Industrial Minerals

Asia

• Prices rise for drilling grade barytes from China and India Wednesday, February 08, 2012

  Several Indian suppliers shift base to Krishapatnam port for deepwater access 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

• 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

• 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

• Acron to start phosrock production in June at Oleniy Ruchey Friday, February 03, 2012

  Russian fertiliser manufacturer targets 200,000 tonnes for 2012; 1m tonnes in 2013 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

• GHCL posts increase in sales and profit for soda ash arm Thursday, February 02, 2012

  Market value down by $12m year on year on “market volatility” Read More

• Malaysia approves Lynas rare earths plant Thursday, February 02, 2012

  Lynas must submit plans for waste disposal, but gets green light for start-up Read More

• Antimony trioxide prices increase as smelters closed Thursday, February 02, 2012

  China authorities close all smelters in Hechi and Yizhou after poisoning incident 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

• BHP/PotashCorp deal targeted by China-based hackers in 2010 Wednesday, February 01, 2012

  Hackers were looking for data to rival BHP takeover bid says Canadian security firm 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

• Targray Technology silicon carbide deal with Washington Mills Monday, January 30, 2012

  Canadian photovoltaic materials supplier signs Taiwan SiC distribution deal Read More

• China loses appeal at WTO over raw materials export duties Monday, January 30, 2012

  Body upholds initial ruling but quashes minimum export agreement complaints Read More

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

  Exploration progress made in Argentina; new Galaxy plant eyed for Jiangsu, China Read More

• Nine feared dead after phosphate mine collapses in Pakistan Thursday, January 26, 2012

  Collapsed mine thought to be an illegal quarry in Hazara region 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

• Ilmenite prices more than tripled in last 12 months – Kenmare Thursday, January 26, 2012

  Mineral sands group says contracts secured at $300-400/tonne for first half of 2012 Read More

• Head of major Indian state calls for ban on chromite exports Thursday, January 26, 2012

  Claims only 66m tonnes of chromite left in India; encourages Zimbabwe-like ban Read More

• Uralkali does not see drop in potash prices for 2012 Thursday, January 26, 2012

  Russian producer expects prices to remain high as “farmers can afford to pay more” 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

• Talk from the Top: “We are pursuing a very clear acquisition strategy” February 2012

  Christian Kather, CEO of world no.2 talc producer Mondo Minerals, talked to IM about the strategy to develop the plastics market & grow through acquisitions in Asia & South America Read More

• Industrial Minerals Prices February 2012 February 2012

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• 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

• End User Focus: Reconstruction revives refractories in Japan February 2012

  Sluggish steel outlook tempered by cement stimulus from post-quake rebuilding programme Read More

• Afghanistan’s mineral plan February 2012

  With its position at the heart of Central Asia, and significant mineral resources including lithium and rare earths, Afghanistan holds vast potential for attracting private sector investment, Vasili Nicoletopoulos reveals 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

• Kobin Mining poised to acquire Kumas February 2012

  A conclusion to the sale of Turkey’s leading dead burned magnesia and refractories producer, Kutahya Manyezit İşletmeleri AŞ (Kumas), appeared imminent by the end of January 2012. 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

• “World’s largest” lithium battery plant built in Siberia February 2012

  Joint $430m Russo-Chinese investment; could take 10-15% market share by 2015 Read More

• China quotas unlikely to curb rare earth price drop February 2012

  China’s 2012 quotas are expected to remain unchanged but new quotas policy could squeeze heavy elements supply. Lower prices forecast in 2012 after 2011 highs 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

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

  Delegates in Argentina exchange terse words following supply outlooks 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

• 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

• 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

• IRC ramps up Russia ilmenite output, beating 2011 targets Thursday, January 19, 2012

  Operations hit by fuel, railcar shortages in Q4; Ukraine’s Titan ups TiO2 output Read More

• Berkh Uul completes drilling at Mongolia fluorspar deposit Thursday, January 19, 2012

  Delgerkhaan project reserves estimated at 3.1m tonnes at a grade of 85% 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

• 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

• Reconstruction revives refractories in Japan Wednesday, January 18, 2012

  Sluggish steel outlook tempered by cement stimulus from post-quake reconstruction Read More

• RHI acquires Swiss flow control refractories group Wednesday, January 18, 2012

  Austrian refractories major boosts stake in Stopinc to 100%, eyes Asia expansion Read More

• UPDATE: China Shen Zhou acquires Guizhou fluorspar assets Wednesday, January 18, 2012

  Wuchuan Dongsheng stake gives access to flotation and fluorine technologies Read More

• PhosAgro does not plan further phosphate fertiliser decrease Monday, January 16, 2012

  “Prices are moving upwards & demand for fertilisers is rapidly restoring,” says CEO Read More

• Uralkali increased potash production by 6.4% in 2011 Monday, January 16, 2012

  Russian potash giant boosted annual output to 10.83m following merger with Silvinit Read More

• IM Global Rare Earths Roundup: 6-13 January Friday, January 13, 2012

  New company set up to develop Germany’s only known rare earth deposit Read More