Some good news in the mineral sector at last. It would appear that prospects are promising for the sillimanite group minerals and alusite, kyanite, sillimanite, and mullite whose key market is refractories, followed by casting, abrasives, and ceramics (see panel for definitions p.35).
At the expense of bauxite, and with the refractories market showing some signs of initial recovery, those active in the supply of sillimanite minerals might be forgiven for some cautious optimism not long after the dark days of 2009.
Indeed, if truth be told, sillimanite mineral suppliers were already “on the case” as it were in 2008 with Imerys unveiling its €30m. investment in new and expanded aluminosilicate refractory raw materials supply, and the much awaited Peruvian andalusite source beginning (at last) to show serious signs of coming to fruition.
However, the rapidly unfolding financial debacle of late 2008-2009 squandered...