Malaysia’s bauxite export registers a hike in H1 2018 compared to CY 2017

The prolonged period of moratorium on bauxite mining in Pahang, Malaysia, to finalise a regulatory framework to prevent a repetitive environmental damage, came to an end on June 30, 2018. The moratorium was put in place on January 2016 and was extended until June 30 to clear the then existing stockpiles.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had said that there were 5.4 million tonnes of bauxite stockpiles when the moratorium was first imposed. Based on surveys, there had been a further increase in the stockpiles because of which moratorium was extended several times.

As of June 8, 2017, 5.8 million tonnes of bauxite was exported from Malaysia, said Wan Junaidi.

As the world’s largest bauxite exporter, Malaysia exported 48,52,636 tonnes of bauxite to China in the year 2017, while to Thailand and Japan, the total bauxite export had registered at 6,824 tonnes and 494 tonnes, respectively. According to the international export-import data, the estimated bauxite export from Malaysia in 2017 was 4,859,955 tonnes.

In the first half of 2018, the export volume increased drastically. Around 111,49,619 tonnes of bauxite was shipped from Malaysia to China in the first two quarters of 2018 ended on June 30, 2018, while to Thailand, the export volume stood at 3,631 tonnes. According to the international export-import data, the estimated volume for 2018 is 23,767,212 tonnes. The projected revenue is US$434 million, in contrast to US$ 384551 of 2017.