SMM Complete Summary of March 2026 Import and Export Data [SMM Data]

SMM April 24 News:

In March 2026, SMM import and export data for various products were released. SMM March 2026 import and export data showed: copper cathode net imports were lower YoY; primary aluminum imports reached 255,000 mt, up 14.8% YoY; refined lead imports surged significantly; zinc ingot imports were up 220% MoM; tin ore imports were up 122% YoY; silver imports were up 93% MoM; steel exports rebounded MoM; PV module export value was up 122.7% MoM; silicon metal exports were up 43% MoM, and magnesium exports hit a multi-year high. Among new energy materials, exports of LiPF6 and artificial graphite surged significantly.

Copper

Article Title	Release Date	Link
March Copper Cathode Import & Export Brief: Net Imports Still Lower YoY, Tight Supply Expectations Heating Up [SMM Analysis]	April 20
March 2026 China Copper Foil Customs Details: Monthly Exports Hit Record High [SMM Analysis]	April 21
March 2026 Copper Cathode Imports	April 20
March 2026 Copper Cathode Exports	April 20
March 2026 China Copper Foil Imports and Exports Both Up YoY	April 20
March 2026 China Copper Foil Import and Export Values Both Up	April 20
March 2026 Copper Foil Major Import and Export Countries/Regions	April 20
March 2026 China CCL Imports Up and Exports Down	April 20

Key data: March copper cathode imports were 234,600 mt, up 53.33% MoM and down 24.03% YoY; exports were 58,200 mt; net imports were approximately 176,400 mt. Copper foil exports hit a single-month record high.

Aluminum

Article Title	Release Date	Link
Aluminum Import & Export: Primary Aluminum Imports Up 14.8% YoY, Ordinary Trade Share Fell to Below 5% [SMM Analysis]	April 20
Front-Loaded Export Orders Combined with Sharp Decline in Middle East Orders: Aluminum Extrusion Exports Down 24.8% MoM in March [SMM Analysis]	April 21
March 2026 Unwrought Aluminum Alloy Import and Export Volumes	April 20
March 2026 Unwrought Aluminum Alloy Imports and Exports by Country	April 20
March 2026 Aluminum Scrap Import Volumes and Source Countries	April 20
March 2026 China Total Primary Aluminum Imports Were Approximately 255,000 mt	April 20
March 2026 Total Primary Aluminum Exports Were Approximately 15,000 mt	April 20
March 2026 and Q1 China Primary Aluminum Imports and Exports Both Up	April 20

Key data: Primary aluminum imports were 255,000 mt, up 26.5% MoM and up 14.8% YoY; exports were 15,000 mt, up 45.9% MoM and up 65.4% YoY; net imports were 240,000 mt. Aluminum scrap imports were 197,300 mt, up 7.5% YoY. Aluminum extrusion exports were 48,000 mt, down 24.8% MoM and down 32.8% YoY.

Lead

Article Title	Publication Date	Link
China's Refined Lead Imports Surged Significantly in March; Subsequent Inflow Pace to Slow Down [SMM Analysis]	April 24

Key data: Refined lead exports were 3,190 mt in March, down 36.83% MoM; imports were 24,824 mt. From January to March, combined imports of refined lead and lead products totaled 130,799 mt, up 285.95% YoY cumulatively.

Zinc

Article Title	Publication Date	Link
March Zinc Ingot Imports Exceeded Expectations with a Significant Increase; How Will April Imports and Exports Unfold? [SMM Analysis]	April 20
Q1 2026 Die-Casting Zinc Alloy Import and Export Analysis: Imports Cooled Down While Exports Heated Up [SMM Analysis]	April 20
Smelters Actively Procured for Earlier Stockpiling; China's Zinc Concentrates Imports Increased MoM in March [SMM Analysis]	April 20

Key data: Refined zinc imports were 14,400 mt, up 220.14% MoM and down 47.53% YoY; exports were 4,700 mt. Zinc concentrates imports were 545,600 mt (mt in physical content), up 31.8% MoM and up 51.78% YoY. Die-casting zinc alloy imports were 3,250.18 mt; exports were 1,029.88 mt, up 359.67% YoY.

Tin

Article Title	Publication Date	Link
General Administration of Customs: China's March Tin Ore and Concentrates Imports Up 122.45% YoY	April 20
General Administration of Customs: China's March Refined Tin Imports Up 56.50% YoY	April 20

Key data: Tin ore and concentrates imports were 18,502.18 mt, up 7.92% MoM and up 122.45% YoY (of which Myanmar accounted for 7,294.49 mt, up 223.93% YoY). Refined tin imports were 3,287.47 mt, up 51.62% MoM and up 56.50% YoY; refined tin exports were 2,191.46 mt, up 80.25% MoM and up 31.01% YoY.

Precious Metals

Article Title	Publication Date	Link
March Silver Imports Hit a New Record High; Import Momentum Expected to Show Signs of Cooling in April [SMM Analysis]	April 24

Key data: Silver (purity ≥99.99%) imports were 398.62 mt, up 93% MoM; cumulative imports from January to March were 639.91 mt, up a staggering 5,346% YoY.

Steel

Article Title	Publication Date	Link
Summary of Steel Import and Export Data, March 2026	Apr 14
[SMM Hot Topic] Steel Exports Saw Mild Rebound — Will Semi-Finished Products Become the Main Growth Driver?	Apr 14
China's Total Steel Exports, March 2026	Apr 14

Key data: Steel exports in March totaled 9.135 million mt, up 16.6% MoM; cumulative exports from January to March reached 24.717 million mt, down 9.9% YoY. Steel imports were 512,000 mt.

Coal & Coke

Article Title	Publication Date	Link
Coke Import and Export Data, March 2026	Apr 21
Coking Coal Import and Export Data, March 2026	Apr 21

Key data: Cumulative coke exports from January to March were 1.952 million mt, and cumulative imports were 168,500 mt. Cumulative coking coal imports from January to March were 32.25 million mt.

New Energy (Lithium Battery, PV, Energy Storage)

Article Title	Publication Date	Link
[SMM Analysis] China's Unwrought Cobalt Imports Fell 44% MoM and Exports Rose 32% MoM in March 2026	Apr 21
[SMM Analysis] China's Cobalt Hydrometallurgy Intermediate Products Imports Fell 26% MoM in March 2026	Apr 20
[SMM Analysis] China's Flake Graphite Imports and Exports Saw Recovery Growth in March	Apr 20
[SMM Analysis] Artificial Graphite Exports Rose in Both Volume and Price in March	Apr 20
[SMM Analysis] LiPF6 Exports Rose Approximately 161% MoM in March 2026	Apr 20
Phosphate Ore Imports Reached 182,000 mt in March, Up 88.2% MoM; Strait of Hormuz Logistics Disruptions Cut Off Jordan Imports for the First Time [SMM Analysis]	Apr 20
China's PV Module Export Value Reached 25.093 billion Yuan in March, Up 122.69% MoM	Apr 20
Wafer Exports, March 2026	Apr 20
Solar Cell Exports, March 2026	Apr 20
Inverter Exports, March 2026	Apr 20

Key data:

Unwrought cobalt imports were 961 mt, down 44% MoM; exports were 413 mt, up 32% MoM
Cobalt hydrometallurgy intermediate products imports were 1,690 mt in physical content, down 26% MoM
Flake graphite imports were 3,905 mt (up 11% MoM, up 45% YoY); exports were 8,118 mt (up 35% MoM, up 65% YoY)
Artificial graphite exports were 37,525 mt, up 6% MoM
LiPF6 exports were 4,554 mt (up 161% MoM, up 188.8% YoY)
Phosphate ore imports were 182,000 mt (up 88.2% MoM, up 144.4% YoY)
PV module export value was 25.093 billion yuan, up 122.69% MoM
Wafer exports were 14,300 mt (up 131.8% MoM, up 103.7% YoY)
Solar cell exports were 1.713 billion units (up 99.2% MoM, up 79.6% YoY)

Silicon

Article Title	Publication Date	Link
Silicon Metal Exports Rose 43% MoM in March 2026	Apr 20
Silicone Polysiloxane Exports Surged in March 2026	Apr 20
Exports of Polysiloxane in Primary Forms, March 2026	Apr 20

Key data: Silicon metal exports were 67,800 mt (up 43% MoM, up 14% YoY); cumulative exports from January to March were 180,800 mt, up 16% YoY. Silicone polysiloxane exports reached 98,200 mt, up 84.6% MoM and 87.6% YoY.

Manganese Series

Article Title	Release Date	Link
Domestic Costs and Supply Landscape Drove Growth: SiMn Exports Rose Both MoM and YoY in March [SMM Analysis]	April 21
China's EMM Exports Up 66.72% MoM in March 2026	April 24
China's Manganese Product Exports Declined MoM in March 2026	April 24

Key data: SiMn exports were 6,161 mt (up 213.48% MoM, up 579.32% YoY). EMM exports were 30,006.9 mt (up 66.72% MoM, up 29.02% YoY).

Magnesium

Article Title	Release Date	Link
China's Magnesium Exports Surged 55% in March 2026, with Monthly Volume of 50,000 mt Hitting a Multi-Year High [SMM International Analysis]	April 21
China's Magnesium Powder Export Data in March 2026	April 20

Key data: Magnesium product exports totaled 50,200 mt (up 55% MoM, up 21% YoY), hitting a recent export peak. Of this, magnesium ingot exports were 30,200 mt (up 68.12% MoM), and magnesium powder exports were 6,966 mt (up 33.3% MoM).

Tungsten & Molybdenum

Article Title	Release Date	Link
China's Ferromolybdenum Import and Export Data in March 2026	April 20
China's Molybdenum Oxide Import and Export Data in March 2026	April 20
China's Molybdenum Concentrates Import and Export Data in March 2026	April 20

Key data: Ferromolybdenum exports were 290.5 mt (down 8.36% MoM), and imports were 384 mt (up 60% MoM). Molybdenum oxide exports were 1,981.53 mt (up 187.40% MoM). Molybdenum concentrates imports were 6,646.14 mt (up 45.35% MoM).