Aluminum 2015
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2015 Minerals Yearbook ALUMINUM [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. Department of the Interior November 2016 U.S. Geological Survey ALUMINUM By E. Lee Bray Domestic survey data and tables were prepared by Susan M. Weaver, statistical assistant, and the world production table was prepared by Glenn J. Wallace, international data coordinator. During 2015, total aluminum production (primary plus Aluminum used beverage cans (UBCs) accounted for 43% aluminum recovered from scrap) in the United States of the old scrap consumed in 2015 and 18% of total scrap decreased by 6% to 4.96 million metric tons (Mt), whereas consumed (table 4). Secondary production from old scrap apparent consumption increased by 3% to 5.22 Mt compared decreased by 13%, which was attributed to reduced scrap with that of 2014 (table 1). The increased consumption availability as scrap collectors and scrap yards retained was satisfied by increased net imports and a drawdown of increasing inventories as the price of primary aluminum inventories. Net imports of crude metal in 2015 were 3.07 Mt, trended lower throughout the year. 130,000 metric tons (t) more than in 2014, an increase of Apparent consumption of aluminum in the United States 4%. Net imports of semifabricated aluminum products increased by about 3% compared with that in 2014. Owing to were 32,400 t; whereas, in 2014, exports exceeded imports lower domestic primary production and increased consumption, and net exports of semifabricated products were 165,000 t the U.S. net import reliance for aluminum as a percentage of (tables 10, 12). Total aluminum inventories in the United States apparent consumption increased to 41% in 2015 from 33% stored in London Metal Exchange Ltd. (LME)-registered in 2014 and was at its highest level since 2005. Producers warehouses and by industry decreased by 25% compared with of unwrought and semifabricated aluminum products in the those in 2014 (table 1). United States and Canada reported that they shipped 88.7% of Domestic primary aluminum smelters produced 1.59 Mt their products to markets in the United States and Canada and of aluminum metal, 7% less than that in 2014. The value of 11.3% to external markets (table 6). production, based on the average U.S. market price, decreased Primary aluminum was produced in 42 countries in 2015. by 22% to $3.09 billion owing to the lower production and China (55%), Russia (6%), Canada (5%), the United Arab lower unit values. At yearend, three companies were operating Emirates (4%), and India (4%), in decreasing order of metal a total of eight primary aluminum smelters in six States. produced, accounted for 74% of primary world production. One additional smelter remained on care-and-maintenance World primary metal production increased by 7% compared status during the year and two other smelters that had been with that of 2014, primarily owing to an 11% (3.1 Mt) temporarily idled were permanently shut down. About 15% increase in China. The United States was the seventh-leading [305,000 metric tons per year (t/yr)] of U.S. primary smelting producer of primary aluminum; it had been sixth in 2014 capacity was shut down in 2015. About 27% (545,000 t/yr) of and fourth in 2013 (table 13). domestic primary aluminum smelting capacity, including idle potlines at operating smelters, but excluding the permanently Legislation and Government Programs closed smelters, was idle at yearend (table 2). Aluminum prices The U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade decreased despite a drawdown in reported global inventories, Administration (ITA), conducted an antidumping administrative as consumption growth slowed and increased global production review of duties on aluminum extrusions imported from China from new smelting capacity outpaced decreases in production between May 1, 2013, and April 30, 2014. In June 2015, from shutdowns of obsolete and high-cost capacity. Combined the ITA published its final determinations and established world inventories of aluminum metal and alloys held by dumping margins of 32.79% ad valorem for aluminum LME-registered warehouses decreased by 32% to 2.95 Mt extrusions shipped by 39 companies included in the review that from 4.31 Mt (London Metal Exchange Ltd., 2014, 2015). shipped aluminum extrusions from China during the period of World primary production increased by 3.55 Mt to 57.5 Mt, review (U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade an increase of 7%. Administration, 2015). The aluminum price on the LME averaged $0.754 per pound, 11% less than that in 2014, and the 2015 annual average U.S. Production market price of primary aluminum ingot decreased by 16% to $0.882 per pound from $1.045 per pound in 2014. The U.S. Primary.—Primary aluminum production in the United market price premium to the LME price averaged 17% in 2015, States was 1.59 Mt, 7% less than that in 2014. Domestic compared with 24% in 2014 and 13% in 2013. The monthly production data were based on information compiled from average price premium was 29% in January, decreased to a low U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) monthly surveys sent to of 10% in October, and increased to 13% in December (table 8). eight primary aluminum smelters owned by three companies, Aluminum recovered from purchased and tolled scrap all of which responded. decreased by 6% to 3.38 Mt in 2015 (table 3). Of this recovered Noranda Aluminum Holding Corp. (Franklin, TN) and metal, 57% came from new (manufacturing) scrap, and 43% other power consumers reached a rate agreement with Ameren came from old (obsolete aluminum products) scrap (table 1). Missouri, the supplier of power to Noranda’s smelter in aluminum—2015 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 5.1 New Madrid, MO. Under terms of the 3-year contract, which Century cited low aluminum prices for the shutdown was approved by the Missouri Public Service Commission (Century Aluminum Co., 2015c, d). on April 29, Noranda would pay $34 per megawatthour In September, Century signed a 5-year power supply contract and be exempt from fuel adjustment charges. The contract, with a supplier for its 229,000-t/yr smelter in Mt. Holly, SC, which became effective on June 1, 2015, lowered Noranda’s which was to take effect in January 2016 (Carr, 2015). Century cost by about 3 to 4 cents per pound of aluminum produced. proposed to purchase all of the power supply for the Mt. Holly The capacity of the New Madrid smelter was 263,000 t/yr smelter from third-party sources and use Santee Cooper’s (Noranda Aluminum Holding Corp., 2015b, c). transmission lines to deliver the power to the smelter. On On August 4, an explosion in the billet casthouse at the New November 30, however, Santee Cooper rejected the proposal, Madrid smelter halted billet production, and aluminum from stating that it would result in other customers being forced the potlines was redirected to produce ingot and wire rod. to pay more. In December, Century temporarily shut down Production of extrusion billet did not resume in 2015. The one potline after failing to secure a new power delivery smelter produced at about 85% of its capacity during the year contract with Santee Cooper (Century Aluminum Co., 2015e; owing to production disruptions; a higher than normal rate of Maltais, 2015g; Matyi, 2015a). pot failure during the first half of 2015, an issue that started In May, Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. LLC announced that, in August 2014; and low aluminum prices (Matyi, 2015e; having failed to obtain a new long-term power contract, the Noranda Aluminum Holding Corp., 2015a). temporary shutdown of its 168,000-t/yr smelter in Columbia On October 15, employees represented by the International Falls, MT, would be permanent. Similarly, in July, Century Association of Machinists at the Intalco smelter in Ferndale, announced that, having failed to obtain a new long-term power WA, ratified a contract with Alcoa Inc. that would last contract, the temporary shutdown of the 170,000-t/yr smelter through March 31, 2017. In November 2015 and May 2016, in Ravenswood, WV, would be permanent. High power prices Alcoa reached power supply agreements that would allow and low aluminum prices were cited as the reasons for the their Massena West (NY) and Intalco smelters, respectively, temporary shutdowns that began in October and February 2009, to remain open. In November, Alcoa had announced that respectively (Century Aluminum Co., 2015b; Maltais, 2015d). it would temporarily shut down three smelters, totaling Secondary.—Domestic secondary aluminum production was 503,000 t/yr of remaining operating capacity—the 279,000-t/yr 3.38 Mt, 6% less than that in 2014. Domestic production data Intalco, the 130,000-t/yr Massena West, and the 184,000-t/yr were based on information compiled from USGS monthly and Wenatchee (WA)—smelters by early 2016. At the time of the annual surveys sent to 53 secondary aluminum facilities. In announcement, the Massena West smelter was producing at full 2015, responses were received from 32 of the facilities. capacity, the Intalco smelter was producing at 82% capacity, Alcoa restarted secondary aluminum production at its and the Wenatchee smelter was producing at 78% capacity. Texarkana, TX, plant that was idled in 2009, citing increased Alcoa cited the need to close unprofitable capacity to improve demand for rolled sheet by the automobile industry as the reason the cost position of its upstream portfolio in the face of lower for restart. Two casting pits would produce rolling slab to be aluminum prices as the reason for the closures. Alcoa and the shipped to Alcoa’s rolling mills in Davenport, IA, and Lancaster, New York Power Authority reached a power supply agreement PA.