SHANGHAI, Nov 23 (SMM) – China imported 2.214 million mt of zinc concentrate in January-September with 536,000 mt from Australia, showed data from China Customs.

Australia topped the list of importers with 26%, with Peru as runner-up. In the first nine months of 2018, Peru exported 460,000 mt of zinc concentrate to China, accounting for 21% of China’s overall imports.

China Minmetals Corporation (CMC), the country's largest metals and minerals group, started commercial production of its Dugald River zinc mine project in Australia in May. This largely accounted for the sharp growth in Australian imports.

In October, New Century completed its maiden shipment of zinc concentrate from the Queensland-based Century zinc restart, which went to China. This increased the probability that Australia would continue to be the biggest zinc concentrate exporter to China.

The International Lead and Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) reported that Australia produced 1.486 million mt of zinc concentrate in January-September, up 268,000 mt from a year earlier.