China’s June bauxite imports rise 11% on month on strong demand

摘要

China’s bauxite imports reached 10.14 million mt in June, up 11.3% from May, but saw a year-on-year decline of 2.9%, data from China’s General Administration of Customs showed July 22. The month-on-month increase was due to supply tightness and strong demand in the domestic market, market sources said. Although rising freight rates over recent months have increased production costs for Chinese alumina producers relying on imported ore, China’s bauxite imports are expected to stay at higher levels in the coming months, sources said. Bauxite supply might remain tense in Henan and Shanxi province in the months ahead as environmental protection and safety inspection continued. Meanwhile, the recent floods in Henan will further impact production.