China's refined base metal imports fall in 2010
Shanghai. January 25. INTERFAX-CHINA - China's refined lead, zinc, tin and nickel imports all witnessed year-on-year decreases in 2010, according to Jan. 21 figures from the General Administration of Customs (GAC).
China imported a total of 21,533 tons of refined lead last year, down 86.31 percent on an annual basis. Lead ore and concentrate imports in the same period also dropped slightly, down 0.1 percent to 1.6 million tons.
China's refined lead exports, however, rose 0.18 percent year-on-year in 2010 to 23,071 tons.
Refined zinc imports for the year stood at 323,354 tons, down 51.71 percent year-on-year. Zinc ore and concentrate imports also fell, down 15.44 percent to 3.24 million tons. Exports again saw an increase, however, with refined zinc up 47.39 percent year-on-year to 43,143 tons.
Refined nickel imports fell 26.81 percent on an annual basis in 2010 to 182,884 tons, while nickel ore and concentrate imports increased 52.2 percent to 25 million tons. Exports of refined nickel and nickel alloy also rose, increasing 64.05 percent year-on-year to 55,170 tons.
The tables below show China's imports and exports of lead, zinc, tin and nickel in December and the whole of 2010. Totals given are for selected countries and regions plus unlisted countries and regions with negligible volumes.
China's lead, zinc, tin and nickel imports, December and the whole of 2010
| Product | Country or region | Imports, Dec (tons) | Y-o-y change (%) | Imports, Jan - Dec (tons) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Lead | |||||
| Refined lead | South Korea | 502 | -74.82 | 5,264 | -88.27 |
| Australia | 252 | N/A | 7,791 | -78.14 | |
| Total | 763 | -66.57 | 21,533 | -86.31 | |
| Lead ore and concentrate | United States | 39,637 | 166.59 | 275,418 | 0.26 |
| Peru | 14,353 | -31.7 | 335,856 | 2.86 | |
| Russia | 10,423 | -26.32 | 112,345 | -6.52 | |
| Australia | 10,041 | -38.62 | 205,364 | 38.68 | |
| Sweden | 9,365 | N/A | 33,113 | -2.74 | |
| Mexico | 5,193 | 57.72 | 48,499 | -29.15 | |
| Ireland | 5,146 | N/A | 25,804 | -2.36 | |
| Morocco | 4,989 | N/A | 34,112 | 277.06 | |
| Turkey | 4,748 | 62.31 | 42,026 | 83.62 | |
| North Korea | 3,821 | -25.52 | 40,699 | -24.66 | |
| Greece | 3,765 | 294.01 | 18,622 | -17.61 | |
| Mongolia | 3,667 | N/A | 4,448 | N/A | |
| Iran | 2,227 | 134.52 | 31,577 | -17.02 | |
| Thailand | 2,153 | -36.39 | 661 | -28.49 | |
| Brazil | 1,846 | -56.65 | 22,548 | 20.93 | |
| Myanmar | 1,542 | -0.29 | 13,871 | -17.16 | |
| Nigeria | 1,366 | -45.78 | 37,573 | 177.01 | |
| Total | 129,832 | 8.59 | 1,603,796 | -0.1 | |
| Zinc | |||||
| Refined zinc | South Korea | 7,588 | 93.04 | 47,532 | -27.2 |
| Kazakhstan | 7,553 | 480.75 | 53,020 | -41.46 | |
| Namibia | 5,053 | 318.62 | 41,691 | -61.32 | |
| North Korea | 4,362 | 966.95 | 23,393 | 70.67 | |
| India | 3,247 | 116.62 | 21,729 | -66.78 | |
| Peru | 3,151 | N/A | 13,587 | 322.7 | |
| Japan | 2,374 | -22.96 | 21,781 | -72.89 | |
| Australia | 1,549 | -71.54 | 80,554 | -56.76 | |
| Total | 35,220 | 84.61 | 323,354 | -51.71 | |
| Zinc alloy | Australia | 6,031 | 4.96 | 66,374 | 32.83 |
| South Korea | 4,454 | -6.83 | 48,203 | 23.98 | |
| Taiwan | 1,194 | -40.8 | 16,881 | -14.91 | |
| Total | 13,705 | -9.58 | 154,450 | 15.79 | |
| Zinc ore and zinc concentrate | Australia | 61,679 | -43.58 | 1,009,450 | -7.47 |
| Serbia | 59,429 | N/A | 116,194 | 3042.31 | |
| Peru | 46,596 | -62.45 | 819,133 | -11.18 | |
| Kazakhstan | 19,787 | 81.16 | 172,229 | 21.6 | |
| Mongolia | 17,731 | 15.55 | 108,989 | -19.99 | |
| United States | 9,910 | 0.02 | 71,242 | -18.29 | |
| Russia | 7,976 | 152.88 | 82,036 | 162.91 | |
| Nigeria | 6,275 | 2760.9 | 24,924 | 409.97 | |
| South Korea | 5,780 | 64.58 | 43,210 | -54.96 | |
| Iran | 4,945 | -20.3 | 49,900 | 5.53 | |
| Myanmar | 4,201 | -32.35 | 53,546 | 57.54 | |
| Mexico | 2,148 | 116.5 | 74,228 | -34.39 | |
| Greece | 1,402 | -50.12 | 24,794 | -15.23 | |
| Pakistan | 1,363 | N/A | 18,678 | 608.31 | |
| Bolivia | 1,290 | N/A | 15,555 | -10.97 | |
| North Korea | 1,210 | -12.73 | 35,848 | 62.63 | |
| Total | 255,286 | -34.68 | 3,240,524 | -15.44 | |
| Tin | |||||
| Refined tin | Indonesia | 584 | -28.07 | 10,545 | -20.71 |
| Bolivia | 196 | -53.71 | 2,412 | 5.27 | |
| Total | 950 | -41.72 | 18,543 | -23.56 | |
| Tin ore and tin concentrate | Myanmar | 2,087 | 563.95 | 7,423 | 306.79 |
| Australia | 214 | N/A | 3,760 | 209.17 | |
| Bolivia | 179 | -83.04 | 6,627 | 17.37 | |
| Total | 2,574 | 85.52 | 19,840 | 94.35 | |
| Nickel | |||||
| Refined nickel | Russia | 4,056 | -25.39 | 72,385 | -15.25 |
| Canada | 3,881 | 20.56 | 31,038 | -28.39 | |
| Australia | 2,020 | -30.6 | 31,760 | -33.85 | |
| South Africa | 1,551 | 744.82 | 8,108 | -6.63 | |
| Total | 15,602 | 17.53 | 182,884 | -26.81 | |
| Nickel ore and nickel concentrate | Philippines | 1,382,815 | 142.34 | 12,338,221 | 41.5 |
| Indonesia | 1,155,316 | 21.89 | 12,204,645 | 70.53 | |
| Australia | 18,986 | -42.42 | 198,714 | -9.33 | |
| Zambia | 4,219 | N/A | 21,706 | 70.09 | |
| Finland | 3,631 | N/A | 6,358 | -15.29 | |
| Total | 2,565,609 | 60.29 | 25,007,442 | 52.2 |
Source: GAC
Note: Monthly changes were calculated based on figures previously released by the GAC.
China's lead, zinc, tin and nickel exports, December and the whole of 2010
| Product | Country or region | Exports, Dec (tons) | Y-o-y change (%) | Exports, Jan - Dec (tons) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Lead | |||||
| Refined lead | Thailand | 1,309 | 45.93 | 8,124 | -26.28 |
| South Korea | 1,008 | 340.17 | 4,273 | 22.55 | |
| Malaysia | 301 | N/A | 601 | 196.43 | |
| Total | 2,701 | 116.43 | 23,071 | 0.18 | |
| Zinc | |||||
| Refined zinc | Thailand | 1,316 | 30.95 | 4,633 | N/A |
| India | 657 | N/A | 970 | 86.51 | |
| Japan | 493 | 180.11 | 669 | 22.2 | |
| Saudi Arabia | 455 | 79.84 | 3,458 | 72.95 | |
| Bangladesh | 200 | N/A | 241 | N/A | |
| Singapore | 128 | N/A | 5,157 | 85.41 | |
| Total | 3,250 | -0.34 | 43,143 | 47.39 | |
| Zinc alloy | Total | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Tin | |||||
| Refined tin and tin alloy | Japan | 180 | N/A | 340 | 215.1 |
| Total | 205 | 412.5 | 714 | 3.95 | |
| Nickel | |||||
| Refined nickel and nickel alloy | Singapore | 1,490 | 198 | 9,017 | 65.62 |
| Taiwan | 800 | 29.03 | 9,763 | 58.22 | |
| South Korea | 665 | -11.21 | 18,931 | 77.51 | |
| Hong Kong | 575 | 1.95 | 8,146 | 5.39 | |
| Japan | 162 | 62 | 2,785 | 1149.65 | |
| Total | 3,695 | 40.28 | 55,170 | 64.05 |
Source: GAC
Note: Monthly changes were calculated based on figures previously released by the GAC.
- KY