China imported 9,100 mt (Co content) of cobalt raw materials in December 2020, up 2% from November, but down 9% from a year ago, customs data showed. Imports totalled 90,000 mt (Co content) in 2020, basically the same as the previous year. 

China's imports of cobalt raw materials, including ore and intermediate products, came in at 3,700 mt in metal content in May, down 57% from a month ago and down 55% from a year ago, showed the latest customs data. 

A total of 91 vessels carrying 14.05 million mt of iron ore arrived at major Chinese ports during May 3-9, SMM estimates. This was up 1.21 million mt from the prior week, and up 1.72 million mt from the same period last year.

China exported 4,316.7 mt of rare earth in April, down 22.24% from an at least six-year high in March and down 0.28% from a year earlier, showed data from the General Administration of Customs released Thursday.

SMM expects the import prices of spodumene concentrate to fall further and approach $420/mt cif in the months ahead as domestic demand may decline with smelters shifting ore stockpiles into lithium salt finished products inventory.

Domestic demand for raw materials increased following the return of cobalt salt producers in March, and this led to the rebound in imports. It is understood that cobalt raw materials delivery to smelters resumed at the beginning of March and more than 80% of producers restarted operations by end-March. 

A total of 78 vessels carrying 12.01 million mt of iron ore arrived at major Chinese ports during April 12-18, SMM estimates. This was down 1.82 million mt from the prior week, and down 1.22 million mt from the same period last year.

A total of 89 vessels carrying 13.83 million mt of iron ore arrived at major Chinese ports during April 5-11, SMM estimates. This was up 400,000 mt from the prior week, and up 2.82 million mt from the same period last year.

SMM surveyed 41 major aluminium processors in 12 provinces and found that their average operating rate dipped 0.6 percentage point on a weekly basis to 74.4% last week.

Prices of battery-grade nickel sulphate, a raw material used to produce electric vehicle batteries, halted their decline that lasted for much of March, and edged higher as of March 30, as concerns about feedstock supply disruption intensified after Papua New Guinea banned vessels at ports to stop the spread of the COVID-19.