China's appetite for bauxite subsides after slowdown

China imported 3,506,176 million tonnes of bauxite in June 2016, down 12.3 per cent from the same period previous year. The year-to-date bauxite import, however, increased 12 per cent to reach 25,197,259 mt.

Australia topped the list of countries which supplied bauxite ore to China. Australia shipped 1,679,326 mt of bauxite, up 29 per cent y-o-y to China. Guinea was the second biggest supplier of the mineral to China followed by Brazil and Malaysia. Shipment of bauxite from Malaysia to China declined 87 per cent y-o-y to stand at 228,327 mt in June.

China imported 53,485 mt of bauxite from India during the period under review. The volume marks a sharp decline of 92 per cent from the corresponding period previous year.

China, which happens to be the largest consumer of aluminium, has always been a voracious importer of bauxite. However, with the recent slowing down of the economy and the smelter re-starts still under process, the appetite for the ore has somewhat subsided; but once the smelters that were previously shut down start operating, the imports will take off, opine sources close to the industry.