SHANGHAI, Oct 25 (SMM) - According to latest update of General Administration of Customs, China imported 10,600 mt of cobalt-based raw materials in metal content in September, up 36% YoY. From January to September 2022, the imports totalled 77,300 mt in metal content.
China imported 429 mt in metal content of cobalt ore (Co content at 8%) in September, up 73% MoM and 173% YoY. Imports of cobalt ore were 1,756 mt in metal content in the first nine months of 2022, up 74% year-on-year.
The import volume of cobalt hydrometallurgy intermediate products (Co content at 30%) was 10,000 mt in metal content, down 4% on the month but up 35% on the year. Imports of cobalt hydrometallurgy intermediate products totalled 73,100 mt in metal content from January to September, up 19% year-on-year.
Imports of unwrought cobalt were 130 mt in metal content in September (calculated at 99.8% grade), down 38% MoM and 46% YoY. Imports of unwrought cobalt totalled 2,400 mt in metal content from January to September, down 58% year-on-year.
The average price of imported cobalt hydrometallurgy intermediate products was $42,467/mt (Co content) in September 2022, down 8% MoM. The average price stood at $66,806/mt in metal content in the first nine months of 2022.
Zhejiang, Gansu, and Jiangxi were still the top three provinces in terms of import volume as in August. Zhejiang imported the most cobalt-based raw materials even though the imports decreased 24% MoM in September. The import volume in Hainan province increased 235% month-on-month and that in Jiangsu rose 98% month-on-month. Although the import volume of cobalt-based raw materials in September decreased compared with that in August, it would not have a major impact on the domestic supply in the short term.
