IM's May Price Movements

Bold indicates price change from previous month (it may have changed more than once during the month). All prices are in US$ and quoted per tonne unless indicated. It is not possible to publish prices for all industrial minerals and grades in the space available, these pages comprise a selection of frequently traded minerals. For a wider range and more detail on mineral prices, we refer you to Pricing Database  . For any information, or to make a comment on prices, please contact Barbara O'Donovan, Industrial Minerals editor at pricing@indmin.com

Price effective 31^st May 2018

Alumina
Alumina, calcined, unground 98.5-99.5% Al2O3, bulk, ex-works US/Europe, long-term contract, $/tonne  $730-780

Alumina, calcined, ground 98.5-99.5% Al2O3, bulk, ex-works US/Europe, long-term contract, $/tonne $830-930

Alumina, calcined, ground and unground, min. 99.5% Al2O3, medium-soda min. 0.25% soda, bulk, ex-works US/Europe, long-term contract, $/tonne $830-930

Alumina, fused

Brown 95% min. Al2O 3, FEPA F8-220 Grit, FOB China $870-920

Brown 95% min. Al2O 3, refractory sized (0-6mm), FOB China $750-780

White, 25kg bags, CIF Europe €760-850

Hydrated Alumina (ATH)

Hydrated alumina (ATH) Damp (57-60% Al2O3, 5-8% moisture) Bulk FOB refinery $280-300

Andalusite

Andalusite, min. 57% Al2O3, FOB South Africa, €/tonne €260-320

Andalusite, min. 57% Al2O3, CIF Europe, €/tonne €390-430

Antimony Trioxide

Typically 99.5% Sb2O3, 20 tonne lots FOB China $7350-7400

Typically 99.5% Sb2O3, 5 tonne lots, CIF Antwerp/Rotterdam $7400-7450

Typically 99.5% Sb2O3, CIF East Coast USA $7450-7500

Baddeleyite

Contract price, Refractory/abrasive grade, CIF main European port $2500-3100

Barytes

Unground lump, API, bulk, SG 4.2

FOB Chennai $87-95

FOB Morocco $84-95

FOB China $89-95

Ground

OCMA/API, big bags (1.5t), FOB S.Turkey $110-120

Bauxite

Refractory-grade bauxite 85%/2.0/3.15-3.2 (0-6mm) FOB Xingang $430-440

Refractory-grade bauxite 86%/2.0/3.15-3.2 (0-6mm) FOB Xingang  $440-450

Refractory-grade bauxite 87%/2.0/3.15-3.2 (0-6mm) FOB Xingang  $460-480

Refractory-grade bauxite 88%/2.0/3.15-3.2 (0-6mm) FOB Xingang $500-520

Bentonite

Bentonite, rail hopper cars, crude, bulk (all grades), ex-works Wyoming, USA, $/s.ton: $65-75

Borates/Boron minerals

Boric Acid, FOB Chile $620-900

Colemanite, 40% B2O3, FOB Buenos Aires $690-730

Decathydrate Borax, FOB Buenos Aires $940-975

Ulexite, 40% B2O3, FOB Buenos Aires $690-750

Ulexite, 40% B2O3, FOB Lima $620-650

Ulexite, granular 40% B2O3, FOB Chile $720-820

Borax, PP bags (25kg & 50kg), Boric acid, gran, tech, FOB Latin America $620-1000

Borax, PP bags (25kg & 50kg), Decahydrate borax, gran, tech, FOB Latin America $910-1050

Boric acid, FOB Buenos Aires $620-1000

Colemanite, 40-42% B2O3, ground, bagged, FOB Argentina  $630-690

Ulexite 46-48% B2O3, FOB Lima $675-720

Celestite

Turkish, 96%, SrSO4, FOB Iskenderun $90-100

Chromite

Foundry, 45.8% min Cr2O3, wet bulk, FOB South Africa $500-520

Chemical grade, 46% Cr2O 3, wet bulk, FOB South Africa $285-340

Foundry grade, 46% Cr2O 3, wet bulk, FOB South Africa $510-530

Refractory grade, 46% Cr2O 3 wet bulk, FOB South Africa $500-530

Feldspar

Turkish, Na feldspar, Crude,

-10mm size bulk, FOB Gulluk $22-23

Turkish, Na feldspar, Glass grade, -500 microns, bagged, FOB Gulluk $70

(-38 micron, FCL’s bagged,>90 brightness) FOB Durban, South Africa $168-176

(-20 micron, FCL’s, bagged, >92 brightness) FOB Durban, South Africa $199-210

(Na), ceramic grade, 170-200 mesh, bagged, ex-works USA, $/s.ton $150-180

Na feldspar, floated -150 microns, bagged, FOB Gulluk, Turkey $53-55

Na feldspar, floated -500 microns, bulk, FOB Gulluk, Turkey $38-40

Fluorspar

Acidspar filtercake,

97% CaF2, Dry Filtercake, <5ppm, FOB, Tampico, Mexico $280-310

97% CaF2, Wet Filtercake, FOB, Tampico, Mexico $260-280

97% CaF2, Wet Filtercake, CIF, Rotterdam, Holland $370-390

97% CaF2, Wet Filtercake, FOB, China $430-530

97% CaF2, Dry Filtercake, FOB, Durban, South Africa $350-400

97% CaF2, Dry Filtercake, CIF, US Gulf Port, USA $260-270

Metallurgical

Metspar, min 85% CaF2, FOB, Tampico, Mexico $230-250

Metspar, min 85% CaF2, CIF, China to Holland $240-280

Metspar, min 80% CaF2, Bulk, FOB, China  $310-330

Metspar, min 85% CaF2, FOB, China  $350-370

Metspar, min 90% CaF2, FOB, China $390-410

Graphite

Amorphous, 80-85% C, -200 Mesh, FCL, CIF, China to Europe $400-450

Crystalline

Flake, 85-87% C, +100 Mesh -80 Mesh, FCL, CIF, Europe: $400-450

Flake, 90% C, -100 Mesh, FCL, CIF, Europe $500-550

Flake, 90% C, +100 Mesh -80 Mesh, CIF, Europe: $550-620

Flake, 90% C, +80 Mesh, CIF, Europe: $600-650

Flake, 94-97% C, -100 Mesh, FCL, CIF, Europe : $790-940

Flake, 94-97% C, +100 Mesh -80 Mesh, FCL, CIF, Europe: $950-1100

Flake, 94-97% C, +80 Mesh, FCL, CIF, Europe: $1000-1300

Ilmenite

Ilmenite concentrate, 47-49% TiO2, CIF China, $/tonne $190-200

Iodine

Iodine crystal, 99.5% min, drums, spot, $/kg $24.50-26

Iodine crystal, 99.5% min, drums, contract, $/kg $24-25

Iron Oxide Pigment

Brown type 868, bagged, FOB China $1015-1080

Red type 130 90% Fe₂O₃, bagged, FOB China $1435-1640

Kaolin

No 1 paper coating grade, Ex-Georgia plant, s.ton $147-203

No 2 paper coating grade, Ex-Georgia plant, s.ton $126-198

Kyanite

Ex-works USA, 55-60% Al₂O₃, raw kyanite, s.ton $225-320

55-60% Al₂O₃, 22 ton lots, calcined $375-440

Leucoxene

min. 91% TiO₂, max. 1% ZrO₂, bagged, FOB West Australia $700-800

Lithium

Lithium carbonate, large contracts, del continental US, $/kg $16-19

Lithium carbonate, large contracts, packed in bags, CIF Asia, $/kg $16-20

Lithium hydroxide, 56.5-57.5% LiOH, large contracts, packed in drums or bags,

del Europe or USA, $/kg $18-20

Spodumene min 7-7.5% Li2O, CIF China $975-1000

Spodumene min 5-6% Li2O, CIF China $900-970

Magnesia

Calcined, 90-92% MgO, lump, FOB China $180-220

European calcined, agricultural grade, CIF Europe €250-350

Dead-burned,

Lump, FOB China

90% MgO $220-280

92% MgO $280-300

94-95% MgO $680-700

97.5% MgO $1100-1400

Fused,

Lump, FOB China

96% MgO $900-1000

97% MgO, Ca:Si 1:1 $1100-1200

97% MgO, Ca:Si 2:1 $1250-1400

98% MgO $2000-2200

Magnesite

Greek, raw, max 3.5% SiO₂,

FOB East Mediterranean €65-80

Olivine

Olivine, refractory grade, bulk, US ex-plant/mine $80-150

Refractory clays/Mullite

Clay, Mulcoa 47% run of kiln, FOB Andersonville, GA, USA, $/s. ton $130

Clay, Mulcoa 70% (sized in bulk bags), for coarse sizing, FOB USA, $/s. ton $345-350

Rutile

Australian concentrate, min. 95% TiO₂, bagged, FOB $1000-1250

China concentrate, min. 95% TiO₂, bulk, CIF $850-950

Australian concentrate, min. 95% TiO₂, large vol. for pigment, FOB $800-900

Silica sand

Minus 20 micron, FCL, bagged >92 brightness, FOB Durban $300-375

Glass sand, container, ex-works USA $30-35

Silicon carbide

FEPA 8-220 Black about 99% SIC Acid wash DDP Europe €1300-1410

FEPA 8-220 Black about 99% SIC Water wash DDP Europe €1240-1350

Green over 99.5% SiC, FEPA 8-220 DDP Europe €1860-2000

Refractory grade min 95% SiC DDP Europe €950-1050

Refractory grade min 98% SiC DDP Europe €1050-1250

Soda ash

Chinese synthetic soda ash, dense & light, CIF Far East $300-320

Chinese synthetic soda ash, dense & light, FOB China $300-310

Indian synthetic soda ash, dense & light, Domestic ex-works India $275-285

Indian synthetic soda ash, dense & light, Export C&F India $250-260

European synthetic, dense & light, Large Contracts ex-works €190-210

TiO₂ pigment

Bulk volume, per tonne CFR Asia $2800-3100

CIF Northern Europe €2800-3200

CIF USA $2900-3400

CIF Latin America, per lb $1.3-1.5

Zircon

CIF China, min 65.5% ZrO₂ bulk shipments

Premium $1410-1600

Standard $1360-1550

CIF Spain, min 66.5% ZrO2

Premium $1450-1520

Micronised zircon

99.5% <4µ, average particle size <0.95µ, C&F Asia, $1600-1750

Fused zirconia

Monoclinic, refractory/abrasive, contract, CIF main European port $6150-7150

Monoclinic, Ceramic pigment grade, Contract price, CIF main European port $3650-4650

Monoclinic, Structural ceramic/ electronic grade, Contract price, CIF main European port $5000-6000

Monoclinic, Technical ceramic, grade, Contract price, CIF main European port $15150-19150

Stabilised, Refractory grade, Contract price, CIF main European port $7000-8000

Stabilised, Technical ceramic grade, Contract price, CIF main European port $4850-9650

Zircon Opacifiers

Micronised zircon, 100% < 6 microns, average 1-2 microns, bagged, CFR Asia $1600-2000

Micronised zircon, 100% < 6 microns, average 1-2 microns, bagged, ex-works Europe $1600-1950

For in-depth fluorspar and graphite price analysis, please visit the IM Premium Pricing mineral tracker pages online.

IM takes price ideas and comments from many sources, which are used in strict confidence to ascertain pricing levels. If you would like to contribute and enhance our pricing coverage and comment, please contact Barbara O'Donovan, Industrial Minerals editor  pricing@indmin.com