Price briefing 29 September – 5 October

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.