-
December 2021
27 December 2021
China’s brown fused alumina (BFA) fell for a fourth consecutive fortnight on Thursday December 23 amid low liquidity in the run up to the year end. Meanwhile, bauxite prices dropped slightly after holding steady for the past month.
-
13 December 2021
Fastmarkets opened a consultation on Monday November 8, inviting feedback on its pricing methodology for industrial minerals, in line with our annual methodology review process.
-
10 December 2021
Chinese fused alumina declined for a third consecutive pricing session in the two weeks ended Thursday December 9 amid slow spot transactions and improved operating rates against the height of a power crunch. This was despite concerns over the anti-pollution related halt for winter.
-
07 December 2021
The prices for calcined alumina products rose further in early December, underpinned by suppliers’ high production costs and a perception of supply running below total demand, with some sellers resorting to shorter contracts amid the surge in costs and price volatility.
-
02 December 2021
Andalusite prices for 2022 supplies pushed upward with demand expected to exceed available output, while logistics costs and issues affecting alternative materials weighed on delivered prices into Europe, market sources told Fastmarkets in the week ended Thursday December 2.
-
November 2021
26 November 2021
Fused alumina prices continued to adjust downward in the two weeks to Thursday November 25, with slow buying activity and relatively improved production following earlier record surges. Meanwhile, bauxite prices were steady on prevailing supply risks but market participants warned of possible further upward moves.
-
08 November 2021
Fastmarkets is inviting feedback from the industry on its pricing methodology for industrial minerals, as part of its announced annual methodology review process.
-
01 November 2021
Intensifying production suspensions across China have sent prices for both refractory and abrasive grades of brown fused alumina (BFA) to their highest levels since Fastmarkets began tracking these markets. At the same time, bullish fundamentals have combined with logistical bottlenecks to propel white fused alumina (WFA) prices upward.
-
October 2021
19 October 2021
German calcined alumina supplier Nabaltec AG will increase prices by “up to 20%” across all of its products starting next year, the company announced.
-
15 October 2021
Market prices in China for brown fused alumina (BFA) and white fused alumina (WFA) continued to surge over the past fortnight on escalating power shortage-related operations closures in production hubs, while bauxite prices remained stable despite supply risks.
-
15 October 2021
By Yiwen Ju and Sybil Pan
Market participants in the bauxite industry in China, both metallurgical and non-metallurgical grades, have downplayed the effect of heavy rainfall in Shanxi earlier this month despite a temporary closure of alumina operation lines. But sources expressed concerns over operations in the coming winter because of the traditional environmental regulations and energy shortages.
-
01 October 2021
Market prices for fused alumina mineral products surged over the past two weeks to Thursday September 30 because of severe power shortages in Chinese production areas that hit availability, while bauxite prices held firm again.
-
September 2021
17 September 2021
Prices for brown and white fused alumina increased further in the two weeks to Thursday September 16, with power availability issues in central China worsening, adding to ongoing logistics issues and limiting availability and sellers’ capacity to ship material.
-
03 September 2021
Prices for white fused alumina (WFA) hit new highs in the fortnight to Thursday September 2, on surging feedstock costs, while brown fused alumina (BFA) followed, with tighter supply and power scarcity affecting output, but the price of bauxite was stable on strong fundamentals.
-
August 2021
20 August 2021
Chinese prices for brown fused alumina (BFA) rose for a second consecutive fortnight on Thursday August 19 amid continuing supply problems and solid demand in overseas markets, while high freight costs continued to support white fused alumina (WFA), and bauxite held firm on strong fundamentals.
-
09 August 2021
Fused alumina is in the middle of growing supply risk caused by power crunches in the major Chinese production hubs of Henan, Shandong and Guizhou provinces, according to market sources.
-
06 August 2021
China’s prices for brown fused alumina (BFA) ticked upward over the fortnight to Thursday August 5 on supply problems created by factors including the Henan floods, Covid-19-related logistics issues and electricity shortages, while white fused alumina (WFA) was supported by “exploding” freight costs, and bauxite held firm because of closures affecting mining and calcination.
-
July 2021
23 July 2021
White fused alumina (WFA) prices increased for a third consecutive fortnight to Thursday July 23 amid high freight costs, while brown fused alumina (BFA) and bauxite held stable despite severe supply disruptions brought about by heavy rainfalls in Henan and environmental regulations in Shanxi province.
-
16 July 2021
Fastmarkets has corrected the date of the June assessments of its calcined alumina prices, which were published incorrectly on May 27 due to a reporting error.
-
02 July 2021
Prices for calcined alumina products increased again in early July for a second consecutive assessment, reflecting deals concluded at higher levels for the second half of the year amid strong demand for all products.
-
02 July 2021
Fastmarkets has corrected its assessment of the alumina, calcined, ground and unground, long-term contract price, which was published incorrectly on Thursday July 1 due to a reporting error.
-
June 2021
25 June 2021
Prices for brown and white fused alumina (BFA and WFA) jumped during the fortnight to Thursday June 24 on supply issues and spiking freight rates from China to Europe, but bauxite held firm with some mining activities in Shanxi province reported to be halted.
-
18 June 2021
China’s heightened efforts to tackle pollution and safety controls in 2021 are set to widen supply tightness in refractory-grade bauxite and fused alumina, sources told Fastmarkets.
-
16 June 2021
Andalusite market participants said availability is tightening and prices have risen owing to a combination of supply hiccups in some origins and increasing costs of shipping.
-
11 June 2021
Prices for brown fused alumina (BFA) moved up in the fortnight to Thursday June 10 amid increasing supply tightness following temporary closures in China’s Henan province. The price of white fused alumina (WFA) imports into Europe was supported by soaring freight costs, while bauxite also held firm.
-
01 June 2021
Rising production costs, a more expensive Chinese yuan and the continuing global logistics issues continued to support prices for both brown and white fused alumina (BFA and WFA) and for bauxite in the fortnight to Thursday May 27.
-
May 2021
14 May 2021
Prices of brown fused alumina (BFA) moved up during the past fortnight after holding firm for the past three months amid increasing electricity costs and tightened supply of calcined bauxite.
-
April 2021
30 April 2021
Prices for brown fused alumina (BFA) held firm during the fortnight to Thursday April 29, driven by complex logistics arrangements from China to major overseas markets in addition to supply interruption and good demand while white fused alumina (WFA) edged up amid similar conditions.
-
16 April 2021
China’s bauxite markets ticked down in the two weeks to Thursday April 15 on a mixed picture of improved land transport while demand continues to be strong, whereas white fused alumina (WFA) into Europe continued to be supported by high shipping costs and brown fused alumina (BFA) held unchanged amid increasing production costs.
-
05 April 2021
Freight rate differentials between materials shipped in containers and in bulk from China to Europe continued to be a major driver of white fused alumina (WFA) prices in the two weeks ended Thursday April 1.
-
March 2021
30 March 2021
Bauxite calcination kilns in the city of Xiaoyi, in China’s Shanxi province, remained at a standstill following the normal autumn-winter shutdown because of the local government’s continuing anti-pollution drive, according to market sources.
-
19 March 2021
Higher availability in Europe of white fused alumina (WFA) shipped in break bulk vessels put pressure on some cif Europe port prices in the past fortnight, while bauxite and brown fused alumina (BFA) prices were steady.
-
05 March 2021
Prices of brown fused alumina (BFA) were firm during the two weeks to Thursday March 4, with market participants' views differing on the market's performance. White fused alumina (WFA), meanwhile, slipped and bauxite was stable.
-
01 March 2021
Higher logistics costs and a steadier flow of inquiries have supported the andalusite market in the three months to Thursday February 25.
-
February 2021
19 February 2021
Refractory-grade bauxite prices showed a reduction this week from previously wider spreads, with China gradually returning to the market after the Lunar New Year holiday, while white fused alumina (WFA) ticked upward on higher operational costs and brown fused alumina (BFA) held firm.
-
05 February 2021
Prices spread for certain grades of bauxite widened in the fortnight to Thursday February 4 on differing availability options from suppliers, while the price of white fused alumina (WFA) moved up on higher costs and brown fused alumina (BFA) held firm on bullish sentiment.
-
January 2021
22 January 2021
Seaborne prices for bauxite and fused alumina in China moved up in the fortnight ended Thursday January 21 on rising land transport costs and long lead times, compounded by persistently tight supply.
-
08 January 2021
Refractory raw material consumers are likely to face shortages in bauxite, with the continued supply and logistics bottlenecks from China coming against a low-stock situation in destination markets.