Industrial Minerals

Latest News

• Mineral prices rising

  Editor’s Comment: Sulphur prices double while antimony and graphite rise Read More

• Fluorspar market recovering

  Prices rise in Q1 as China curbs production; expected to cut 2010 export quotas Read More

• Speculators lift trioxide prices

  Traders mirror increased prices for antimony as Chinese supply dwindles Read More

• Chromite price conundrums

  Chromite market unstable: European buyers resist hikes but prices rise in China Read More

• Sweco launches ball mill

  US minerals processor markets new grinding equipment after Ecutec acquisition Read More

• BHP makes $240m. potash move

  Mining giant eyes world’s biggest potash mine in Canada, more deals could follow Read More

• Toyota funds Argentina lithium

  Japanese trading house provides funds for Orocobre’s Salar de Olaroz brine project Read More

• RHI wins Siemens VAI contracts

  RHI to supply refractory systems worth €4.5m. for Indian and Russian steel mills Read More

• Galaxy ups lithium resource

  Lithium oxide resource as Galaxy’s Mt Cattlin mine increased by 11% to 172,000 tonnes Read More

• Iluka reports Q4 minsands output

  Australian group’s production drops 37% in Q4, but zircon demand seen picking up Read More

• Supply cutbacks firm zircon

  Zircon prices proving robust despite weak market, as Iluka announces 2009 results Read More

• China rare earth prices rising

  Rare earth prices surge in Q1 despite China increasing annual export quotas Read More

• Sulphur prices surge

  Prices double in two months on rising Chinese demand and tight supply Read More

• NLMK builds blast furnace

  New 3.4m. tpa Russian steel furnace to consume 25,000 tonnes of refractories Read More

• MTI wins PCC paper mill contract

  US group plans to build plant to supply NewPage mill in Duluth, Minnesota Read More

• Cabot expands China fumed silica

  Cabot and Bluestar joint venture to expand Jiangxi plant to 20,000 tpa Read More

• Shortages in Chinese graphite

  Severe weather impacts graphite supply amid low inventories; price hikes possible Read More

• Rodinia Argentina Li expansion

  Canadian group acquires three brine properties from Rio Tinto subsidiary Read More

• Brazil Potash’s Amazon drilling

  Drilling starts at 400km-long basin as group looks to establish resource Read More

• Vale in $3.8bn phosphates bid

  Mining giant in talks with Bunge over acquiring 42% stake in Fosfertil Read More

• Brazil to raise mining royalties

  Brazilian government planning to raise mining royalties and introduce start-up tax Read More

• Antwerp deepens port entrance

  Deepening of Western Scheldt will raise shipping capacity at major minerals port Read More

Supply Developments

• BHP makes $240m. potash move

  Mining giant eyes world’s biggest potash mine in Canada, more deals could follow Read More

• Toyota funds Argentina lithium

  Japanese trading house provides funds for Orocobre’s Salar de Olaroz brine project Read More

• Galaxy ups lithium resource

  Lithium oxide resource as Galaxy’s Mt Cattlin mine increased by 11% to 172,000 tonnes Read More

• Cabot expands China fumed silica

  Cabot and Bluestar joint venture to expand Jiangxi plant to 20,000 tpa Read More

• Rodinia Argentina Li expansion

  Canadian group acquires three brine properties from Rio Tinto subsidiary Read More

• Brazil Potash’s Amazon drilling

  Drilling starts at 400km-long basin as group looks to establish resource Read More

• Vale in $3.8bn phosphates bid

  Mining giant in talks with Bunge over acquiring 42% stake in Fosfertil Read More

• Brazil to raise mining royalties

  Brazilian government planning to raise mining royalties and introduce start-up tax Read More

Focus of the week

• Potash crawls into 2010

  Downturn in the potash market has lasted longer than many expected as prices sink below $400/tonne. Analysts predict a recovery in 2011 but new entrants in the market could create a flood of new supply in the longer term Read More

Market Monitor

• MTI wins PCC paper mill contract

  US group plans to build plant to supply NewPage mill in Duluth, Minnesota Read More

Strandlines

• Iluka reports Q4 minsands output

  Australian group’s production drops 37% in Q4, but zircon demand seen picking up Read More

Processing

• Sweco launches ball mill

  US minerals processor markets new grinding equipment after Ecutec acquisition Read More

Logistics News

• Antwerp deepens port entrance

  Deepening of Western Scheldt will raise shipping capacity at major minerals port Read More

Refractories Hotline

• RHI wins Siemens VAI contracts

  RHI to supply refractory systems worth €4.5m. for Indian and Russian steel mills Read More

• NLMK builds blast furnace

  New 3.4m. tpa Russian steel furnace to consume 25,000 tonnes of refractories Read More