US Metals Industry Shifts into High Gear as Data Centers Boom
The US metals industry is undergoing significant changes due to the growth of AI-driven data centers. Data center construction and power infrastructure expansion are driving demand for various metals, including aluminum, copper, steel, graphite, and critical minerals like indium and gallium.
According to Duncan Pitchford, president of Hydro Aluminium Metals USA, data center construction has increased demand for aluminum products in the US. Aluminum is used in cooling management systems, racking and enclosure for servers, power distribution, and thermal management applications.
Copper is also a crucial component in data centers, used in power distribution, grounding, utility interconnections, transformers, battery energy storage, and cooling infrastructure. The International Energy Agency projects that global electricity demand from data centers will more than double by 2030, with AI as the primary driving force.
Supply constraints are amplifying price pressures for metals like indium, gallium, and graphite. Indium's possible addition to China's export control list has put upward pressure on US indium prices, which were assessed at $840-890 per kg in August 2026.