The latest Customs data showed that China’s bauxite imports in the first six months of 2019 came in at 56.63 million tonnes, after expanding by 39.26 per cent from the same period last year. Greater domestic production of alumina and tighter supply of the ore could be the two reasons for this growth in China’s bauxite imports.
In June, China imported 9.3 million tonnes of bauxite, down 4.17 per cent from 9.7 million tonnes in May but up 33.17 per cent from 6.2 million tonnes in June 2018.
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The Republic of Guinea, Australia, and Indonesia remained the top three bauxite suppliers to China, accounting for 93.7 per cent of the latter’s total imports in the first half of the year.
Guinea, a major source of gibbsite bauxite used in low-temperature production lines, is likely to remain the largest bauxite exporter to China for the rest of the year.
SMM learned that Chalco Zhongzhou, SPIC Shanxi Aluminium, and Henan Wanji transported some of their alumina production lines to low-temperature mode. This is expected to increase the demand of bauxite in the coming time in China.
East Hope’s Jinzhong plant, Chalco Mining and Guizhou Qiya adopted the sweetening process, while Guangxi Xinfa, Shanxi Fusheng, and Xing’an Chemical used mixed ores.
SMM data also showed that about 73.1 million tonnes of alumina capacity was in operation in China in June, on an annualised basis. Output of metallurgical-grade alumina is expected to rise to 5.94 million tonnes in July.
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