Top 10 Aluminum-producing Countries | INN
Learning about the aluminum production from countries around the world offers insight into the important industrial metal, which is used in a wide range of essential applications globally.
The reason aluminum is one of the most in-demand industrial metals is its versatility. The metal is non-toxic and lightweight; it also has a high thermal conductivity, is resistant to corrosion and can be easily cast, machined and formed. Aluminum is the second most malleable metal and sixth most ductile, and it is non-magnetic and non-sparking.
This wide array of benefits means aluminum is used in a huge variety of products, including cans, foils, kitchen utensils, window frames, beer kegs and airplane parts. It also has new applications that make it an important element in the green transition.
Learn about the top countries for aluminum production below, including insight on top countries for bauxite mining and alumina smelting. Investors interested in the sector can also check out our guide on investing in aluminum stocks.
Where is aluminum found in the world?
While it is one of the Earth’s most abundant metals, aluminum is rarely found as a free metal. That means companies can’t actually mine for the metal itself — instead, they mine bauxite, which is a large source of the world’s aluminum production. The bauxite is processed to obtain alumina, which is then refined further through smelting to produce aluminum.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), “As a general rule, 4 tons of dried bauxite is required to produce 2 tons of alumina, which, in turn, can be used to produce 1 ton of aluminum.” There are other sources of alumina, including clay and oil shale, but they are not economical at a commercial scale.
The USGS estimates global bauxite resources to be between 55 billion and 75 billion metric tons with deposits distributed largely in Africa, Oceania, South America, the Caribbean and Asia. Known bauxite reserves stood at 29 billion metric tons in 2024. The five nations with the highest bauxite reserves are Guinea, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Brazil.
In terms of bauxite production, Guinea was the world’s largest producer in 2024 at 130 million metric tons of bauxite, closely followed by Australia at 100 million MT and China at 93 million MT. Brazil and India round out the top five with 33 million and 32 million metric tons of bauxite respectively.
As for alumina production, China is by far the world’s largest alumina producer, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the world’s production at 84 million metric tons. The next largest alumina producing country, Australia, accounts for more than 13 percent of global supply with 18 million MT. Brazil, India and Russia round out the top five.
Aluminum production by country
Below we list the top aluminum producers by country based on the USGS’s latest Mineral Commodity…
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