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China’s export shipments of refractory-grade bauxite unexpectedly rose in April by 34% despite the global consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, exports of brown fused alumina (BFA) increased by 5% but those of white fused alumina (WFA) fell by 5%, with market weakness still evident, according to sources.
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The price of white fused alumina (WFA) fell still further on the low end of the range, amid the dollar’s depreciation against the euro over the fortnight ended Thursday May 28. Prices for refractory-grade bauxite and brown fused alumina (BFA) stayed flat while demand remained sluggish.
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China’s ports have resumed normal operations but overseas demand for exported materials remains reduced by the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in lower container throughput. Most producers of refractory raw materials, however, continued to get limited orders from global buyers.
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Fused alumina prices have fallen further during the two weeks to Thursday May 14 because of continued bearish pressure resulting from weak demand from refractories consumers, while bauxite prices remained flat on a largely muted export market and scarcity of supply in China.
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Producers of andalusite in various countries have been able to restart operations after Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, although they warned that a return to pre-closure output volumes will be slow and gradual.
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Brown fused alumina (BFA) and white fused alumina (WFA) prices are increasingly moving separately in their pricing patterns, with the latter having deepened its price discount to BFA against a historic premium.
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China's refractories output fell to 4.10 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2020, mainly due to a slowdown in production caused by the response to the Covid-19 outbreak.
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Fused alumina prices have dropped significantly in the past fortnight, with brown fused alumina (BFA) falling to a two-year low and following the path of white fused alumina (WFA), which has lost value for a second consecutive assessment.
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The decline in shipments of refractory-grade bauxite and fused alumina out of China eased off toward the end of the first quarter of 2020, compared with the plunge of more than 30% year-on-year seen in January and February.
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The price for white fused alumina (WFA) in China has fallen over the past two weeks to reach a two-year low in the assessment on Thursday April 16.
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Refractory grade bauxite remained mostly flat amid a quiet seaborne market and poor availability over the past fortnight. Brown fused alumina (BFA) ticked up while white fused alumina (WFA) dropped, and participants warned of a potential cliff edge in demand ahead.
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Calcined alumina prices remained stable in early April after a decline over previous months, with both producers and consumers assessing the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic for local operations.
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The total output of refractory materials in China increased by 3.7% year-on-year to 24.31 million tonnes in 2019. But most refractory raw materials prices were still under downward pressure.
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Poor availability has continued to support prices for refractory-grade bauxite over the past fortnight, while the price for white fused alumina (WFA) ticks upward and brown fused alumina (BFA) remains flat.
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Bauxite prices in China have increased again over the past fortnight on low restart rates of mining and calcination activities in producing areas, market participants said.
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The price of refractory-grade bauxite rose in the two weeks to Thursday February 20 due to a low production recovery rate and limited logistics in the main Chinese production hub of Shanxi province, while fused alumina remained unchanged on production and delivery uncertainty in Henan.
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A recovery of China’s bauxite and fused alumina production remained uncertain in the major production hubs of Henan and Shanxi provinces due to the coronavirus outbreak, creating concern about supply and delivery of the refractory material in the short term.
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Participants active in the bauxite and fused alumina markets expect short-term supply shortages to affect consuming destinations in areas including Europe, while sellers take stock of the shipping disruptions arising from measures taken to contain the coronavirus outbreak in China.
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View the Fastmarkets holiday pricing schedule for 2020 and 2021.
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Beginning in 2020, Fastmarkets will review its pricing methodologies and price specifications across all its Price Reporting Agency (PRA) divisions - Metals & Mining and Forest Products - on an annual basis rather than twice per year.
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The appreciation of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar is adding pressure to the quiet markets for fused alumina and bauxite before the Chinese new year holiday period.
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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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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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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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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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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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The Fastmarkets holiday pricing schedule has been updated to reflect the official announcement of public holidays in China for 2020.
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Exchange rate fluctuations are adding to an ongoing sluggish demand scenario
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Fastmarkets IM has begun a consultation on its proposal to increase the frequency of its andalusite price assessments to quarterly.
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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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The spreads in the bauxite market have been widening, while concerns over China's 2019 supply flow increase and keep brown-fused alumina (BFA) and white-fused alumina (WFA) prices stable.
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Contract negotiations continue to lend upward support to some grades of ground calcined alumina, while unground material prices held steady.
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Spreads among some bauxite grades are widening while BFA, WFA prices remain stable on limited demand, although participants are concerned over supply flows from China in 2019.
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China’s domestic magnesia prices edge up on regulatory restrictions, export prices unchanged; China’s unshaped refractory materials output up 10% in August; Aachen 2018: Prices of refractory minerals expected to remain firm
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Current closures at bauxite and alumina plants in China may be in place for months once the recently announced winter shutdown regulations come into force, forcing prices upward.
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Brown fused and white fused alumina prices have increased, offsetting yuan-related depreciation, while the price of refractory grade bauxite 88% ticked up on continued production issues in Shanxi.
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Contracts for the fourth quarter and for 2019 will be subject to a “double digit” percentage price rise.
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Flake graphite prices soften on sellers’ push; Seizure of ‘smuggled’ antimony metal turns trioxide sentiment positive; GLOBAL LITHIUM WRAP: Chinese, Europe, US lithium carbonate prices edge down; Weak yuan pushes bauxite, fused alumina prices down; Pricing notice: Discontinuation of four European graphite prices
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Prices came down for two grades of bauxite, refractory-grade white-fused alumina (WFA) and abrasive-grade brown-fused alumina (BFA), while white refractory-grade BFA held stable.
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