This week, the weekly operating rate of leading downstream aluminum processing enterprises in China rebounded 1.1 percentage points MoM to 64%.

As supply and demand for construction steel were not fully matched across different markets, regional supply-demand mismatches created price differentiation, which in turn drove the cross-regional circulation of steel resources. When the regional price spread gradient was appropriate, regions with surplus construction steel capacity and production often shipped excess resources out, thereby rebalancing construction steel resources across regions.

Data released by the online query platform for customs statistics showed that China imported 2,310,344.42 mt of copper ore and concentrates in February 2026, down 11.93% MoM and up 5.96% YoY. Chile was the largest origin, with imports of copper ore and concentrates from Chile totaling 747,321.72 mt in the month, down 4.27% MoM and down 1.33% YoY. Peru was the second-largest origin, with imports of copper ore and concentrates from Peru totaling 489,372.44 mt in the month, down 28.31% MoM and down 20.67% YoY. Below is a breakdown of China’s imports of copper ore and concentrates in February 2026, compiled based on data from the official website of the General Administration of Customs of China: Source: General Administration of Customs Note: The total import/export volume (grand total) also includes partial origin data not listed in the table above (Wenhua Composite)

Data released by the online query platform of customs statistics showed that China’s imports of copper ore and its concentrates in January 2026 were 2,623,162.74 mt, down 3.00% MoM and up 4.02% YoY. Chile was the largest origin, with China importing 780,640.92 mt of copper ore and its concentrates from Chile that month, down 21.10% MoM and down 7.54% YoY. Peru was the second-largest origin, with China importing 682,585.86 mt of copper ore and its concentrates from Peru that month, up 26.59% MoM and up 2.90% YoY. Below is a breakdown of China’s imports of copper ore and its concentrates in January 2026, compiled based on data from the official website of the General Administration of Customs of China: Source: General Administration of Customs Note: The total import/export volume (total) also includes data for some origins not listed in the table above (Wenhua Composite)

According to the latest customs data, China’s total exports of die-casting zinc alloy from January to February reached 689.33 mt, up slightly by 0.9 percentage points YoY on a cumulative basis; imports, however, totaled 48.11 million mt, down 35.46 percentage points YoY on a cumulative basis. Overall, China’s die-casting zinc alloy trade from January to February showed a pattern of slightly higher exports and a significant pullback in imports.

It is worth noting that the overall overseas ternary cathode demand outlook for 2026 remains subdued. The U.S. market has been sluggish since the fourth quarter of last year, prompting many overseas manufacturers to place their hopes on the European market.

According to customs data, China's bismuth trioxide export volume in February 2026 reached 753.74 tons, a continued month-on-month increase compared to 677.56 tons in January 2026.

According to customs data, China's bismuth trioxide export volume in January 2026 stood at 677.56 tons, a significant month-on-month increase compared to 570.97 tons in December 2025. Market insiders indicate that, looking at the overall trend in export volume changes, domestic bismuth oxide exports have shown an upward trend almost every month since September 2025. This suggests that bismuth oxide enterprises currently maintain strong export momentum, while overseas demand is also growing significantly.

[SMM Tin Morning Briefing: The Most-Traded SHFE Tin Contract Opened Slightly Higher in the Night Session and Then Fluctuated Downward, While Downstream Enterprises Concentrated Their Restocking on Dips]

This article explains the 2026 revision of Vietnam's Mineral Law, including adjustments to mineral classification, optimization of mining permit rules, and enhancements to mineral control. These changes may have a significant impact on mining enterprises, particularly those involved in metallic mining activities in Vietnam, possibly affecting areas such as business operations, policy and tax compliance, upstream mining, and open new opportunities in mineral recycling business.