Industrial Minerals

Refractories

European steel demand growth to slow on trade uncertainties, Brexit - Worldsteel

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

Steel demand growth in Europe will slow this year due to a worsening trade environment and Brexit uncertainty.
China annual steel consumption to peak at 900mln tonnes before falling to 700mln tonnes by 2035 - CISA

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

China has reached peak annual steel consumption of 850-900 million tonnes, according to the China Iron and Steel Association (Cisa).
China’s Q1 crude steel output up 10% from last year, NBS says

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

China’s output of crude steel and finished steel in the first quarter of 2019 both increased significantly year on year on good demand and healthy profits.
European car sales drop by 4% in March, ACEA says

Thursday, 18 April 2019

European car sales fell for the seventh month in a row in March.

Agrimarkets

Prices above $30 per kg reported in iodine spot market, but top end appears firm

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

Iodine market participants reported hearing of prices as high as $33 per kg during this week’s price assessment, but no transactions were confirmed at that price.
Iodine price stable despite uncertainty over producer stock levels

Friday, 05 April 2019

Varying reports have come through on exactly how much inventories are being held by the producers in Chile, after undersupply had pushed iodine prices up for the past 18 months.
Iodine spot price unchanged but Q2 quotes climb to $30/kg

Friday, 29 March 2019

Market participants have reporter higher offers for the next quarter but the spot market was steady this week.
Trade log March 2019: Lithium

Thursday, 28 March 2019

Trade log for battery-grade lithium carbonate in China including trades, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.

Ceramics-Glass

Foundry sand chromite prices fall further, spreads tightening

Thursday, 18 April 2019

Spreads in foundry grade chromite prices are closing again as the top end of both the wet bulk and dried and bagged assessments comes down in bearish market conditions.
US threatens high duties on mineral products due to EU Airbus subsidies

Wednesday, 17 April 2019

Mineral exports from the European Union may face tariffs into the United States over an ongoing subsidy row, Fastmarkets has learned.
US acidspar imports double in Q3 2018, USGS data shows

Monday, 15 April 2019

Import volumes of acid-grade fluorspar into the United States spiked in the third quarter of 2018 as a result of tight supply in the market.
BATTERY MATERIALS CONF: Seven things we learnt about the lithium market

Monday, 15 April 2019

There were seven main points for participants in the lithium market to take away from the Battery Materials conference, hosted by Fastmarkets in Shanghai on April 10-12 this year.

Construction-Chemicals

Prices above $30 per kg reported in iodine spot market, but top end appears firm

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

Iodine market participants reported hearing of prices as high as $33 per kg during this week’s price assessment, but no transactions were confirmed at that price.
Foundry sand chromite prices fall further, spreads tightening

Thursday, 18 April 2019

Spreads in foundry grade chromite prices are closing again as the top end of both the wet bulk and dried and bagged assessments comes down in bearish market conditions.
China Refrigeration 2019: What we learned

Wednesday, 17 April 2019

Here are three things we learned at China Refrigeration 2019 held in Shanghai from April 9-11.
PRICING NOTICE: Extension of consultation period on proposal to discontinue fluorspar price

Tuesday, 16 April 2019

Fastmarkets IM has decided to extend the consultation period on its proposal to discontinue the US fluorspar price again.

Energy

GLOBAL LITHIUM WRAP: Chinese domestic lithium prices hold on stable demand; quiet markets subdue price moves in Europe, US

Thursday, 18 April 2019

China’s domestic battery-grade lithium spot market held steady week on week on Thursday April 18 on stable demand from downstream cathode producers, while rest-of-world prices continued to stagnate on weak spot consumption and ahead of the Easter holiday starting on Friday.
Trade log April 2019: Lithium

Thursday, 18 April 2019

Trade log for battery-grade lithium carbonate in China including trades, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.
BATTERY MATERIALS CONF: Natural graphite to become new trend in EV sectors in the future

Thursday, 18 April 2019

Increasing demand for graphite cathode for new energy vehicles (EV) and its cheaper price compared with synthetic graphite, is turning the attention of the market to the price of flake graphite, delegates at Fastmarkets’ Battery Materials Conference in Shanghai heard last week.
Orocobre lithium production, prices down in March quarter

Wednesday, 17 April 2019

Lithium producer Orocobre reported lower lithium carbonate prices achieved in the March quarter, reflecting weakening spot prices globally and in China.

Processing

Iofina iodine sales prices rise 16% y-o-y in March quarter

Thursday, 18 April 2019

Prices were up to $28 per kg according to the US-based iodine and derivatives producer, with production increasing in the first quarter.
Foundry sand chromite prices fall further, spreads tightening

Thursday, 18 April 2019

Spreads in foundry grade chromite prices are closing again as the top end of both the wet bulk and dried and bagged assessments comes down in bearish market conditions.
Ganfeng invests $160mln to increase ownership in JV with Lithium Americas

Monday, 01 April 2019

Ganfeng will invest $160 million to increase its ownership to 50% in a lithium joint venture with Lithium Americas.
BAUXITE & ALUMINA CONF: Market has no fears over ATH supplies in 2019

Friday, 29 March 2019

US producer Noranda’s capacity expansion for both dry and wet alumina hydrate is expected to fill the gap in the market created by the missing volumes from Brazil’s Alunorte operation.

Logistics

Foundry sand chromite prices fall further, spreads tightening

Thursday, 18 April 2019

Spreads in foundry grade chromite prices are closing again as the top end of both the wet bulk and dried and bagged assessments comes down in bearish market conditions.
British importers stockpiling graphite ahead of Brexit

Wednesday, 03 April 2019
Opening up the Northwest Passage

Wednesday, 03 April 2019

Despite the worrying environmental implications, melting ice due to climate change is opening up Arctic Ocean shipping routes, which could have a huge impact on the global industrial minerals supply chain. Ross Davies reports.
BAUXITE & ALUMINA CONF: Market has no fears over ATH supplies in 2019

Friday, 29 March 2019

US producer Noranda’s capacity expansion for both dry and wet alumina hydrate is expected to fill the gap in the market created by the missing volumes from Brazil’s Alunorte operation.

Regulation

Prices above $30 per kg reported in iodine spot market, but top end appears firm

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

Iodine market participants reported hearing of prices as high as $33 per kg during this week’s price assessment, but no transactions were confirmed at that price.
European steel demand growth to slow on trade uncertainties, Brexit - Worldsteel

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

Steel demand growth in Europe will slow this year due to a worsening trade environment and Brexit uncertainty.
China annual steel consumption to peak at 900mln tonnes before falling to 700mln tonnes by 2035 - CISA

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

China has reached peak annual steel consumption of 850-900 million tonnes, according to the China Iron and Steel Association (Cisa).
China’s Q1 crude steel output up 10% from last year, NBS says

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

China’s output of crude steel and finished steel in the first quarter of 2019 both increased significantly year on year on good demand and healthy profits.

Oilfield

China leads offshore drilling boom

Monday, 11 March 2019

Offshore drilling activity is at its highest level in over three years, driven by record Chinese activity, while US onshore activity remains sluggish despite upbeat outlooks from frackers.
US drilling activity hits three-year high

Thursday, 29 March 2018

The US rig count is at a three-year high, with demand painting a positive picture for oilfield mineral pricing.

Sector News

Refractories

Agrimarkets

Ceramics-Glass

Construction-Chemicals

Energy

Processing

Logistics

Regulation

Oilfield