Antimony trioxide represented 2,064 tonnes of all
antimony products exported from Bolivia during the
year.
According to a source close to the Ministry of Mining and
Metallurgy of Bolivia, export data provides the best view of
the industry as some producers within the country do not
disclose their data on production.
"Historically, the total amount of antimony trioxide
produced within the country is sold outside Bolivia. Therefore,
we believe that the export data is relevant to understand the
country's total output," the source told
IM.
|
Concentrate
|
763.802
|
5.503
|
435.333
|
2.659
|
|
Metal
|
190.877
|
1.405
|
168.816
|
1.095
|
|
Trioxide
|
2,888.080
|
21.751
|
2,064.891
|
13.218
|
|
Total
|
3,842.758
|
28.660
|
2,669.041
|
16.973
|
The decline in exports implies a reduction in
Bolivia’s total output, with several sources
agreeing that the industry was facing a "hard time".
Bolivian producers and consumers told IM
that there were several reasons behind the decline.
"Production facilities had to stopped several times
throughout 2016. Scarcity of material due to the exhaustion of
the mines in Tupiza and water scarcity in Potosi were some of
the main constraints faced by the industry," a source at
COMIBOL, the Mining Corporation of Bolivia, told
IM.
"The decrease of the Bolivian antimony production is due to
several factors", a Latin American antimony producer explained
to IM.
"Antimony producers in Bolivia feel unsafe due to the lack
of support from the government. Workers’ wages
increased significantly over the past year but new
environmental measures, an unfavourable exchange rate between
the Bolivian currency and the US dollar and higher taxes on
mining were some of the reasons behind the decrease in antimony
production and exports", the source added.
Despite the falling output, the global antimony market
strengthened during the same period.
During 2015 and 2016, the price of antimony trioxide
(typically 99.5% Sb2O3) increased, greatly influenced by the
uptrend in metal and trioxide prices in China.
Due to a reduction in output in China, Industrial Minerals
antimony trioxide prices rose from $6,900-7,000/tonne
FOB China in April 2015 up to the current market levels of
$7,900-8,000/tonne FOB China.
In Europe, market participants witnessed a similar trend,
with the European market bouncing to $8,000-8,100/tonne
CIF Antwerp/Rotterdam in April from $6,900-7,050/tonne in
April 2015.
The US market followed the other two regional markets,
moving to the current market prices of $8,000-8,200/tonne
CIF East Coast from $7,000-7,100/tonne.