%; YKK Corp., 7%.

 Frederick, MD (Eastalco) 174 174 Do.

 Massena, NY 125 125 Alcoa Inc., 100%.

 Mount Holly, SC 205 205 Alcoa Inc., 50.3%; Century Aluminum Co., 26.7%; Glencore 

 AG, 23%.

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

 Wenatchee, WA 220 220 Do.

 Total 1,940 1,940

Century Aluminum Co.:

 Ravenswood, WV 168 173 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

NSA:

 Hawesville, KY 186 237 Southwire Co., 100%.

Noranda Aluminum Inc.:

 New Madrid, MO 220 230 Noranda Mines Ltd., 100%.

Northwest Aluminum Corp.:

 The Dalles, OR 82 82 Private interests, 100%.

Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp.:

 Hannibal, OH 256 255 Ormet Corp., 100%.

Reynolds Metals Company:

 Longview, WA 204 204 Reynolds Metals Company, 100%.

 Massena, NY 123 123 Do.

 Troutdale, OR 121 121 Do.

 Total 448 448

Vanalco Inc.:

 Vancouver, WA 116 116 Vanalco Inc., 100%.

 Grand total 4,210 4,270

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.
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

1998:

 Secondary smelters 2,080,000 1,410,000 1,520,000

 Integrated aluminum companies 1,290,000 1,070,000 1,140,000

 Independent mill fabricators 538,000 466,000 500,000

 Foundries 72,500 59,200 63,500

 Other consumers 15,000 15,000 15,000

 Total 4,000,000 3,020,000 3,230,000

 Estimated full industry coverage 4,270,000 3,210,000 3,440,000

1999:

 Secondary smelters 2,180,000 1,490,000 1,600,000

 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 4,300,000 3,270,000 3,500,000

 Estimated full industry coverage 4,610,000 3,500,000 3,740,000

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 1999 1/ 2/

(Metric tons)

Stocks, Net Consump- Stocks,

Class of consumer and type of scrap January 1 receipts 3/ tion December 31

Secondary smelters:

 New scrap:

 Solids 10,500 r/ 335,000 333,000 12,300

 Borings and turnings 11,800 r/ 317,000 322,000 6,230

 Dross and skimmings 2,080 613,000 612,000 3,700

 Other 4/ 2,920 r/ 257,000 256,000 3,640

 Total 27,300 r/ 1,520,000 1,520,000 25,800

 Old scrap:

 Castings, sheet, clippings 8,440 r/ 460,000 462,000 5,990

 Aluminum-copper radiators 2,780 r/ 21,700 22,100 2,380

 Aluminum cans 5/ 1,110 119,000 119,000 897

 Other 6/ 2,700 r/ 39,200 39,900 1,930

 Total 15,000 r/ 639,000 643,000 11,200

 Sweated pig 786 r/ 8,780 9,100 465

 Total secondary smelters 43,100 r/ 2,170,000 2,180,000 37,500

Integrated aluminum companies, foundries, independent mill

 fabricators, other consumers:

 New scrap:

 Solids 22,100 r/ 833,000 833,000 22,400

 Borings and turnings 215 25,100 25,200 104

 Dross and skimmings 173 8,280 8,320 131

 Other 4/ 8,420 212,000 208,000 11,600

 Total 30,900 r/ 1,080,000 1,070,000 34,300

 Old scrap:

 Castings, sheet, clippings 5,600 151,000 154,000 3,060

 Aluminum-copper radiators 517 6,920 7,000 439

 Aluminum cans 19,700 852,000 857,000 15,100

 Other 6/ 22 29,800 29,800 22

 Total 25,900 1,040,000 1,050,000 18,700

 Sweated pig 138 3,190 3,240 86

 Total integrated aluminum companies, etc. 56,900 r/ 2,120,000 2,130,000 53,000

All scrap consumed:

 New scrap:

 Solids 32,600 r/ 1,170,000 1,170,000 34,700

 Borings and turnings 12,000 r/ 342,000 348,000 6,330

 Dross and skimmings 2,260 622,000 620,000 3,830

 Other 4/ 11,300 r/ 468,000 464,000 15,200

 Total 58,300 r/ 2,600,000 2,600,000 60,100

 Old scrap:

 Castings, sheet, clippings 14,000 r/ 611,000 616,000 9,050

 Aluminum-copper radiators 3,290 r/ 28,600 29,100 2,820

 Aluminum cans 20,800 971,000 976,000 16,000

 Other 6/ 2,720 r/ 68,900 69,700 1,950

 Total 40,900 r/ 1,680,000 1,690,000 29,900

 Sweated pig 924 r/ 12,000 12,300 551

 Total of all scrap consumed 100,000 r/ 4,290,000 4,300,000 90,500

r/ Revised.

1/ Includes imported scrap. According to reporting companies, 27.80% of total receipts of aluminum-base scrap, or 1,200,000 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)

1998 1999

Net Net 

Production shipments 2/ Production shipments 2/ 

Diecast alloys:

 13% Si, 360, etc. (0.6% Cu, maximum) 47,900 47,400 29,700 30,000

 380 and variations 497,000 495,000 599,000 594,000

Sand and permanent mold:

 95/5 Al-Si, 356, etc. (0.6% Cu, maximum) 55,500 55,900 37,600 37,200

 No. 319 and variations 164,000 161,000 188,000 187,000

 F-132 alloy and variations 47,700 47,600 56,400 55,900

 Al-Mg alloys 639 639 639 639

 Al-Zn alloys 10,600 r/ 9,780 r/ 17,100 17,600

 Al-Si alloys (0.6% to 2.0% Cu) 2,020 2,020 2,020 2,020

 Al-Cu alloys (1.5% Si, maximum) 924 924 924 924

 Al-Si-Cu-Ni alloys 990 993 949 952

 Other 905 861 712 761

Wrought alloys, extrusion billets 237,000 r/ 238,000 r/ 221,000 221,000

Miscellaneous:

 Steel deoxidation W W W W

 Pure (97.0% Al) W W W W

 Aluminum-base hardeners 3,600 4,290 3,470 3,480

 Other 3/ 119,000 119,000 112,000 108,000

 Total 1,190,000 1,180,000 1,270,000 1,260,000

Less consumption of materials other than scrap:

 Primary aluminum 76,800 XX 81,500 XX

 Primary silicon 44,800 XX 52,100 XX

 Other 9,210 XX 9,340 XX

Net metallic recovery from aluminum scrap and sweated pig

 consumed in production of secondary aluminum ingot 4/ 1,060,000 XX 1,130,000 XX

r/ Revised. W Withheld to avoid disclosing proprietary data; included with "Miscellaneous: Other." 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/ Includes other die-cast alloys.

4/ 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/

1998 1999

Quantity Percent Quantity Percent

(thousand of (thousand of

Industry metric tons) grand total metric tons) grand total

Containers and packaging 2,270 21.6 2,320 20.7

Building and construction 1,390 13.2 1,470 13.1

Transportation 3,250 30.8 3,600 32.2

Electrical 714 6.8 739 6.6

Consumer durables 725 6.9 760 6.8

Machinery and equipment 629 6.0 661 5.9

Other markets 273 r/ 2.6 r/ 293 2.6

 Total to domestic users 9,260 r/ 88.0 9,840 88.1

Exports e/ 1,260 12.0 1,330 11.9

 Grand total 10,500 100.0 11,200 100.0

e/ Estimated. r/ Revised. 

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)

1998 1999

Wrought products:

 Sheet, plate, foil 4,760 r/ 5,040

 Rod, bar, pipe, tube, shapes 1,560 r/ 1,620

 Rod, wire, cable 551 r/ 573

 Forgings (including impacts) 110 r/ 118

 Powder, flake, paste 54 r/ 54

 Total 7,040 r/ 7,410

Castings:

 Sand 134 NA 

 Permanent and semipermanent mold 511 NA 

 Die 584 NA 

 Other 119 NA 

 Total 1,350 NA 

 Grand total 8,390 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 Assocation Inc. and 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)

1998:

 Azerbaijan -- -- 18 $90 -- -- 18 $90

 Brazil 374 $1,070 75,900 204,000 93 $62 76,400 205,000

 Canada 118,000 192,000 427,000 1,110,000 149,000 154,000 695,000 1,460,000

 France 185 707 6,170 27,600 51 71 6,410 28,300

 Germany 794 2,190 7,150 40,200 830 1,240 8,770 43,600

 Hong Kong 917 1,550 14,800 41,100 32,000 35,000 47,800 77,600

 Italy 85 325 2,530 12,100 8 11 2,630 12,500

 Japan 60,600 99,900 20,700 125,000 35,800 41,700 117,000 267,000

 Korea, Republic of 1,230 3,520 21,200 77,000 31,800 33,800 54,300 114,000

 Mexico 75,700 127,000 150,000 443,000 63,700 74,200 289,000 644,000

 Netherlands 177 380 1,190 6,320 11 61 1,380 6,760

 Philippines 1 14 1,640 5,250 114 91 1,760 5,360

 Russia 14 53 10 126 184 408 208 587

 Saudi Arabia -- -- 6,090 18,000 -- -- 6,090 18,000

 Singapore 128 325 2,330 58,900 402 551 2,860 59,800

 Slovakia -- -- 56 273 -- -- 56 273

 Slovenia -- -- 130 321 -- -- 130 321

 South Africa 55 106 348 1,950 -- -- 404 2,050

 Taiwan 1,420 2,670 12,800 44,600 54,500 48,800 68,700 96,100

 Thailand 5 23 8,620 23,800 -- -- 8,620 23,900

 Ukraine 9 13 -- -- -- -- 9 13

 United Kingdom 943 5,400 12,600 71,800 514 612 14,100 77,800

 Venezuela 170 346 25,000 60,200 11 30 25,200 60,500

 Other 4,290 r/ 11,400 97,000 r/ 345,000 r/ 58,900 61,700 160,000 418,000

 Total 265,000 449,000 893,000 2,720,000 428,000 453,000 1,590,000 3,620,000

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

r/ Revised. -- 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: Bureau of the Census.
TABLE 9 

U.S. EXPORTS OF ALUMINUM, BY CLASS 1/ 

1998 1999

Quantity Value Quantity Value

Class (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands)

Crude and semicrude:

 Metals and alloys, crude 265,000 $449,000 318,000 $515,000

 Scrap 428,000 453,000 419,000 445,000

 Plates, sheets, bars, strip, etc. 847,000 2,420,000 857,000 2,280,000

 Castings and forgings 10,700 141,000 15,300 113,000

 Semifabricated forms, n.e.c. 35,900 162,000 34,600 171,000

 Total 1,590,000 3,620,000 1,640,000 3,530,000

Manufactures:

 Foil and leaf 65,400 215,000 65,000 211,000

 Powders and flakes 9,010 37,400 8,320 35,800

 Wire and cable 31,600 117,000 33,100 127,000

 Total 106,000 369,000 106,000 374,000

 Grand total 1,690,000 3,990,000 1,750,000 3,900,000

1/ Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

Source: Bureau of the Census.

TABLE 10

U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF ALUMINUM, BY CLASS 1/

1998 1999

Quantity Value Quantity Value

Class (metric tons) (thousands) (metric tons) (thousands)

Crude and semicrude:

 Metals and alloys, crude 2,400,000 $3,660,000 2,650,000 $3,760,000

 Plates, sheets, strip, etc., n.e.c. 2/ 525,000 1,300,000 593,000 1,330,000

 Pipes, tubes, etc. 14,600 75,600 24,100 98,100

 Rods and bars 110,000 339,000 118,000 349,000

 Scrap 501,000 572,000 615,000 666,000

 Total 3,550,000 5,950,000 4,000,000 6,200,000

Manufactures:

 Foil and leaf 3/ 69,300 227,000 89,900 271,000

 Flakes and powders 2,180 7,290 3,560 10,100

 Wire 83,500 152,000 97,600 172,000

 Total 155,000 387,000 191,000 452,000

 Grand total 3,700,000 6,340,000 4,190,000 6,660,000

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: Bureau of the Census.
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)

1998:

 Argentina 22,900 $36,500 453 $940 1,750 $2,100 25,100 $39,500

 Australia 54,300 78,300 2,630 6,860 40 47 56,900 85,200

 Bahrain 1,180 1,730 14,100 30,200 65 73 15,400 32,100

 Belgium 1,310 2,180 6,070 17,500 556 588 7,940 20,200

 Brazil 45,700 67,100 306 1,260 9,250 9,450 55,300 77,800

 Canada 1,420,000 2,240,000 371,000 850,000 270,000 306,000 2,060,000 3,400,000

 Croatia -- -- 441 1,520 -- -- 441 1,520

 Czech Republic -- -- 264 838 -- -- 264 838

 France 263 4,520 13,900 73,000 7,850 6,370 22,000 83,900

 Germany 1,080 5,450 51,900 205,000 1,470 1,720 54,500 212,000

 Italy 7 28 4,700 16,000 223 317 4,930 16,300

 Japan 387 1,500 24,400 83,400 1,340 1,480 26,100 86,300

 Korea, Republic of 661 863 11,300 22,700 2,760 3,720 14,700 27,300

 Mexico 591 1,190 12,700 35,900 80,700 99,000 93,900 136,000

 Netherlands 728 1,250 4,400 14,100 1,960 2,240 7,090 17,600

 Norway 4,370 8,960 727 1,500 313 412 5,410 10,900

 Panama 180 382 687 1,840 6,270 6,330 7,140 8,560

 Russia 605,000 845,000 27,100 58,200 28,400 30,400 661,000 934,000

 Slovakia 335 445 7 11 -- -- 342 455

 Slovenia -- -- 4,700 16,600 -- -- 4,700 16,600

 South Africa 15,300 21,900 3,400 7,090 469 583 19,100 29,600

 Spain -- -- 8,430 19,400 1,560 1,810 9,990 21,200

 Tajikistan 20,700 29,800 -- -- -- -- 20,700 29,800

 Ukraine 19,600 25,400 -- -- 1,320 1,590 20,900 27,000

 United Arab Emirates 22,700 35,500 60 129 5,040 6,320 27,800 41,900

 United Kingdom 10,600 15,700 19,300 77,400 12,100 14,200 42,000 107,000

 Venezuela 98,600 168,000 25,100 46,600 18,400 24,900 142,000 239,000

 Other 46,600 66,200 41,700 130,000 48,900 51,700 137,000 248,000 r/

 Total 2,400,000 3,660,000 649,000 1,720,000 501,000 572,000 3,550,000 5,950,000

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

r/ Revised. -- 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: Bureau of the Census.
TABLE 12

ALUMINUM, PRIMARY: WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY 1/ 2/

(Thousand metric tons)

Country 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 e/

Argentina 186 184 187 r/ 187 r/ 200

Australia 1,297 1,372 1,495 1,627 1,718 3/

Azerbaijan 4 1 5 -- r/ e/ --

Bahrain 451 461 490 501 r/ 503 3/

Bosnia and Herzegovina e/ 4/ 10 10 15 15 15

Brazil 1,188 1,195 1,200 1,208 r/ 1,250

Cameroon e/ 79 82 91 r/ 82 r/ 92

Canada 2,172 2,283 2,327 2,374 2,390 3/

China e/ 1,680 1,770 1,960 2,340 r/ 2,450

Croatia 4/ 31 38 35 e/ 35 e/ 35

Egypt 180 179 r/ 178 r/ 187 r/ 187

France 372 380 399 e/ 424 r/ 400

Germany 575 576 572 612 r/ 600

Ghana 135 137 152 56 e/ 114

Greece 144 141 133 146 r/ 140

Hungary e/ 25 30 3/ 35 35 35

Iceland 5/ 100 104 123 163 160

India 6/ 537 531 484 542 550

Indonesia e/ 6/ 220 225 216 3/ 130 100

Iran 119 70 r/ 99 r/ 109 r/ 109

Italy 198 184 188 188 e/ 190

Japan 7/ 18 17 17 16 r/ 11 3/

Mexico 6/ 10 61 66 62 r/ 62

Netherlands 216 227 232 264 e/ 265

New Zealand 273 283 r/ 310 307 e/ 300

Nigeria -- -- 3 e/ 20 e/ 16

Norway 847 863 919 996 1,034 3/

Poland 8/ 56 52 54 r/ 54 r/ 55

Romania 9/ 141 141 163 150 e/ 150

Russia 2,724 2,874 2,906 3,005 3,146 3/

Serbia and Montenegro 4/ 17 37 66 65 e/ 65

Slovakia e/ 6/ 31 35 35 35 35

Slovenia e/ 4/ 58 3/ 60 60 50 50

South Africa 229 r/ 570 673 693 r/ 687

Spain 361 362 360 362 360

Suriname 28 32 32 e/ 29 10

Sweden 95 98 98 96 e/ 96

Switzerland 21 27 27 32 30

Tajikistan 232 198 189 e/ 196 229 3/

Turkey 62 60 r/ 62 62 r/ 62 3/

Ukraine 98 90 e/ 101 107 112 3/

United Arab Emirates: Dubai 247 r/ 259 r/ 378 r/ 387 r/ 440

United Kingdom 238 240 248 e/ 258 r/ 272 3/

United States 3,375 3,577 3,603 3,713 3,779 3/

Venezuela 630 629 634 r/ 585 r/ 570

 Total 19,700 20,700 r/ 21,600 r/ 22,500 r/ 23,100

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

1/ World totals, U.S. data, 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, 2000.

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: ; 1995--28,411; 1996--29,351; 1997--36,136;

and 1998--35,063 (revised); and 1999--34,000 (estimated).

8/ Primary unalloyed ingot plus secondary unalloyed ingot.

9/ Primary unalloyed metal plus primary alloyed metal, thus including weight of alloying material.