According to the data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the global bauxite resources left to humans are 55-75 billion tons, and the basic reserves are 30 billion tons. Based on the annual mining of 300 million tons, bauxite can be mined for at least 100 years. It is a mineral with abundant reserves.
Global bauxite reserves distribution
From the perspective of global bauxite reserves distribution, Guinea, Australia, and Vietnam have more bauxite resources. The three countries account for 56% of the global reserves.
Among them, Guinea has the largest bauxite reserves in the world. Guinea's basic bauxite resources are about 7 billion tons, accounting for reaching 24%. Australia's bauxite reserves are 5.84 billion tons, accounting for 20%, ranking second. Vietnam's bauxite reserves are 3.5 billion tons, accounting for 12%, ranking third.
The global bauxite reserves by country are as follows:
| Country | Bauxite reserves (million tons) | Proportion of reserves |
| Guinea | 7000 | 24% |
| Australia | 5840 | 20% |
| Vietnam | 3500 | 12% |
| Brazil | 2630 | 9% |
| Jamaica | 2040 | 7% |
| Indonesia | 1170 | 4% |
| China | 880 | 3% |
| Russia | 580 | 2% |
| India | 580 | 2% |
Global bauxite production distribution
From the perspective of production distribution, the global bauxite production in 2021 is 390 million tons, mainly concentrated in Australia, China, and Guinea. The output of the three countries was 281 million tons, accounting for 71.9% of the world.
Among them, Australia is the largest bauxite producer in the world, accounting for 28.2% of the global output. Although China's bauxite reserves rank seventh, its output ranks third in the world, accounting for 22%. Guinea is the third largest producer with an output of 85 million tons, accounting for 21.7%. The bauxite output in other countries is relatively small.
The global bauxite production by country in 2021 is as follows:
| Country | Bauxite production (million tons) | Proportion of production |
| Australia | 110 | 28.2% |
| China | 86 | 22% |
| Guinea | 85 | 21.7% |
| Brazil | 32 | 8.2% |
| India | 22 | 5.6% |
| Indonesia | 18 | 4.6% |
| Russia | 6.2 | 1.5% |
Demand trends of the primary aluminum
The promotion and popularization of renewable energy and electric vehicles will bring significant opportunities for the aluminum industry. Global primary aluminum demand is strong and it is expected to grow by more than 4% annually by 2030.
The growth of primary aluminum demand will drive the continued growth of the alumina and bauxite markets, and their markets are also expected to increase by 4%. The best thing is this trend is expected to continue until 2030.
Why is the bauxite market hot?
Bauxite is the best raw material for the production of aluminum products, and it is also the main application field. Aluminum metal is popular because it has the following properties:
- Light in weight
- Anti-corrosion
- High strength
- Conductivity
- Good ductility
- Beautiful appearance
- 100% recyclable
Over the years, the global aluminum industry has formed a relatively complete system from bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminum processing, scrap aluminum recycling, and secondary aluminum production.
What is the global bauxite used for?
Bauxite is the primary raw material for the commercial production of alumina (Al2O3) and metallic aluminum. Due to the excellent properties of aluminum, it is widely used in construction, transportation, foil packaging, electronics, machinery and equipment, and consumer goods.
The main uses of global bauxite in the world
Aluminum alloy products are the most widely used in the following four fields, accounting for more than 77% of the global bauxite uses.
1. Modern construction
Aluminum is a core material for high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. Aluminum is easy to process, durable, and corrosion-resistant. It is used to make aluminum doors and windows, decorative panels, aluminum curtain walls, etc.
2. Automobile and transportation
Aluminum's light weight reduces both the weight of cars and fuel consumption. Therefore, the transportation industry relies on aluminum alloys, such as aluminum auto parts, aluminum plates for new energy vehicles, and subway carriages.
3. Packaging materials
As a packaging material, aluminum foil has the properties of anti-corrosion, shading, and non-toxicity, and is used to manufacture cans. The packaging of cigarettes, cosmetics, food, and medicines is also inseparable from aluminum.
4. Electronic products
Aluminum is more delicate and lighter than steel and has a better ability to absorb and dissipate heat. In production, electronic products such as smartphones, tablet computers, and monitors are increasingly using aluminum.
The world's largest bauxite producers
The top 10 bauxite-producing countries account for about 95% of global bauxite production. In the world, who is the largest producer of bauxite with companies and bauxite mines?
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1Guinea
Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinea – Sangaredi Mine (Guinea's biggest bauxite mine)
Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC – GAC Mine -
2Australia
BHP Billiton – Boddington Mine
Alcoa Corp – Huntly and Willowdale Mine
Rio Tinto – Weipa Mine -
3Vietnam
Vinacomin – The Vietnamese Mining Giant
Chalco – Aluminum Corporation of China Limited -
4Brazil
Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) – Porto Trombetas Mine (Brazil's biggest bauxite mine)
Vale – Paragominas Mine
Alcoa – Juruti Mine -
5Jamaica
Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partnership (NJBP) – St. Ann Bauxite Mine
Jamalco – Mount Oliphant Mine -
6Indonesia
Kendawangan Mine
Tangerang Mine
East Kotawaringin Mine -
7China
Aluminium Corporation of China – The leading bauxite producing company
Jiakou Bauxite Mine – China's biggest producing bauxite mine
Xiaoyi – Xingan and Shaoy Mine -
8India
Nalco – Panchpatmali Mine
Hindalco – Baphlimali Mine -
9Russia
Severo – Uraisk Mine (Russia's biggest producing bauxite mine)
Sredne – Timan Bauxite Mine -
10Malaysia
Pahang – Malaysia's third-largest state and a key bauxite producer
Sources from: Mineral metals - Aluminum Facts
What is Bauxite and Principal Uses of Bauxite
The World's Biggest Bauxite Producers
