Operating rates at silicon metal producers in China gained 4.8 percentage points on the month to 55% in December, according to an SMM survey. This was 16.1% higher than the same period last year. Higher operating rates in Xinjiang, Fujian, Guangxi, Shaanxi and Hunan offset declined supply from south-west China amid a dry season.

China's imports of bauxite, the main ore source of aluminium and which has to be first refined into alumina, rose to a record high in the March quarter, due to greater demand and lower sea freight costs.

Resumption of production in Yunnan and Sichuan accounted for the rally in April’s operating rates. Silicon plants in Nujiang of Yunnan and Ngawa and Leshan of Sichuan reopened part of their capacity ahead of the arrival of rainy session, and this offset some capacity curtailment in Xinjiang and Chongqing due to losses and tight ore supply. 

China’s imports of copper ore and concentrate increased about 14% to 2.03 million mt in April from a month earlier, according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs released on Thursday.

China’s imports of aluminium scrap expanded in March, as secondary aluminium producers in the country rushed to fulfill backlogged orders after suspending production for more than a month due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Data from China customs showed that China imported 77,000 mt of aluminium scrap last month, down 39.1% from March 2019. That brought total imports in the first three months of 2020 to 199,000 mt, down 40.1% from the same period last year.

Last month, the capacity in operation reduced in Xinjiang, Sichuan and Shaanxi. Continued raw materials shortage kept major silicon plants in Xinjiang from resuming the capacity that has been shut down since February. Meanwhile, falling silicon prices prompted some medium-scale producers to cut output or undergo maintenance in the second half of March. 

Overall inventories of silicon metal remained in a downward trend as of February 28, but inventory at ports increased as the resumption of motor traffic in south China accelerated the shipments of...

Last year, the Republic of Guinea, Australia, and Indonesia remained the top three bauxite exporters to China, with their combined volume accounting for over 94% of the China’s total bauxite imports

The volume of silicon deliveries from warehouses at ports rebounded this week as export trades picked up

China imported 4.32 million mt of nickel ore and concentrate last month, down 27.91% from November