Hong Kong (Platts)--14Aug2012/402 am EDT/802 GMT

China's copper consumption is expected to grow to 10 million mt by 2020, up 36% from 2011, Beijing Antaike, the state-run nonferrous metals consultancy said Tuesday.

"The rise is mainly due to an anticipated demand growth in the hydro-power, wind power, solar energy, infrastructure, as well as real estate sectors," He Xiaohui, a commodity analyst with Antaike said.

In 2011, China consumed 7.33 million mt copper, up 7.8% from 2010. Antaike expects China's copper consumption in 2012 to grow 5.9% year on year to 7.76 million mt, citing demand growth in the power sector.

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Meanwhile, due to gradual exhaustion of domestic mines and their dwindling ore grade, the Antaike analyst said China would still rely heavily on copper imports in 2020.

The Beijing-based agency predicted China's refined copper imports in 2012 to be 2.5 million mt, down 11% from 2.8 million mt imported in 2011.

The fall was attributed to uncertainties in the domestic and overseas economy, as well as an anticipated slowdown in demand growth in the Chinese air-conditioning, construction and transport sectors.

Antaike forecast Chinese refined copper output this year to be 5.7 million mt, up 11% from 5.13 million mt last year.

--Joshua Leung, newsdesk@platts.com --Edited by Haripriya Banerjee, haripriya_banerjee@platts.com

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