The value of iron ore imports to the Mexican steel market fell 37.6 percent year-over-year to $20.2 million in October. However, imports of granulated steel slag, steel waste, and metal ash and residues rebounded by a similar amount, according to a SteelOrbis analysis of data from the national statistics agency Inegi.
Imports of those three products amounted to $19.4 million, which is 87 times higher than October last year.
In the period from January to October, $197 million worth of iron ore was imported, 43.0 percent less than in the same period in 2023. Of the three types of steel waste, $51 million was imported, 14.3 percent more in the period.
In the information from Inegi, there are no records of iron ore exports.