The value of iron ore imports to the Mexican steel market increased 3.7 percent in October, year-over-year, to $31.5 million, a rise that contrasts with the 26.2 percent annual drop last month, according to an analysis by SteelOrbis to data from the national statistics agency Inegi.
In the last 12 months, the value of imports increased eightfold. The 1,200 percent increase in March to $83.1 million and the 66 percent decrease in February stand out to total $18.4 million.
The value of iron ore imports in the January-October period totaled $333 million, 1.6 percent less than the $338 million in the same period last year.
Since the beginning of the year, the integrated steel company Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) went into paralysis due to insolvency and stopped producing steel and the extraction of iron ore was paralyzed.
In the Inegi information, there are no records of the export of iron ore. Although there is information on the export of ashes and waste with metal waste. In October, $2.3 million was exported.