North America’s February primary aluminum production decreased to 320,429mt from 327,029mt in the same month last year and from 353,775mt in January, according to the Aluminum Association.
The reduction was led by a decline in production in the US, according to the association’s data. The region’s daily and annual output rates, however, increased last month to 11,444mt and, 4.18mn mt, respectively, from 11,277mt and 4.13mn mt in the prior year.
US production dips 19pc
Primary aluminum production in the US decreased to 69,911mt last month from 89,027mt in February last year and fell from 78,576mt in the prior month.
The daily rate of production in the US tallied at 2,497mt in February, down from 3,070mt in the same month of 2020 and from 2,535mt in January, while its annual production rate fell by 18.9pc to 911,340mt last month from 1.12mn mt in February 2020 and by 1.5pc from 925,169mt in January.
In Canada, primary aluminum output in February increased to 250,518mt from 238,002mt in the same month of the prior year but fell by 8.9pc from 275,199mt in January.
The country’s daily and annual rates of production increased on an annual and monthly basis. Canada’s daily rate of production in February tallied at 8,947mt up from 8,207mt in February 2020 and from 8,877mt in January. Its annual rate of production stood at 3.26mn mt last month, up from 3mn mt in February 2020 and from 3.24mn mt in January.