In the first quarter of 2026, the non-ferrous metals sector achieved a smooth start, characterized by “a sustained increase in production, continued high prices, improved efficiency, increased investment and export-import trade”。
I. Steady growth in production of major products. According to the national statistical office, the value added of the non-ferrous metals mining industry, non-ferrous metal smelting and pressure processing industries increased by 2. 9 per cent and 2. 5 per cent, respectively, respectively, and was 3. 2 and 3. 6 percentage points lower than the rate of increase of industrial value added, respectively. The production of 10 commonly used non-ferrous metals increased by 3. 6 per cent over the same period; the production of refined copper, electrolytic aluminium and copper materials decreased by 1. 9 per cent, 3. 1 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively。
Second, there has been an increase in the prices of major products and industrial efficiency. According to the china non-ferrous metal industry association, the average price of copper, aluminium, tin, cobalt and lithium carbonate increased by 30. 5 per cent, 17. 3 per cent, 48. 6 per cent, 135. 0 per cent and 98. 9 per cent, respectively; the average price of gold and silver increased by 62. 7 per cent and 16. 0 per cent, respectively, over the same period. According to the national statistical office, benefiting from the continued high prices of major products, the non-ferrous metals mining industry, non-ferrous metal smelting and scalding industries achieved business revenues of $130. 9 billion, 26. 969 billion, or 39. 4 per cent and 26. 6 per cent, respectively, over the same period; total profits amounted to $50. 870 billion and $14. 98 billion, or 95. 6 per cent and 116. 7 per cent, respectively。
Iii. The continuing upward trend in fixed-asset investments. According to the national statistical office, investment in fixed assets in non-ferrous metals mining increased by 56. 0 per cent over the same period, which is 50. 2 percentage points higher than the national industrial average; investment in fixed assets in non-ferrous metal smelters and compressing industries increased by 3. 7 per cent over the same period, which is below the national industrial average by 2. 1 percentage points。
Imports of minerals have continued to grow and exports of aluminium have resumed. According to data from the general customs administration, in order to meet domestic demand, enterprises have increased their imports of raw materials, with imports of bauxite being 5. 79 million tons, an increase of 23. 6 per cent; imports of copper ore and its concentrate being 7. 56 million tons, an increase of 6. 6 per cent; and imports of lithium carbonate 83,000 tons, an increase of 64. 6 per cent. Inactivity in the export of aluminium and aluminium is 1. 46 million tons, an increase of 6. 5 per cent over the same period。
