Aluminum Scrap Markets
August 8, 2025
Written by Greg Wittbecker
I had the luxury of being in Africa on safari for the entire month of July. Getting away from the day-to-day noise in the market afforded me a chance to step back and think about the market from a macro-perspective.
When the 50% tariff on aluminum was announced on May 31, the market did the math and determined replacement cost was going to be in the mid-$0.70s.
At ADI’s facility in Mississippi, all three cold mills are now operational, which will allow ADI to access the full 650,000-metric-ton annual capability, the company said.
Recycler forward views shifted toward undersupply in October even as Midwest Premium and UBC expectations moved lower.
Rio Tinto maintained third quarter aluminum production as its Arvida smelter transition continued, while the company delayed two capacity projects at the Quebec complex.
US aluminum scrap imports increased faster than exports through August, while similar tonnage gains kept net exports near year earlier levels.
The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) has filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, challenging the district court’s decision to uphold Oregon’s version of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws that are popping up across the country.
