Fluorspar on road to recovery
01 April 2010
by IM prices reporter
Fluorspar prices are on the rise again after dramatic declines in 2009 as producers await the announcement of new Chinese industry standards that could further squeeze global supply. Meanwhile, overseas producers see little effect from the lifting of Chinese export quotas
Keywords: fluorspar, acid grade fluorspar, acidspar, metalspar, hydrofluoric acid, refrigerants, Chinese exports, WTO
Prices of acid grade fluorspar from China have seen a return to higher levels since the start of the year, marking the start of a recovery after the dramatic declines in 2009 when spot FOB prices plummeted from record highs of $500/tonne (FOB China) to below $200/tonne.Prices are expected to reach as high as $300/tonne over the coming months which may be lower than peaks seen in 2008 but still high by historical standards. For now prices remain within the ranges of $260-280/tonne (FOB China); at $260-290/tonne for acidspar filtercake (Mexican, FOB Tampico); and at $250-270/tonne (FOB Durban).On the demand side, growing consumption for acidspar within China has been driven by a seasonal uptick in demand for air conditioners and other refrigerants, underpinned by the country’s surging economic growth in the first three months. Last week, the World Bank raised China's economic growth forecast from 8.7% to 9.5%, citing growth...
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