[SMM Flash] China's Sulphuric Acid Production Data for August

Since 10 July, SMM Chinese sulfuric acid price index from Copper smelters has declined for 11 consecutive weeks on a weekly basis. This weekend, sulphuric acid prices were further reduced in some regions, with the ex-works price of 98% smelting acid falling below 1,000 yuan/mt. However, demand from the fertiliser industry has yet to show any clear improvement, and there are no signs that exports of sulphuric acid and phosphate fertiliser can be restarted, leaving the market dominated by a strong wait-and-see sentiment.

In August 2026, China's imports of cobalt hydrometallurgical intermediate products totaled approximately 7,876 physical tonnes, down 51% MoM but up 50% YoY. Of this, imports from the DRC were about 7,774 physical tonnes, down 51% MoM and up 62% YoY. The average import price of cobalt hydrometallurgical intermediate products in August 2026 was $15,495 per physical tonne, down 13.51% MoM. Of the intermediate products imported from the DRC this month, around 3,682 physical tonnes entered Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces as logistics goods under special customs supervision (bonded logistics), accounting for 46.8% of China's total imports; general trade accounted for about 3,913 physical tonnes, or 49.7%; and processing trade with imported materials accounted for about 179 physical tonnes, or 2.3%. In addition, China imported a combined 101 physical tonnes of intermediate products from South Africa, Vietnam, and Zambia via general trade this month. The decline in imports this month was mainly driven by two factors. First, typhoons in August forced port closures, delaying some cargoes originally scheduled to arrive in August into September. Second, cobalt salt prices kept falling through August, weakening smelters' willingness to purchase raw materials; miners struggled to conclude new tenders, and some chose to keep cargoes in storage in other overseas regions, waiting for demand to recover before shipping. From January to August 2026, China's cumulative imports of cobalt hydrometallurgical intermediate products reached 44,792 physical tonnes, down 84% YoY.

In August 2026, China's total monthly sulphur imports were 272,323.414 mt in physical content, down 29.34% MoM and down 65.03% YoY, with the main import sources being the UAE, South Korea, Canada, Japan, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines. China's total monthly sulphur exports were 48 mt in physical content, down 96.34% MoM and up 26.32% YoY, with the main export destinations being Indonesia and South Korea. China's total monthly sulphuric acid imports were 9,938.436 mt in physical content, up 831.85% MoM and up 1,051.37% YoY, with the main import sources being South Korea, Taiwan, China, Germany, and the US. China's total monthly sulphuric acid exports were 2,474.46 mt in physical content, up 153.47% MoM and down 99.43% YoY, with the main export destinations being Angola, Ghana, Cambodia, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Tanzania.