Bauxite exports by Montenegro likely to rise this year; China to be the key importer

Depending on the incessant increase in bauxite demand for primary aluminium production, one country that has come a long way as bauxite exporter in the last three years is none other than Montenegro. After a plunge in total export last year, the Balkan country is expected to turn around with a greater year-on-year export volume in 2019.

According to our third-party data, Montenegro in 2019 is estimated to export around 1.39 million tonnes, in contrast to 1.08 million tonnes in 2018. This indicates that Montenegro’s bauxite export in 2019 is likely to rise by 29 per cent year-on-year. But in the year last, exports by Montenegro had fallen from 1.81 million tonnes in 2017, down 40 per cent. In 2016, on the other hand, Montenegro had exported 487,910 tonnes, which means 2017 had seen a sweeping growth of more than 250 per cent.

Montenegro’s major bauxite mining facility is Rudnici Boksita Niksic. It is located in the Central - Western part of the European country. The bauxite mine- the largest in Montenegro, has bauxite reserve estimated at 135.2 million tonnes. As of 2017, bauxite production from the facility was expected to stand at 200,000 tonnes.

Montenegro exports bauxite mainly to Bosnia Herzegovina, China, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Poland, and Serbia. In 2019, China is likely to top the list of bauxite importers from Montenegro, securing 1.2 million tonnes in total. Bosnia Herzegovina is expected to occupy the second position by purchasing 160,933 tonnes.

As we can see in the above graph that although Montenegro had recorded a drop in its total exports last year, its exports to China grew year-on-year. From 795, 560 tonnes in 2017, Montenegro’s exports to China in 2018 increased to 909,688 tonnes. In 2016, the country’s bauxite exports to China were at 387,476 tonnes.