北美的铝业公司正在转向第三世界(和海外其他地区)以扩建其氧化铝和铝土矿生产。原因很简单,这就是许多第三世界国家(最著名的是牙买加和巴西)有着丰富的铝土矿源而美国和加拿大则没有。北美的铝生产者多年来一直依赖着国外铝土矿源。据美国矿务局统计,1979年美国用于生产氧化铝而消耗的铝土矿达1452.4万公吨(干基)。 North American aluminum companies are turning to Third World (and overseas) to expand their alumina and bauxite production. The reason is simple, which is why many Third World countries (most notably Jamaica and Brazil) have abundant bauxite sources, while the United States and Canada do not. North American aluminum producers have relied on foreign bauxite sources for years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the amount of bauxite consumed by the United States for the production of alumina in 1979 amounted to 14,524,000 metric tons (dry basis).