Industrial Minerals


Ceramic grinding media feels the pinch of high prices

13 October 2011

by Jessica Roberts

Cerium-stabilised grades face extinction, as producers struggle to balance costs

Keywords: cerium, zircon, ceramic, grinding media, alumina, milling

Manufacturers of ceramic grinding media have been hit hard by this year’s soaring rare earths prices, with one producer commenting it was considering ceasing production of cerium-stabilised grades.

“Rare earths prices have been crazy in 2011,”one producer told IM. “We...