24 Jun 2009 07:18

China imports 21.71 mln tons of Australian iron ore in May, down 4.13 pct month-on-month

Shanghai. June 24. INTERFAX-CHINA - China's iron ore imports from Australia totaled 21.71 million tons in May, down 4.13 percent from the previous month, according to statistics released by the General Administration of Customs on June 22.

Australia remained China's largest iron ore supplier in May with Australian iron ore imports accounting for 40.61 percent of China's total figure.

Brazil, India, South Africa and the Ukraine were also among China's top five iron ore suppliers last month, with shipments of 13.59 million tons, 8.92 million tons, 2.69 million tons and 1.71 million tons, respectively.

The table below shows China's iron ore imports for May and the first five months of 2009.

China's iron ore imports, May and the first five months of 2009

Country Imports, May 2009 ('000 tons) M-o-m change (%) Imports, Jan - May ('000 tons) Y-o-y change (%)
Australia 21,709.78 -4.13 98,013.55 41.33
Brazil 13,589.15 6.33 48,572.42 13.42
India 8,923.54 -20.01 54,190.12 10.71
South Africa 2,689.77 -16.71 12,024.65 78.39
Ukraine 1,706.69 52.90 5,690.54 76.53
Canada 899.10 59.32 2,364.82 43.96
Russia 654.48 -16.12 2,447.03 65.28
Mauritania 579.80 -14.01 2,500.25 118.42
Kazakhstan 517.78 4.30 2,472.14 97.48
Peru 434.24 -22.53 2,373.34 26.13
Chile 331.01 -56.71 1,724.89 10.44
Iran 297.19 -36.27 2,136.06 -21.23
Indonesia 262.85 -52.95 2,389.43 -33.49
Venezuela 135.19 -64.75 1,144.10 -23.94
Mongolia 102.01 -46.03 452.58 47.89
DPRK 95.95 63.68 402.76 -44.02
Mozambique 95.32 13.66 333.52 N/A
Myanmar 83.91 216.15 144.27 291.87
Thailand 74.21 52.51 349.39 -60.80
Mexico 68.18 -48.32 713.32 -5.49
Vietnam 60.42 -21.74 440.35 -21.62
Malaysia 47.45 56.64 220.77 -50.58
Qatar 45.74 N/A 45.74 N/A
Finland 41.04 0.71 181.15 N/A
Philippines 12.95 4.75 39.16 -50.67
Japan 0.02 -99.66 14.41 -39.76
Libya 0.00 -100.00 4.52 -95.17
Bahrain 0.00 -100.00 123.62 -4.51
Singapore 0.00 N/A 1.27 -20.35
New Zealand 0.00 -100.00 288.47 -3.39
United States 0.00 N/A 50.46 268.95
Argentina 0.00 N/A 36.92 45.30
Total 53,457.76 -6.22 241,886.00 25.75

Source: GAC

Note: Monthly changes from April to May and year-on-year changes were calculated using figures previously released by the GAC.

-GD