China’s copper scrap imports decreased last year to 4.37 million tonnes with a value of $13.77bn, according to Chinese customs statistics. This is ten per cent less by weight than in the year 2012, when China imported 4.86 million tonnes of copper scrap with a value of 14.84bn.
The amounts of copper and copper products bought from foreign suppliers were also lower, having declined by more than 2 per cent to 4.54 million tonnes.
China’s aluminium scrap imports stood at 2.5 million tonnes in 2013 and their value was $3.92bn, according to the customs figures. Compared to the 2012 totals of 2.59 million tonnes worth $4.13bn, this is a 3 per cent reduction in the amount of foreign scrap. Imports of aluminium and aluminium products dropped nearly 18 per cent to 960,000 tonnes last year.
