Industrial Minerals

North America

• Carmeuse puts frac sand business up for sale Wednesday, February 08, 2012

  US minerals company to focus on core lime and limestone business Read More

• Frac sand transporter reports increase in goods shipped Wednesday, February 08, 2012

  Union Pacific announces increased yearly profits; points to increase in fuel cost Read More

• Canadian Wollastonite to start mining this year at St Lawrence Tuesday, February 07, 2012

  Project in the home straight but slowed down by inhabitants’ appeal over water issue Read More

• Global oil and gas exploration up 9% in January Tuesday, February 07, 2012

  US continues to drive global rig count, boosting demand for oilfield minerals Read More

• Frac sand boom drives re-opening of Michigan mine Monday, February 06, 2012

  Sargent Sand Co. to restart production; 300,000 tonnes planned in first year Read More

• Rockwood invests $140m in Chile lithium plant Monday, February 06, 2012

  New 20,000 tpa project will go towards doubling US group’s capacity by 2013 Read More

• Refractories segment boosts Minerals Technologies’ results Monday, February 06, 2012

  Q4 earnings up 24%; MTI back to pre-recession performance levels, says CEO Read More

• Grafen to use Northern Graphite material for graphene research Friday, February 03, 2012

  Junior holds 50% of North American patent rights for “products and processes” Read More

• Current mining regulations adequate, says Wisconsin DNR Friday, February 03, 2012

  Report assesses threats of frac sand mining to health and environment Read More

• IM Global Lithium Roundup: 27 January - 3 February Friday, February 03, 2012

  A brief look at the rest of the week’s lithium stories in the news Read More

• IM Global Rare Earths Roundup: 27 January - 3 February Friday, February 03, 2012

  A brief look at the rest of the week’s rare earth stories in the news Read More

• Potash not affected by earthquake in Saskatchewan Friday, February 03, 2012

  “Tremors common” in the Canadian potash-rich region; no impact for last shake Read More

• Baltic Dry Index crashes to 25-year lows Thursday, February 02, 2012

  Further falls mean charter rates drop below operating costs; China bans Valemaxes Read More

• UPDATE: No appeal route for China in WTO ruling Thursday, February 02, 2012

  China must take action to conform to WTO obligations – lawyer Read More

• Phosphate rock prices forecast to drop 25% in 2012 Thursday, February 02, 2012

  New Middle East supply and economic uncertainty push down prices - Credit Suisse Read More

• Chile’s Molymet acquires 13% of Molycorp for $390m Wednesday, February 01, 2012

  Investment from molybdenum and rhenium group to fund vertical integration Read More

• US accuses businessman of stealing DuPont trade secrets Wednesday, February 01, 2012

  Prosecutors work to keep man jailed prior to court date; follows December arrest Read More

• USGS reports rise in mineral value in 2011; bucks recession trend Tuesday, January 31, 2012

  Non-metallic sector value up by 3%, led by ilmenite, rutile price rise; soda ash flat Read More

• IM Global Rare Earths Roundup: 20-27 January Friday, January 27, 2012

  A brief look at the rest of the week’s rare earth stories in the news Read More

• Amcol’s Q4 2011 operating profit grows 64% to $18.1m Friday, January 27, 2012

  Pet sales hit, but price increases drive 80% of mineral division’s gross profit Read More

• US needs rare earths strategy, say industry experts Thursday, January 26, 2012

  Government told to act now to boost future competitiveness in green- tech markets Read More

• Beleaguered shipping rates decline further Thursday, January 26, 2012

  Fall in Baltic Dry Index continues, despite Vale lifting flooding force majeure Read More

• PotashCorp Q4 results positive but miss expectations Thursday, January 26, 2012

  Global uncertainty affects phosphate & potash sales; but potash prices remain high Read More

• Price Briefing – 20-26 January 2012 Thursday, January 26, 2012

  Ilmenite prices triple year on year; Uralkali forecasts potash to remain high in ‘12 Read More

• US aggregates majors lock horns over hostile bid February 2012

  Vulcan says $4.8bn bid by Martin Marietta Materials undervalues assets; Vuclcan management accused of scare tactics; US antitrust watchdog requests details on operations Read More

• PotashCorp continues potash shutdown policy February 2012

  North American producer extends shutdown to 3 March; Uralkali’s output up 6.4% in 2011; Canpotex out of BHP’s plans Read More

• Industrial Minerals Prices February 2012 February 2012

  Read More

• Price Briefing: New Year, new price - minerals respond to fluctuating world markets February 2012

  The start of the year saw many mineral grades increasing in value as producers upped their prices to cope with hikes in energy, freight and tight global market fundamentals Read More

• Frac sand in the pipeline February 2012

  Where North America’s thirst for oil and natural gas has grown, so too has the demand for frac sand. The supply rush has exerted intense pressure on railroads and the environment, but has been a gold mine to the recession-stricken continent Read More

• People and places February 2012 February 2012

  Gordon Stollery, Canada Fluorspar; Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, Solvay; Akiva Mozes, Israel Chemicals; Ron Bryan, Compass Minerals; John A. Clarke, Great Quest Metals; Mario Juarez, Lithium One; Daniel Greenwell, Tronox Read More

• Fertilisers feel the pressure of economic uncertainty February 2012

  The fertiliser industry, which healthily headed back to pre-crisis levels during 2011, is starting to experience the effects of the global economy weakened by the European debt crisis, the slowdown in China and the recent downgrade of US debt in addition to major markets such as India pushing downwards pressure on prices Read More

• Projects in the Pipeline: Kaolin bounces back February 2012

  It has been a difficult couple of years for kaolin as the global recession spread to its end user markets, but a recent recovery in demand has also encouraged a surge of new operations and exploration projects Read More

• LSM12: FMC forecasts doubling of lithium demand by 2020 Wednesday, January 25, 2012

  Energy main driver; company to produce 50k tpa potash from Salar del Hombre Muerto Read More

• DuPont TiO2 business posts 33% profit rise on price hikes Wednesday, January 25, 2012

  World’s largest TiO2 producer reports strong quarter, but sees drop in Asia demand Read More

• KaMin pressured by environmental group over creek spill Wednesday, January 25, 2012

  Savannah Riverkeep delivers 60-day notice of potential Georgia kaolin leak lawsuit Read More

• LSM12: Production costs will determine project survival Wednesday, January 25, 2012

  Delegates in Argentina exchange terse words following supply outlooks Read More

• Halliburton to invest $20m in new frac sand terminal Tuesday, January 24, 2012

  US oil services group plans to start building the facility in Colorado during Q1 Read More

• Lynas secures A$225m funding to complete Malaysia plant Tuesday, January 24, 2012

  Rare earths group issues convertible bonds through Mount Kellett Capital Managment Read More

• Wisconsin set to legislate on frac sand mining Tuesday, January 24, 2012

  Senator Vinehout tointroduce two bills affecting mine permits in US state Read More

• Global steel production rose 6.8% in 2011 driven by China Monday, January 23, 2012

  Turkey, South Korea and Italy show robust growth; signs of slowdown at year-end Read More

• Magna Resources acquires American Potash Monday, January 23, 2012

  Canadian company completes purchase of Green River potash project’s owner in Utah Read More

• Recommendation for Wisconsin frac sand mine reversed Monday, January 23, 2012

  Sumner makes u-turn on approval for Canadian Sand & Proppant mine Read More

• NaturalNano strikes halloysite nanotubes development deal Friday, January 20, 2012

  US group to develop new body armour technology using halloysite-based materials Read More

• IM Global Lithium Roundup: 13-20 January Friday, January 20, 2012

  A brief look at the rest of the week’s lithium stories in the news Read More

• IM Global Rare Earths Roundup: 13-20 January Friday, January 20, 2012

  A brief look at the rest of the week’s rare earth stories in the news Read More

• Baltic Dry Index sinks to three-year lows Thursday, January 19, 2012

  Shipping rates drop 40% in 2012, no recovery seen until after Chinese New Year Read More

• US bentonite prices “could rise by 20%” in 2012 Thursday, January 19, 2012

  Market source blames increasing cost pressure on sought-after oilfield mineral Read More

• Fertilisers feel the pressure of global economic malaise Thursday, January 19, 2012

  After heading back to pre-crisis levels in 2011 and announcing major capacity expansions in Q4, the fertiliser industry remains cautious as uncertainties hang over 2012 Read More

• PotashCorp extends potash shutdown in Rocanville Thursday, January 19, 2012

  Rocanville potash mine restart delayed until 3 March in Saskatchewan, Canada Read More

• Lithium carbonate price stagnant despite demand growth – TRU Wednesday, January 18, 2012

  Canadian consultant says prices to be kept in check by over-supply through to 2020 Read More