Aluminum

Previous Years’ Reviews

Aluminum - 2010 Annual Review and Outlook

  • Highlights
    • The global recovery resulted in a 14.1% increase in aluminum demand to 40.6 million tonnes (Mt) for 2010, compared to 35.6 Mt in 2009. Global production increased by 10.6% to a record level of 41.0 Mt, which resulted in surplus aluminum production of approximately 0.4 Mt. The additional capacity came from new smelters and restarts of plants that were shut down in 2009.
    • The Canadian aluminum industry is in the process of closing older Söderberg smelters and replacing them with larger prebake smelters. These smelters are more energy efficient and emit less greenhouse gases and particulates. All Söderberg smelters in Quebec will be shut down by December 31, 2015. Alcoa’s modernized Baie-Comeau smelter is expected to be completed by 2015.
    • In December 2010, Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA) announced the construction of a new-technology AP60 60 000-tonnes-per-year (t/y) pilot smelter with an expected start-up date of 2013. In the same announcement, RTA approved an additional $300 million to be spent on modernizing its Kitimat smelter. Due to exceptionally low precipitation in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, RTA had to purchase additional electricity from Hydro-Québec. This had a negative impact of US$117 million on RTA’s earnings.
  • Introduction
  • Canadian Developments
  • World Production, Use, and Inventory
  • World Developments
  • Prices and Outlook

Aluminum - Other Information

  • Smelting and Refining
  • Environmental Issues
  • Uses

Maps/Graphs

  • Figure 1. Aluminum Smelters in Canada, 2010
  • Figure 2. Total World Primary Aluminum Production, 2006-15
  • Figure 3. Canadian Primary Aluminum Production, 1986-2015
  • Figure 4. Top Ten Primary Aluminum Producers, 1990-2010
  • Figure 5. Top Ten Alumina Producers, 1990-2010

Statistical Tables

  • Table A. Primary Aluminum Cash Price, LME, 2008-10
  • Table B. Canadian Aluminum Trade Summary, 2010
  • Tariffs
  • Table 1. Canada, Aluminum Production and Trade, 2008-10
  • Table 2. Canada, Aluminum Smelter Capacity, 2010
  • Table 3. Average Aluminum Prices, 1996-2010
  • Table 4. Average Aluminum Alloy (Recycled) Prices, 1996-2010
  • Table 5. World Mine Production of Bauxite, 2007-10
  • Table 6. World Production of Alumina (Hydrate), 2007-10
  • Table 7. World Production of Primary Aluminum, 2006-10

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