China’s copper scrap imports through the first 11 months of 2019 totaled 1.28mn mt—58.1pc lower than imports through the same 11-month period in 2018, according to China’s 2019 Customs Statistics trade data. The value of scrap imports through the aforementioned 2019 period amounted to $7,047.32mn, 44.6pc below the same period a year ago. In November 2019, China imported 81,646.62mt of copper scrap valued at $441.70mn.
Together, copper scrap and concentrates imports into the country during the month totaled 1.9mn mt valued at $3,217.34mn. Through the first 11 months of 2019, imports totaled 18.20mn mt, rising 27.1pc compared to the same period in 2018. The value over that period increased by 23.3pc over the same time last year to $31,134.18mn.
Imports of copper and it’s unwrought alloys in November totaled 399,161.28mt, with a value of $2,570.28mn. Copper and unwrought alloys imports increased by 7pc from January to November 2019 to 3.63mn mt, with their value rising 1pc to $24,241.68mn compared to the same period last year.
Imports of copper products in November 2019 amounted to 40,196.46mt, worth $476.86mn, while, imports over the first 11 months of 2019 fell 4.2pc to 401,171.72mt and were worth $4,905.47mn, 1.3pc below the value during the same period last year. Exports of copper products in November 2019 reached 39,583.19mt, and were valued at $338.67mn. Over the first 11 months of 2019, copper products exports and their value declined 4pc and 7.7pc to 431,209.40mt and $3,732.17mn respectively.
Exports of copper and its unwrought alloys in November 2019 were worth $475.29mn and totaled 60,687.93mt. Through the first 11 months of 2019, exports reached 696,409.43mt, 3.5pc lower than the same time span in 2018. They were valued 7.9pc lower from the same period one year ago at $5,525.15mn.
China’s overall copper exports in November were worth $532.39mn and declined by 2.8pc in the first 11 months of the year to $6,187.20mn, compared to 2018. Copper imports decreased to $36,889.64mn, down 15.9pc compared to the same period in 2018.