General Administration of Customs: China’s January Copper Cathode Imports Fell 15.89% MoM, Breakdown of Detailed Data

Published: Mar 20, 2026 19:49

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Data released by the online query platform for customs statistics showed that China’s copper cathode imports in January 2026 were 250,668.58 mt, down 15.89% MoM and down 15.64% YoY.

The DRC was the largest origin, with copper cathode imports from the DRC at 105,563.38 mt in the month, down 10.91% MoM and down 26.08% YoY.

Chile was the second-largest origin, with copper cathode imports from Chile at 23,507.02 mt in the month, down 10.66% MoM and down 38.02% YoY.

Below is a breakdown of China’s copper cathode imports in January 2026, compiled based on data from the official website of the General Administration of Customs:

Source: General Administration of Customs

Note: 1. Including unwrought refined copper cathodes with copper content >99.9935%; unwrought other refined copper cathode; unwrought refined copper wire bars; unwrought refined copper cathode sections; unwrought refined copper billets; and other unwrought refined copper.

2. The total imports (grand total) also include data for some origins not listed in the table above.

(Wenhua Composite)

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

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