The Rise and Fall of U.S. Primary Aluminum Production (1900-2023)

U.S. primary (smelter) aluminum production increased from 2,296 tons in 1900 to 13,000 tons in 1913, maintaining a world share of approximately 35%. Due to World War I, U.S. primary aluminum production surged to 52,210 tons, capturing 53% of the global market. However, the Great Depression led to a significant decline, reducing primary aluminum production to one-third of its previous levels between 1930 and 1934.

World War II provided a significant boost to the U.S. aluminum industry, with production skyrocketing from 149,000 tons in 1939 to 835,000 tons in 1943, and the U.S. world share increasing from 21% to 43%. The post-war period saw continued growth, reaching a peak production of 4.65 million tons in 1980, which represented 33% of the global market.

However, U.S. primary aluminum production began to decline, dropping to around 3.7 million tons during 1998-2000, with the U.S. share of world production falling to 16%. This downward trend continued, with production plummeting to 750,000 tons in 2023, resulting in just a 1.1% share of global production.

Aluminum production encompasses primary production (extracting aluminum from its natural ore) and secondary production (recycling old and new scraps). The secondary production process involves remelting and purifying scrap aluminum from various sources, including beverage cans, car parts, building materials, and industrial scrap. Recycling aluminum is much more energy-efficient, requiring only 5% of the energy needed for primary production, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving natural resources. Today, recycled aluminum constitutes about one-third of the global aluminum supply.

In 2023, world aluminum production was estimated at approximately 105,000 metric tons (Mt), including 70,000 Mt of primary aluminum and roughly 35,000 Mt of secondary aluminum.

The U.S. reached its peak total aluminum production in 1999, producing 7,479,000 tons, comprising 3,779,000 tons of primary aluminum and 3,700,000 tons of secondary aluminum. During the same year, the U.S. exported 1,640,000 tons and imported 3,390,000 tons of aluminum, resulting in net imports of 1,750,000 tons.

By 2023, total U.S. aluminum production had declined to 4,050,000 tons, with 750,000 tons from primary production and 3,300,000 tons from secondary production. Secondary production accounted for 81% of total U.S. aluminum production, compared to about 33% globally. The U.S. share of global aluminum production was 3.9% in total, with 1.1% for primary production and 9.4% for secondary production. In 2023, the U.S. exported 3,300,000 tons and imported 5,540,000 tons of aluminum, resulting in net imports of 2,240,000 tons.

Total U.S. aluminum production (both primary and secondary) decreased by 46% from 7,479,000 tons in 1999 to 4,050,000 tons in 2023. During this period, net imports increased by 32%. U.S. imports of aluminum and related articles rose from US$8.5 billion in 2001 to US$28.3 billion in 2023, resulting in a US$14.0 billion trade deficit.

Additionally, the figures for total aluminum production and net imports indicate that the U.S. is increasingly importing finished products with a substantial aluminum content. U.S. imports of mechanical machinery and transport equipment increased from US$336 billion in 2001 to US$905 billion in 2022, resulting in a trade deficit of US$472 billion, which accounts for 37% of the total U.S. trade deficit in goods.