Department of Industry,
Innovation and Science
Resources
AUSTRALIA’S MAJOR EXPORT COMMODITIES
ALUMINIUM, ALUMINA AND BAUXITE
The production of aluminium requires three stages—the mining of bauxite ore,
which is refined to recover alumina, which is then smelted to make aluminium. Australia
hosts large deposits of bauxite and is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of
both bauxite and alumina.
1st
$10.2 billion
7,368
$988 million
Resources:
LARGEST GLOBAL ALUMINA
EXPORTER (2015)
2nd largest share of world’s resources, accounting
for 22% (2014)
IN EXPORT VALUE (2015-16)
80 years of production at 2014 production rates
PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN BAUXITE,
NICKEL ORE AND OTHER METAL
ORE MINING AT THE END
OF 2014-15
PAID IN WAGES AND SALARIES
IN BAUXITE, NICKEL ORE AND
OTHER METAL ORE MINING
(2014-15)
Production:
82 million tonnes (Mt) of bauxite (2015-16)
20.5 million tonnes (Mt) of alumina (2015-16)
1.6 million tonnes (Mt) of aluminium (2015-16)
28% of world bauxite production (2015)
Exports:
1st largest global alumina exporter (2015)
Did you know?
Million tonnes
20
15
2nd largest global bauxite exporter (2015)
4th largest global aluminium exporter (2015)
12
9
15
• Aluminium is used in a variety of products including cans, foil, utensils, cars, bikes and planes.
6
10
• One of the first commercial uses of aluminium foil was in 1913, when Life Savers lollies were first packed in foil.
• Aluminium is second to steel as5the most used material in cars. It can provide weight savings of up to 50 per cent3
compared with the traditional steel structure.
2015-16 $ billion
25
0
0
• Aluminium car body structures are
equal or superior
in strength
to steel and2011-12
absorb twice2013-14
the crash energy
of steel.
2005-06
2007-08
2009-10
2015-16
• Australia’s aluminium production is sufficient to produce 9.3 million cars.
Aluminium (lhs)
Bauxite (lhs)
• Aluminium is 100 per cent recyclable and the process
uses
only 5 per cent of the
energy
used to make
Value
(rhs)
Alumina
(lhs)
the original product.
Figure 1. Australia’s bauxite, alumina and aluminium exports
12
15
9
10
6
5
3
2015-16 $ billion
Million tonnes
20
Australia
China
Other Asia
America
Africa
Europe
9
0
2005-06
2007-08
2009-10
Aluminium (lhs)
2013-14
Bauxite (lhs)
Value (rhs)
Alumina (lhs)
Australia
China
Other Asia
America
Africa
2011-12
21
50
65
61
81
50
21
20
0
0
1
Figure 2. Major bauxite producing regions (2015)
15
25
65
61
81
40
60
80
Million tonnes
100
2015-16
China
Australia
South America
Europe
North America
Africa & Asia (Ex China)
59
20
13
10
6
6
December 2016 · 16-60269
Fact Sheet · Australia’s Major Export Commodities – Bauxite
9
Figure 3. Australia’s bauxite deposits and operating mines , alumina refineries and aluminium smelters 0
20
40
60
80
Million tonnes
15
25
Million tonnes
15
10
5
0
2005-06
2007-08
2009-10
2011-12
Aluminium (lhs)
2013-14
59
13
10
12
6
6
9
10
20
30
50
21
9
0
20
2007-08
2009-10
2011-12
Aluminium (lhs)
40
60
80
Million tonnes
100
20
6
6
20
30
40
50
60
6
70
3
70
Million tonnes
2013-14
2015-16
Bauxite (lhs)
Value (rhs)
31
8
America
Australia
1
Africa China
13
10
10
60
10
Europe
81
59
0
50
0
2005-06
Figure 4. Alumina production by region (2015)
China
Australia
South America
Europe
North America
Africa & Asia (Ex China)
40
Million tonnes
0
Asia (ex China)
65
61
15
20
Alumina (lhs)
China
Australia
China
Other Asia
America
Africa
Europe
100
2015-16
0
Bauxite (lhs)
Value (rhs)
Alumina (lhs)
5
2015-16 $ billion
China
Australia
South America
20
9
Europe
North America
15
6
Africa & Asia (Ex China)
10
3
0
25
12
20
Million tonnes
50
21
81
65
61
7
81
65
Other Asia
61
0
10
20
40
America
50 30
Africa
21
Million tonnes
Europe
9
Figure 5. Aluminium production
by20
region (2015)
0
40
60
80
100
Million tonnes
China
Europe
8
America
China 6
Gulf Region Australia5
20
Other Asia
3
South America
13
Australia
2
10
Africa Europe
2
North America
6
0 China)
5
106
15
Africa & Asia (Ex
0
32
59
20
25
Million tonnes
10 20 30 40
30
50
60
35
70
Million tonnes
Table 1. Australia’s
bauxite production by state and territory
31 (2015-16)
China
10 (MT)
VOLUME
STATE/TERRITORY
Asia (ex China)
Europe
Western Australia
America
Queensland
Northern Territory
Total
1
Africa
0
SHARE (%)
55
28.1
34
20
10
Million tonnes
81.7
31
China
8
745.3
10
8.3
Figure 6. Aluminium consumption by region (2015)
10
Asia (ex China)
Europe
30
40
100
8
America
7
1
Africa
0
10
32
China
Europe
8
America
6
China
Gulf Region
5
Europe
8
Other Asia
3
America
6
Australia
2
Gulf Region
5
Africa Bureau
2 of Statistics, Geoscience Australia, The Aluminium Association, World Bureau of Metal Statistics
Sources:
Australian
Other Asia
3
Australia
2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Africa
2
For more information: Million tonnes
0
5
10
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science: www.industry.gov.au
Office of the Chief Economist: www.industry.gov.au/Office-of-the-Chief-Economist
Geoscience Australia: www.ga.gov.au
2
20
30
40
Million tonnes
32
15
20
25
30
35
Million tonnes
December 2016 · 16-60269
2015-16 $ billion
Australia
China
Other Asia
America
Africa
Europe