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December 2017
22 December 2017
Chromite prices remain stable, as do European magnesia markets; Huber announces increases in ATH prices for next year, while Orocobre expects a 25% rise in lithium carbonate contracts for H1 2018. Proposal to delist zircon grades, and Christmas pricing schedule.
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22 December 2017
IM's monthly price movements.
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21 December 2017
The company is the second US supplier of alumina hydrate that is increasing prices because of higher feedstock costs.
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19 December 2017
Industrial Minerals will be closed from December 25 until January 1 in observance of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
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14 December 2017
Small and medium-sized operators in the refractories sector are worried about additional pressures coming from two sides, as higher raw material costs come at a time when larger market participants get even larger through mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
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11 December 2017
IM's monthly price movements.
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08 December 2017
Global iodine market slows down; Zircon prices are set to increase in the first quarter with Tronox and TiZir announcing price rises and 2018 negotiations continuing; Quiet antimony trioxide market shrugs off higher Chinese metal offer prices; PRICING NOTICE: Proposal to discontinue magnesia grades; Minimal prices moves in lithium spot market while contract talks continue; Global lithium contract prices rise while contract periods shorten; BFA prices tick up on China’s supply squeeze; China Southern lowers prices of most rare earths
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01 December 2017
The restrictions put in place in refractory minerals producing areas in China have taken yet another toll on local supply as customers struggle to secure the volumes the need.
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November 2017
02 November 2017
IM's monthly price movements.
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October 2017
12 October 2017
Market patterns governing andalusite trade are expected to change next year, as suppliers say they will seek shorter contracts amid a situation of high demand and limited output.
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06 October 2017
With China shut for the golden week holiday between 1-8 October, business across many industrial minerals remained very quiet. But environmental restrictions in the country continue to disrupt production in many minerals.
Graphite prices in Europe spike amid output crimp and rising demand; Fused alumina producing region in Henan province have enforced mass shutdowns from November onwards; and with the draconian anti-pollution measures and related shutdowns showing no sign of abating, a number of buyers are also anticipating higher raw material costs in 2018.
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05 October 2017
Several consumers of refractory minerals gathered in Santiago told IM they are certain that “everything will appreciate” next year as shortage of materials will trigger higher contract prices.
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September 2017
29 September 2017
Ilmenite prices firmed; several buyers hope to settle 2018 refractory minerals supply contract early; market participants warned of potential acidspar price increase in China; antimony trioxide softens ahead of the Golden Week holiday
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28 September 2017
Several buyers of refractory minerals are already seeking to settle next year’s contracts to lock in prices and volumes, but suppliers claim volatility is too high now to commit to earlier-than-normal negotiations.
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22 September 2017
Chinese fused magnesia prices hit all-time high; a ban on sales of explosives propel bauxite prices; brown fused alumina hit two-year high; iodine rises as consumers stock up; lithium prices held firm
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22 September 2017
Brown fused alumina spot prices continue to climb higher as the environmental inspections show no sign of abating in China, while white fused alumina is supported by raw material cost increases.
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22 September 2017
A looming mining curtailment due to an explosive sale ban in China has propelled spot bauxite prices higher. Supply uncertainty is set to continue over the coming months as Beijing continues its anti-pollution crusade.
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08 September 2017
Chromite prices rebound; stronger renminbi supports brown fused alumina prices; supply shortage supports bauxite; global iodine price move up; antimony trioxide stalls.
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08 September 2017
Refractory-grade bauxite prices remained firm as supply uncertainty related to anti-pollution controls in China continues, while market participants warned of quality issues brought about by intermittent production.
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08 September 2017
Rising renminbi value against the US dollar has eroded Chinese brown fused alumina (BFA) producers’ profit margins, and many are raising their offers in early September as a counter-measure. This has lifted BFA spot prices in China while anti-pollution checks continued to cap output.
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07 September 2017
IM's monthly price movements.
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August 2017
25 August 2017
Brown fused alumina prices in China reached a 1.5-year high this week. The ongoing anti-pollution checks continue to cap production in Henan while scrutiny on export documents is ridding the market of lower offers.
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25 August 2017
Dwindling supply lifts Chinese calcined bauxite prices; Renewed supply pressure lifts Chinese antimony trioxide prices; Firm chromite prices amid improving demand; Stricter inspections in China force graphite prices up; Chinese brown fused alumina hit 1.5-year highs
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25 August 2017
Further crackdown on environmental rule-breaking plants in Shanxi have slashed calcined bauxite output, pushing prices up over the past fortnight.
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15 August 2017
Key refractory-minerals producing region Shanxi will implement a new environmental measure to shut down all facilities that do not meet standards by end-September. This is set to further affect calcined bauxite production.
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14 August 2017
Several refractory minerals suppliers alleged to have committed tax evasion have reportedly been arrested in China, with many wary of Beijing’s clampdown on the practice warning that there could be more prosecutions.
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11 August 2017
Two Chinese producers announced another price hike for rare earth; while strict environment checks pushed brown fused alumina higher.
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11 August 2017
Environmental controls in Henan are choking brown fused alumina supply and pushing prices upwards.
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03 August 2017
IM's monthly price movements.
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July 2017
31 July 2017
Industrial Minerals have delisted three brown fused alumina grades and revised the existing refractory-grade BFA specifications.
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28 July 2017
Strict environmental restrictions on production continued to support Chinese magnesia and fused alumina prices; while raw material supply shortage lifts bauxite prices; antimony trioxide increases on consumer restocking; ilmenite prices rebound; Foundry chromite falls; iodine edged higher
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28 July 2017
Reduced bauxite ore output in China has caused a supply shortage of raw material for the production of the calcined refractory mineral. This has pushed prices higher, as the ongoing anti-pollution measures are also supporting the market.
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28 July 2017
Key fused alumina province Henan has been hit by another round of environmental controls, which have again disrupted production operations. Supply issues are exacerbated by rising raw material costs, pushing mineral prices upwards.
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21 July 2017
Chinese graphite prices rebound following sharp decline when China scrapped export tax in January; Closure of numerous small mines in China supports ilmenite market; European producer Alteo to increase price on all speciality alumina products; Global antimony trioxide price drop; IM spodumene delisting notice
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17 July 2017
The French calcined alumina and ATH producer will raise its products’ prices at the end of Q3, citing increasing raw material costs as the reason.
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14 July 2017
Rising raw material costs for the production of brown and white fused alumina in China are expected to push prices higher in the coming weeks, while intensifying anti-pollution control in Henan province will further compound supply constraints.
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June 2017
30 June 2017
Calcined bauxite prices in China declined this week following sharp increases over the past month as some production has restarted, but supply uncertainty persists as many in the market warned that operations could be shut down again when environmental inspections return.
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27 June 2017
Industrial Minerals proposes to change the frequency of its ATH price assessments.
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16 June 2017
Bauxite prices rocket higher; fluorspar spot market in Europe tracked China higher; antimony trioxide prices soften; titanium dioxide prices could rise further; according to Chinese producer Lomon Billions.
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15 June 2017
Chinese bauxite prices have jumped again in June, continuing the uptrend since May as the Chinese government ramps up efforts to stamp out polluting operations.
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07 June 2017
IM's monthly price movements.
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02 June 2017
Strict anti-pollution controls in China continue to impact bauxite production, lifting prices; while rising raw material costs support white fused alumina; rutile prices registered small gain, ilmenite holds firm; andalusite supply in 2017 to fall; barytes fell amid global oversupply; aluminium trifluoride value spike on higher fluorspar prices
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02 June 2017
China production shutdowns in May has pushed calcined bauxite spot prices higher again over the past two weeks, with many struggling to find supply amid extreme shortage. The supply outlook in the near-term remained uncertain with no indications from Beijing as to when the environmental controls will be lifted.
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02 June 2017
White fused alumina spot prices remained unchanged but Chinese producers warned that the rising cost of raw materials amid lower availability will be supporting prices in the coming weeks.
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01 June 2017
Heavy rain and flooding hit South Africa and Peru and the weather conditions have halted production in the early months of the year. Market participants claim it will be hard to fulfil contracts. Bauxite buyers who are seeking to shift to andalusite meanwhile compound the availability issues.
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May 2017
19 May 2017
The ongoing draconian anti-pollution controls in China continue to disrupt production in a number of minerals, which has lifted prices in bauxite and antimony trioxide. Meanwhile, fused magnesia is no longer available in China; producers announced another rare earth price hike; chromite and silicon carbide prices remained stable; and lithium carbonate spot have risen in China again.
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19 May 2017
Chinese bauxite spot prices increased again in May as the ongoing anti-pollution related production shutdowns caused severe shortages in the market.
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18 May 2017
Industrial Minerals proposed to revise the refractory-grade brown fused alumina specifications at the end of June.
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05 May 2017
Chinese magnesia output disruption worsens; fresh mining restrictions lift bauxite prices; brown fused alumina remains unchanged but raw material cut could support prices.
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05 May 2017
Brown fused alumina (BFA) prices were unchanged over the fortnight, but market sources warned that new bauxite mining restrictions in China could impact BFA production in the near-term. BFA operations remained intermittent due to the ongoing environmental inspections.