Nickel ore imports surge 33% in Aug

SHANGHAI, Oct 15 (SMM) – China imported 5.77 million mt of nickel ore in August, up 32.8% from July and 23.3% from the corresponding month in 2017, showed data from China Customs.

Laterite nickel ore accounted for 5.733 million, up 33.2% from July and 23.3% on the year. Volumes from the Philippines rose by 24.6% in August, standing at 4.245 million mt, as Chinese plants ramped up procurement ahead of the rainy season in Surigao. Volumes from Indonesia grew 65.6% to 1.363 million mt as improved weather conditions allowed miners to recover normal shipment.

Imports of sulphide ore accounted for some 34,000 mt, with about 22,000 mt from South Africa, Russia, Mozambique and Australia purchased by Gansu-based Jinchuan Group.

Nickel ore imports that entered Shandong shrank 49% to 121,000 mt in August as the delayed commissioning of new capacities deterred local plants from making purchases. In the same month,imports grew across Jiangsu, Fujian and Guangdong, up 58%, 49.4% and 48.6%, respectively.

Nickel ore imports are not classified by dmt and wmt under China Customs.