China Jul Iron Ore Imports 56.5 Mln Tons, +35% On Yr-Ministry

BEIJING -- China's iron ore imports in July rose 35% from a year earlier to 56.5 million metric tons, the Ministry of Transportation said in a statement on its Web site Tuesday.

The growth is the highest monthly expansion this year, the ministry said.

The ministry provides regular estimates for iron ore imports, which have usually been a close, though not exact, approximation of actual trade statistics to be provided by the General Administration of Customs later in the month.

At 56.5 million tons, July's imports would be the second highest for a month this year, trailing April's 57 million tons, and underlines the difficulties faced by the government and its agencies in trying to slow the rate of imports, which it regards as threatening overproduction.