Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 5.5 List of aluminium-producing countries (2010)
Rank
Country
Production (t)
People's Republic of China
a
1
16,800
Russia
a
2
3,850
3
Canada
2,920
Australia
a
4
1,950
5
USA
1,720
Brazil
a
6
1,550
India
a
7
1,400
8
United Arab Emirates
1,400
9
Bahrain
870
10
Norway
800
11
South Africa
800
12
Iceland
780
a
Major bauxite-producing countries
Source:
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/
In Iceland the cost of electricity is about 2 US cents/kWH (compared with up to
7 c/kWH in Germany). In Australia electricity is also rather cheap 3-4 c/kWH, not
much higher than in Iceland, but the direct costs of shipping the alumina are not
enormous and on balance the trade is viable. But the real advantage is seen when we
consider the environmental issues. In Iceland the electricity is produced in hydro or
geothermal energy plants that release almost no CO
2
into the atmosphere whereas
in Australia 76% of electricity is produced from coal, the worst greenhouse-gas-
emitter of all. Just as with the argument about whether it is wiser for Europeans to
eat tomatoes grown in heated greenhouses in Holland or shipped from the other side
of the Mediterranean, the ecological consequences are not immediately obvious.
Box 5.4 Carbon Footprint of Aluminum Production in Iceland from
Bauxite Shipped from Australia
Transport by ship produces about 25 g of CO
2
/t/km. This estimate does not
take into account the carbon footprint of the construction, maintenance and
dismantling of ships, but gives a rough idea of the carbon emissions of the
shipment. Electricity from coal produces about 1,000 kg of CO
2
/kWh, while
electricity from geothermal or hydropower produces virtually none. Four tons
of bauxite and 300 kWh are needed to produce 1 t of aluminum. The round-
trip by sea from Australia to Iceland is about 40,000 km.
Use these figures to calculate if it is more advantageous, in terms of carbon
emissions, to produce aluminum in Australia (using electricity produced from
coal), or to export and refine bauxite in Iceland (using electricity produced
without emitting CO
2
). Watch out for units in your calculations! Your results
will not take into account the lower cost of electricity in Iceland and the
shorter shipping distances of the refined metal to consumers in European and
American.
(continued)
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