Imports of nickel ore decline 13.5% in Feb

SHANGHAI, Mar 26 (SMM) – China’s imports of nickel ore shrank 13.5% from January to stand at 2.16 million mt in February, up 40.4% from a year earlier, according to data from China Customs.

Laterite accounted for 2.08 million mt of February’s nickel ore imports, down 15% month on month but up 36.6% year on year.

In February, imports of sulphide ore gained 59.2% from January and stood at 82,000 mt.

Imports of nickel ore from the Philippines rose 15% from January and 37.8% from a year earlier to stand at 817,000 mt in February, while Indonesian materials declined 23% to 1.21 million mt.