Winter stockpiling keeps bauxite prices at highs despite eased supply shortages

SHANGHAI, Dec 26 (SMM) – While bauxite supplies grew after some miners in Shanxi and Henan resumed output, prices of bauxite remained high as of Tuesday December 25 due to winter stockpiling across alumina producers.

As of December 25, bauxite with alumina/silica ratio of 7 was offered up to 700 yuan/mt, ex-works, in Shanxi, and materials with alumina/silica ratio of 5 was offered up to 560 yuan/mt, ex-works, SMM learned.

With looser environmental restrictions, miners in Shanxi and Henan with production licences recovered output from late November, which eased shortages of bauxite.