China’s bauxite import from Guinea dipped again amid rising impact of the rainy season, but imports from non-mainstream supplying countries was active

According to customs data, China imported 10.0241 million mt of bauxite in September, down 13.84% MoM but up 22.04% YoY. Imports from Guinea were 7.3434 million mt, down 7.79% MoM but up 63.23% YoY, those from Australia were 2.6981 million mt, down 26.19% MoM and 0.28% YoY and those from Brazil, Turkey, Malaysia, Montenegro, Ghana and Jamaica were 181,100 mt, 166,300 mt, 79,600 mt, 53,500 mt, 53,400 mt and 20,400 mt respectively.

In terms of bauxite from non-mainstream supplying countries: A total import volume in September was 554,300 mt, accounting for 5.53% of total imports of China. The main reasons (1) Implementation of Indonesia's bauxite ban policy and suspension of production at the Sanmenxia mine in Henan Province caused a bauxite supply crunch, driving alumina refineries hunting for bauxite from non-mainstream supplying countries. (2) Falling bauxite grades in China shifted Chinese alumina refineries towards high-grade bauxite from non-mainstream supplying countries. In the short term, China will see lingering bauxite shortfalls and a large drop in domestic bauxite grades. As such, bauxite from non-mainstream supplying countries may remain relatively popular.