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After a year of reorganization and changing narratives in the refractories industry – from significant M&A activity to raw material price spikes, and from booming end-market demand to uncertainties in global trade – Industrial Minerals correspondent Myles McCormick takes stock of a changed landscape for companies operating in the sector.
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The world’s refractories manufacturers are proving resilient, despite mounting pressures on the sector. How is this most traditional of industries adapting to unpredictable circumstances?
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India has recorded economic growth of around 7% per year in the past three years. But while it has significant resources of some of the most widely used industrial minerals, this sector has shown only modest growth, as Industrial Minerals correspondent Sunder Singh discovers.
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The merger between RHI and Magnesita ‘makes sense’ because the refractory industry tends toward consolidation, while raw material shortages in China may lead supply to diversify elsewhere, according to the new company’s chief executive officer, Stefan Borgas.
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Demand for refractory products is evolving, forcing suppliers to upgrade their offers and processes to stay ahead of the game, while Chinese-origin raw materials are appreciating on the back of supply shortages, making productions costlier, Davide Ghilotti, IM Chief Reporter, finds.
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Low per capita glass usage has marked India out as a major potential growth market for glass minerals, but so far this projected expansion has failed to materialise. Sunder Singh, IM Correspondent, looks at how geographical concentration and pressure from imports are hampering India’s domestic glass industry.
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At its peak in 2008, oil (WTI) was trading at $140/bbl, which in turn pushed up the price of natural gas. The high price of fuel prompted investment in alternative energy supply, with countries looking to become self-sufficient, at least in part. Now, Cameron Perks, IM Correspondent, details how Australia has moved to diversify its supply mix and what this means for oilfield mineral markets.
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Canada’s most southwesterly province has a long history of industrial mineral mining. George Simandl and Michaela Neetz of the British Columbia Geological Survey at the BC Ministry of Energy and Mines give a detailed over view of its non-metallic mineral activity and potential.
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A strong US dollar, China’s economic slowdown and environmental issues are just some of the challenges that today’s refractories producers are having to contend with. Liz Gyekye, Chief Reporter, looks at what companies in the sector are doing to stay ahead of the game.
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Over the last two years IM has reported on the shifting trends in the refractories industry, with China looking to reduce wastage and increase energy efficiency. Ted Dickson* explores these various trends and asks – how will this shift impact raw material supply?
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Dr Elizabeth Stephens, JLT Specialty Ltd, UK, explains the risks involved with developing a project in Spain and discusses recent developments in the Spanish minerals sector
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India’s ceramics industry has emerged as a modern, world-class sector, ready to take on global competition. Consultant Ajay Kulshreshtha outlines the country’s main ceramic producers and raw material sources
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Greece is opening its doors to private investment to boost domestic industries. Ananias Tsirambides and Anestis Filippidis discuss the country’s key exploration targets for industrial minerals development
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Mineral fillers are widely used in the plastics industry to enhance polymer properties and reduce ingredient costs. But, as Siddartha Roy demonstrates, over-use of fillers can be a false economy
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In just over 25 years, China’s sanitaryware industry has grown more than 2,000% to 174.1m. pieces. Eileen Hao and Ian Wilson outline the country’s main producers and examine growth challenges for the future
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After the gloomy days of the financial downturn, dolomite could see opportunities coming from the refractories industry as an alternative to minerals such as magnesia
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One of the first markets to be dramatically impacted by the financial downturn, the glass industry slowly starts cracking the window to recovery in Europe but pre-crisis levels are still far away
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Refractory producers are continuously challenged to improve their products used in rotary cement kilns, a key demand driver for refractory minerals such as dolomite or magnesia, which is on the way to recovery
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Dolomite, fluorspar and lime flux producers breathe a sigh of relief as an upswing begins in the aluminium and steel market cycles
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Belgium’s Lhoist Group explains how increasing industrial development and environmental regulation is opening new opportunities for wastewater treatment products such as its new Neutralac® SLS45
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IM interviewed Thiago Rodrigues, Global Chief Financial Officer, Magnesita Refractários SA, Brazil
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The refractories industry attempts to ride out the storm as the steel market shows tentative signs of recovery, with China and India first in the queue
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IM reports on the 4th High Performance Fillers for Polymer Composites conference, held 4-5 March 2009 in Barcelona, Spain, covering market outlook, new filler grades, plus developments in nanofillers and mineral processing
by Jessica Roberts, Assistant Editor
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Murray Lines reports on the 32nd ASEAN Glass Conference held 7-10 October 2008 in Borneo. Amongst topics and trends covered was the outlook for glass packaging, central to glass minerals’ prospects in the Asia Pacific region
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Industrial minerals are expected to play an important role in Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification policy. Amongst other minerals the country hosts high quality silica sand, quartz, and quartzite deposits. Mian Habib et al examine the country’s investment in high purity silica minerals, and highlights supply and demand
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A report on the 16th Functional Fillers conference organised by Intertech-Pira, held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, on 22-24 September 2008, and comprised 16 papers spread over four sessions, plus optional seminars on plastic fillers selection and flame retardants.
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China's need for ceramics raw materials is increasing. The response from southern sources is examined
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A sea change in magnesia supply finds consumers substituting Chinese sources, while western players race to boost capacity as markets beckon
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Legal Eye: Bert D’Hooghe assesses how the industry is tackling climate change and looks at the revision of the EU emission trading scheme (ETS), with reference to
dolomite, gypsum, lime, magnesia, and soda ash
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India’s refractory industry has promise, but is struggling. With China restricting raw material supply, and domestic mineral benefi ciation in need of upgrades, the challenges are mounting
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THE NORTH-WEST Indian state of West Bengal has a number of industrial mineral opportunities, many of which are still unexploited. The main industrial minerals found in West Bengal are china clay, fireclay, apatite, dolomite, limestone and vermiculite. At the moment only apatite, china clay and fireclay are mined, with 2004-2005 production figures of: 4,950 tonnes apatite, 68,544 tonnes fireclay and 67,099 tonnes china clay.
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Ian Hanks examines why ASEAN countries are well positioned to supply minerals to Asia's industrial growth markets, as well as emerging as a potential replacement of Chinese and Indian supply for certain industrial minerals to North American and European markets.
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A significant processor of domestic minerals and overseas mineral sources, particularly ceramics and paper, Ian Wilson, examines how Italy’s minerals industry has survived and grown through high quality grades and consolidation
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Freight Market Report: NOT A REFERENCE to the extravagant rates in the freight market but at this time of the year huge swaths of yellow dust swirl from the deserts of Mongolia across northern China, down the Korean peninsula enveloping both south and north Korea; after a mild winter experts believe 2007 could be the worst on record. To address this China, Korea and Japan have been meeting to help Mongolia to create a green belt across the Gobi desert and are giving $1.2 m. to promote forestation. Now in the second quarter, Capesize Owners can look back to the start of the year with huge satisfaction: the BCI soared to over 8000 points an increase of 2000 since early January – owing to a 23.4% rise at 100.2mt in first quarter Chinese imports on 2006, and massive congestion.
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Limestone and dolomite are critical ingredients used in glass production. Although some glassmakers choose to use one rather than the other, which is often a function of availability, it is apparent that each has its place to maintain a balanced glass melt
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Functioning as a silent partner to the world’s heavy industry players, the refractories industry is a major supporter of the global economy. Dr Charles E. Semler reviews the current status of the world refractories industry, highlighting trends in demand, mineral consumption, and what the future may hold
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Greece continues to hold leading positions in world magnesite, bentonite, perlite, and pumice production and exports. The country is also the leading producer of bauxite in the EU and a dominant player in the global cement market. Kiki Hatzilazaridou and Ioannis Marantos of IGME review the industry’s status, developments, and outlook
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Measuring the decrepitation of limestone and dolomite in a glass batch allows glassmakers to maximise their choice of raw material. Esref Aydin and Atilla Çebi explain why.
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Raw material chemistry is critical in mineral wool manufacture, and therefore careful feedstock selection is paramount. Competition amongst alumina sources is hotting up with potential bauxite alternatives and a buoyant market outlook
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Often dwarfed by metallic exploration and production, the mining of industrial minerals in the Nordic region is often overlooked. However, the area hosts some of Europe’s most important carbonate deposits, as well as a suite of other minerals
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Iron ore feedstock, agglomeration process, geography, and material availability all influence the selection of dolomite and olivine as fluxes in iron making
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SMEs are at the core of the EU’s entrepreneurship policy
revamp. Michelle Wyart-Remy, IMA Europe General- Secretary, describes the problems industrial minerals SMEs may encounter when facing the EU health and safety programme.
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