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PERTH (Scrap Monster): Mainland China’s bauxite imports advanced sharply by 47% year-on-year to 1.69 million metric tons in September this year and up 48% month-on-month, as per latest data released by the General Administration of Customs of China.

According to the customs data, total bauxite imports for the first three quarters was 30.77 million mt, up a marginal 2% from the same period in 2011.

China's bauxite imports fell in recent months following export policy revisions in Indonesia, a major supplier. Imports from Indonesia had plummeted in June, but picked up in August and September as shipments gradually resumed.

China also hiked its imports from other markets in September to cover reduced supplies from Indonesia.

Bauxite imports in September stood at 626,821 mt, an 82% plunge from a year earlier, and also down 33.7% from August. The figure, however, was up from 187,355 mt imported in June and 212,511 mt in July, when a substantial fall was seen from the 5.56 million mt imported from Indonesia in May.

China imported 111,943 mt of bauxite from India. There were no Indian imports recorded neither in September 2011 nor in August 2012.

There was also a rise in imports from Guyana in September, at 27,681 mt, compared with 72.4 mt imported in August. There were no imports from Guyana a year ago.

China also imported 54,155 mt of bauxite from Fiji in September, compared with 64,589 mt in August and 53,662 mt in July. Fiji bauxite made its debut in the China market in July as consumers turned to alternative sources for supply after Indonesian exports fell.