SHANGHAI, Jul. 2 (SMM) – China’s bauxite imports plunged to 2.12 million tonnes in May due largely to Indonesia’s export ban, Shanghai Metals Market understood.

Imports of Indonesian bauxite tumbled 98.81% on a yearly basis to 45,000 tonnes in May, the major reason behind the 65.46% year-on-year slump in China’s total imports, SMM believed.

Given Indonesia’s ongoing ban on exports of unprocessed ores, Indonesian bauxite was estimated to be imported from bonded zones rather than from Indonesia. 

Fewer arrivals from Australia and India were also partly blamed on the decline in total imports. Imports from Australia dropped 12.55% from a year ago to 1.24 million tonnes in May, and dived 25.69% from India to 547,500 tonnes, according to China Customs.

Year-to-date imports through May plummeted 37.91% from a year earlier to 16.59 million tonnes. Total imports from Malaysia, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic spiked to 269,800 tonnes, though.

In addition, the average CIF price for imported bauxite was $ 59.99 per tonne in May, slightly below April’s almost 5-year high of $ 60.49 per tonne.

Details on bauxite import prices in May are shown in the table below: