SHANGHAI, Mar 26 (SMM) – Inner Mongolia's restrictions on power supply in April is expected to lower demand for chromite (chrome ore) and weigh on domestic imports of the material during that month.  

China imported some 1.14 million mt of chromite in February, down 4.34% from a year earlier, according to the latest data from China Customs.

Imports from South Africa, the largest source of imports, dropped 3.21% year on year to 843,100 mt while imports from Turkey shrank 14% to 108,600 mt.

In February, domestic imports of high-carbon ferrochrome grew 17% from a year earlier but slid 14% from January, to stand at 207,700 mt.

On a monthly basis, imports from South Africa increased by 8%, to 121,300 mt, while imports from Kazakhstan declined 36%, to 45,800 mt, and imports from India lost 29%, to 25,100 mt. 

Chromite and high-carbon ferrochrome are raw materials required to produce stainless steel.