SMM, June 23-China's bauxite imports in May 2019 (31 days) were 9.7091 million tons, an increase of 33.18 percent over the same period last year, and a decrease of 4.59 percent from January to May. The total amount of bauxite imports from January to May was 47.0256 million tons. (based on 10-bit customs code)

Data sources: China Customs, SMM

In terms of countries, the imports of Guinea, Australia and Indonesia are still in the top three, accounting for 92.12% of the total. Imports from Guinea totaled 5.0015 million tons, up 396100 tons from the previous month; Australia 2.9661 million tons, down 388100 tons from the previous month; and Indonesia 1.1228 million tons, down 290400 tons from the previous month. In addition to these three countries, imports from Brazil in May were 292400 tons, an increase of 145500 tons from the previous month; Malaysia, 120100 tons, a slight decrease of 19300 tons from the previous month; Turkey, 74000 tons, an increase of 68700 tons from the previous month; Solomon Islands 49600 tons, an increase of 42000 tons from the previous month; Vietnam 42000 tons; Jamaica 39700 tons, a month-on-month decrease of 155200 tons; India, which has only 700 tons, down 160600 tons from the previous month, imported very little bauxite from Spain and Montenegro in May, accounting for less than 0.1 per cent of the total.

The data show that the ore import of Guinea has increased steadily, and the ore import of Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia has decreased month by month, while the monthly increase or decrease of non-mainstream imported bauxite is not stable. The use of bauxite in these countries is roughly as follows: (1) mixed with domestic minerals, such as Guangxi Xinfa mixed with high-temperature bauxite from Vietnam and Turkey for production; (2) High and low price imported ores are mixed to reduce costs, such as Jinjiang Xiaoyi Xingan Chemical Co., Ltd., which mixes Australian ore with high Al / Si ratio of Jamaican ore for production; and (3) it is used as a substitute for Guinean ore. For example, SPIC Shanxi has tried to produce alumina from Jamaican and Turkish ores.

The pace of technological upgrading of inland alumina plants continues. According to SMM, the low temperature transformation of SPIC Shanxi Aluminum Industry's two production lines (800000 tons / year) has been completed on June 4, and the use of imported ores will be increased in the follow-up; Tianshan Jingxi Tiangui Aluminum Industry has built a low temperature production line with an annual capacity of 850000 tons, and is expected to gradually use imported ore production in an all-round way at a later stage.