Aluminum scrap exports from the US increased by 14.9pc to 1.16mn mt in January-July 2021 compared with 1.01mn mt in the first seven months of 2020, according to the latest data from the US Census Bureau. In July, these exports increased 9pc to 172,803mt against 158,545mt in the same month of 2020.
Used beverage can (UBC) shipments stood at 25,284mt in July, up 134pc compared with 10,798mt a year ago. The US also shipped 4,271mt of remelt scrap ingots (RSI), with a majority of it destined for Mexico. Shipments of other scrap aluminum tallied at 143,247mt, a 1.4pc increase from a year ago. This segment mostly consists of old sheet aluminum (Taint/Tabor), old cast (Tense) and zorba.
In July, Malaysia was the largest importer of US-origin aluminum scrap, accepting 33,036mt in shipments. India followed at 17,148mt and Mexico was the third-largest importer at 15,366mt.
Among other non-ferrous metals US copper scrap exports rose 4.6pc in July to 76,832mt from a year earlier while zinc scrap exports spiked 242pc to 3,868mt. Nickel shipments fell 18.5pc while lead declined 32pc from the prior-year period.