The price of bauxite imported into China will continue rising gradually over the next 5-10 years on stronger domestic demand, chief executive officer of Metro Mining Simon Finnis told Fastmarkets at the Alumina & Bauxite Conference held in Zhengzhou on May 16-17.
China's increased aluminium production capacity and limited bauxite output following stricter bauxite mining requirements has led the country to rely on bauxite imports, Finnis said."China's aluminium capacity rose steadily between 2000 and 2017 to 47.9 million tonnes, from 3.5 million tonnes, while its market share of global supply increased from 14% in 2000 to 60% in 2017," Finnis said.The bauxite supply tightness in inland regions such as Henan province and Shanxi province was a result of China's limited bauxite resources being depleted through many years of exploration and the government's stringent environmental inspections last year, both of which limited new mine...