SHANGHAI, Dec 21, 2011 (Dow Jones) -- China's refined copper imports in November rose 48% from a year earlier to 343,926 metric tons, the General Administration of Customs said Wednesday.

November imports were up 16% from October, when 295,341 tons were imported.

In the January-November period, the world's largest copper consumer imported 2.43 million tons of refined copper, down 9.9% from a year earlier.