Platts launches new bauxite CIF China, FOB Guinea price assessments Jan 8

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, has launched weekly bauxite spot price assessments on a CIF China and FOB Guinea basis, effective Jan. 8, 2026.

Platts has observed growing seaborne trade for bauxite delivered to China, the world's leading bauxite importer. Over January-November 2025, China imported 186 million mt of bauxite, up 29.4% year over year, according to Chinese customs data.

Total global carried volumes for bauxite stood at 194 million mt in January-November 2025, of which 147 million mt, or 76%, were from Guinea, according to data from S&P Global Commodities at Sea.

The assessments complement Platts existing alumina and aluminum benchmarks, providing further pricing transparency to the upstream market in the value chain.

The CIF China assessment considers low-temperature bauxite of open origin to be delivered to Yantai, Shandong province. The FOB Guinea assessment considers low-temperature bauxite to be loaded at Kamsar. Information reported with other Incoterms may be normalized to Platts basis specifications and considered for the assessments.

The new assessments reflect the following specifications:

Information reported on cargoes with differing specifications from those above may be normalized to Platts basis specifications based on price differentials surveyed with the market.

For the FOB Guinea price assessment, in the absence of active spot trading, Platts may consider assessing it based on a netback value from CIF China indications and Platts dry bulk freight rate (MMYCA00) for Capesize vessels from Kamsar to Yantai, as well as information from adjacent markets.

The weekly price assessments follow the Singapore publishing calendar and reflect spot market information up to the close of the assessment window at 5:30 pm Singapore (0930 GMT) on Thursdays.

The assessments and associated monthly averages are published in Platts Metals Daily, on pages MTL0005 and PMA0005 of Platts Nonferrous Metals Alert, and in the Platts price database.

Platts first proposed to launch the assessments in an Oct. 31, 2025, subscriber note available here, and communicated the decision to launch in a Dec. 8 subscriber note available here .

Please send feedback, comments and questions to platts_alumina_moc@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.

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