SÃO PAULO — Brazil’s exports of iron ore to China rose 38.3 percent year on year in October, taking the Asian nation’s share of the total to more than half, according to Brazilian customs data.

Shipments to China rose to 17.88 million tonnes in October, up from 12.92 million tonnes in the same month last year.

Total exports rose to 32.64 million tonnes for the month from 27.8 million tonnes a year earlier, putting China’s share of that at 55 percent vs. about 46 percent.

Iron ore exports to the European Union rose by 20.4 percent to 5.71 million tonnes from 4.74 million tonnes in the same comparison.

However, shipments to the Japanese market fell by 32.7 percent year on year in October to 2.53 million tonnes.

A version of this article was first published by AMM sister publication Steel First.