As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, China’s imports of bauxite continued to fall for the third straight month. China imported 6.48 million tonnes of bauxite in October as compared to 6.75 million tonnes in September.
Bauxite imports declined by 3.97% month-on-month and 6.01% year-on-year, according to China Customs data under HS code 26060000. This decline in China’s import is due to a plunge in the volume from the major supplier, the Republic of Guinea, as it entered a rainy season in July.
{alcircleadd}Source: Shanghai Metals Market
In the first ten months of 2019, imports of bauxite increased by 18.4% compared with the same period last year. Imports stood at 84.62 million tonnes.
Australia, Guinea, and Indonesia remained the top three bauxite suppliers in October. The three countries together exported about 6.24 million tonnes of bauxite last month.
Australia’s exports to China increased by 5.03% month-on-month and 30.53% year-on-year to 3.5 million tonnes. Guinea exported 1.66 million tonnes of bauxite last month, down 7.09% month-on-month and 34.38% year-on-year. With the rainy season in Guinea drawing to a close, imports from the West African country are likely to recover in November and December.
Bauxite imports from Indonesia in October totalled 1.08 million tonnes. Imports declined 11.01% month-on-month, but up 145% year-on-year.
In October, China imported 118,700 tonnes of bauxite from Solomon Islands, 65,500 tonnes from Malaysia, 46,700 tonnes from the Republic of Montenegro, 8,200 tonnes from Jamaica and 1,100 tonnes from Turkey.
Responses