Aluminum Market: Products, Applications & Beyond

 

Aluminum is a versatile element with several beneficial properties, such as a high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, recyclability, electrical & thermal conductivity, longer lifecycle, and non-toxic nature. As a result, it witnesses high demand from industries like automotive & transportation, electronics, building & construction, foil & packaging, and others. The high applicability of the metal is expected to drive the global aluminum market at a CAGR of 5.24% in the forecast period from 2023 to 2030.

Aluminum – Mining Into Key Products:

Triton Market Research’s report covers bauxite, alumina, primary aluminum, and other products as part of its segment analysis.

Bauxite is anticipated to grow with a CAGR of 5.67% in the product segment over the forecast years.

Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminum. It is a sedimentary rock composed of aluminum-bearing minerals, and is usually mined by surface mining techniques. It is found in several locations across the world, including India, Brazil, Australia, Russia, and China, among others. Australia is the world’s largest bauxite-producing nation, with a production value of over 100 million metric tons in 2022.

Moreover, leading market players Rio Tinto and Alcoa Corporation operate their bauxite mines in the country. These factors are expected to propel Australia’s growth in the Asia-Pacific aluminum market, with an anticipated CAGR of 4.38% over the projected period.

Alumina is expected to grow with a CAGR of 5.42% in the product segment during 2023-2030.

Alumina or aluminum oxide is obtained by chemically processing the bauxite ore using the Bayer process. It possesses excellent dielectric properties, high stiffness & strength, thermal conductivity, wear resistance, and other such favorable characteristics, making it a preferable material for a range of applications.

Hydrolysis of aluminum oxide results in the production of high-purity alumina, a uniform fine powder characterized by a minimum purity level of 99.99%. Its chemical stability, low-temperature sensitivity, and high electrical insulation make HPA an ideal choice for manufacturing LED lights and electric vehicles. The growth of these industries is expected to contribute to the progress of the global HPA market.

EVs Spike Sustainability Trend

As per the estimates from the International Energy Agency, nearly 2 million electric vehicles were sold globally in the first quarter of 2022, with a whopping 75% increase from the preceding year. Aluminum has emerged as the preferred choice for auto manufacturers in this new era of electromobility. Automotive & transportation leads the industry vertical segment in the studied market, garnering $40792.89 million in 2022.

In May 2021, RusAl collaborated with leading rolled aluminum products manufacturer Gränges AB to develop alloys for automotive applications. Automakers are increasingly substituting stainless steel with aluminum in their products owing to the latter’s low weight, higher impact absorption capacity, and better driving range. 

Also, electric vehicles have a considerably lower carbon footprint compared to their traditional counterparts. With the growing need for lowering emissions and raising awareness of energy conservation, governments worldwide are encouraging the use of EVs, which is expected to propel the demand for aluminum over the forecast period.

The Netherlands is one of the leading countries in Europe in terms of EV adoption. The Dutch government has set an ambitious goal that only zero-emission passenger cars (such as battery-operated EVs, hydrogen FCEVs, and plug-in hybrid EVs) will be sold in the nation by 2030. Further, according to the Canadian government, the country’s aluminum producers have some of the lowest CO2 footprints in the world.

Alcoa Corporation and Rio Tinto partnered to form ELYSIS, headquartered in Montréal, Canada. In 2021, it successfully produced carbon-free aluminum at its Industrial Research and Development Center in Saguenay. The company is heralding the beginning of a new era for the global aluminum market with its ELYSIS™ technology, which eliminates all direct GHG emissions from the smelting process, and is the first technology ever to emit oxygen as a byproduct.

Wrapping Up

Aluminum is among the most widely used metals in the world today, and is anticipated to underpin the global transition to a low-carbon economy. Moreover, it is 100% recyclable and can retain its properties & quality post the recycling process.

Reprocessing the metal is a more energy-efficient option compared to extracting the element from an ore, causing less environmental damage. As a result, the demand for aluminum in the sustainable energy sector has thus increased. The efforts to combat climate change are thus expected to bolster the aluminum market’s growth over the forecast period.