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December 2019
24 December 2019
Fused alumina production suspensions have become a common occurrence in China’s Henan province, due to the region’s deteriorating air quality in winter.
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23 December 2019
Availability could have dropped slightly for 2019 after last year's strong production, while demand in main consuming markets has softened because of the weak performance across refractories.
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13 December 2019
Cheap alumina powder feedstock continues to favour lower offer prices for WFA, while weak demand and uncertainty over availability during China’s winter season support BFA and bauxite.
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12 December 2019
Amid muted demand, environmental crackdowns and increasingly short supply of high-grade feedstock, producers are seeking changes to their operations in Henan province, a production hub for brown fused alumina (BFA).
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November 2019
29 November 2019
Fastmarkets assessed all main grades of both brown and white fused alumina lower as well as the prices of 86% and 88% calcined bauxite.
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28 November 2019
The Fastmarkets holiday pricing schedule has been updated to reflect the official announcement of public holidays in China for 2020.
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18 November 2019
Exchange rate fluctuations are adding to an ongoing sluggish demand scenario
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01 November 2019
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October 2019
28 October 2019
Fastmarkets IM looks at three key takeaways from China’s first Fused Alumina Trade Show, held in Sanmenxia in China’s Henan province over October 22-24.
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24 October 2019
Authorities in China’s Henan province are turning the screw on local producers in their attempts to further improve air quality in the province’s main industrial areas, but this has not helped to support prices.
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18 October 2019
The implementation of China's environmental regulations will have important repercussions for the price of bauxite this winter, especially with the continuing uncertainty about levels of demand.
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18 October 2019
Uncertainties over the end-user refractories market, in China in particular, are inhibiting the long-term plans of market participants, sources told Industrial Minerals this week.
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September 2019
23 September 2019
Refractory-grade bauxite and fused alumina prices remained relatively stable amid supply disruptions caused by Beijing’s environmental efforts and dampened demand from end users.
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13 September 2019
China’s shipments of refractory-grade bauxite to the international markets was lower year-on-year in July on slow demand from global buyers and disrupted supply within the country.
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09 September 2019
Prices for ground and medium soda material have dropped in quarterly and half-yearly contracts, but the prices for both brown and white fused alumina have ticked up slightly.
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August 2019
27 August 2019
Brown and white fused alumina prices are easing in China, even with the emergence of supply concerns caused by pollution controls in Henan province.
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July 2019
02 July 2019
Buyers of calcined alumina are putting downward pressure on producers’ prices during second-half contract negotiations, with sentiment turning because of weaker end markets.
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June 2019
17 June 2019
Refractory grade brown fused alumina (BFA) sellers report thin trading conditions on low demand, but concerns over availability are sending mixed messages to the market, sources said this week.
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14 June 2019
Prices of refractory-grade bauxite have proved resilient of late despite the slowdown in demand in Europe and other major consumer markets.
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06 June 2019
Fastmarkets IM has corrected the date of assessment of its calcined alumina monthly contract prices, which were published incorrectly on May 30 due to a reporter error.
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May 2019
07 May 2019
Fastmarkets' benchmark fob Australia metallurgical-grade alumina index fell to its lowest level in 14 months at the start of May in a subdued buyers' market.
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02 May 2019
White fused alumina from China is becoming cheaper while western suppliers have managed to push their own prices upward.
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March 2019
27 March 2019
The alumina contract will help the London Metal Exchange to continue to provide options throughout the supply chain and keep the exchange in position as the global reference point.
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08 March 2019
Prices for two grades of bauxite have ticked downward, as has the price for white fused alumina, but brown fused alumina remained stable, with the market said to be mostly flat on limited activity.
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04 March 2019
Fastmarkets IM has begun a consultation on its proposal to increase the frequency of its andalusite price assessments to quarterly.
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February 2019
28 February 2019
The andalusite market remains buoyant on refractories demand and ongoing issues with alternative raw materials such as Chinese bauxite, but participants are hopeful the ripple effects of the 2017 shortage may finally be coming to an end.
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08 February 2019
Markets saw a second consecutive round of contract price increases for calcined alumina material, but a change in feedstock costs dynamics and availability could soften the market later in the year.
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07 February 2019
Producer Norsk Hydro's underlying operating profit dropped almost 85% in the fourth quarter due to the effects of its production curtailment at its Brazilian alumina refinery, Alunorte.
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January 2019
23 January 2019
Argentina’s crude steel output grew by 11.6% in 2018, according to figures released by national steel association Acero Argentino on Monday January 21.
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18 January 2019
The yuan-dollar exchange rate has changed direction after the Chinese currency saw its biggest one-week rise since 2005, which will have a broad bearing on minerals markets.