SHANGHAI, Feb. 2 (SMM) -- According to China Customs, China imported 4.58 million mt of bauxite during December 2011, up 48.61% YoY. Total bauxite imports in 2011 were 44.84 million mt, up 49.73% YoY, hitting a record high.

According to SMM statistics, China’s imports of bauxite in 2011 were mainly from Indonesia, Australia and India. Bauxite imports from Indonesia were 35.72 million mt, accounting for 79.65% of China’s total bauxite imports, up 56.60% YoY; imports from Australia were 8.40 million mt, accounting for 18.73%, up 27.51% YoY; and imports from India were 625,400 mt, accounting for 1.39%, up 22.81% YoY.

SMM believes growing output of alumina using imported bauxite caused total bauxite imports in 2011 to increase. Alumina producers using imported bauxite as a raw material are mainly located in Shandong, and SMM statistics show that Shandong’s alumina output in 2011 grew by over 4 million mt, needing 12 million mt of imported bauxite if three tons of imported bauxite is used to produce one ton of alumina.