Industrial Minerals

Refractories

Increase in 'child wells' threatens Permian fracking prospect

Monday, 22 October 2018

Crowded basins are driving a trend to drilling near existing wells, Schlumberger boss warns, and the result could be lower sand intensity.
AACHEN 2018: Raw materials, price evolution in the spotlight

Monday, 22 October 2018

Attendees discuss how market participants will secure supply for the coming year, and how prices are expected to perform going forward.
Aachen 2018: What we learned

Monday, 22 October 2018

Key takeaways from the 61st International Colloquium on Refractories, held September 25-26 in Aachen, Germany
Cristal mineral sand operation disrupted by equipment failure

Monday, 22 October 2018

A section of Cristal Mining's Ginkgo heavy mineral sand floating wet concentration plant is below water, with no indication yet on down-time or how this may affect the miner’s rutile and zircon production.

Agrimarkets

SQM opposes agreement for share sale to competitor Tianqi

Monday, 22 October 2018

SQM is citing risk to free competition in its opposition to China's Tianqi Lithium acquiring a 24% stake in the Chilean miner currently held by Canada's Nutrien.
Iodine sellers looking to push prices closer to $28 per kg

Friday, 19 October 2018

With the iodine market undersupplied, sellers have been trying to push through a price rise to $27.50 per kg, although consumers are reluctant to accept a price that high.
Trade log October 2018: Lithium

Friday, 19 October 2018

Trade log for battery-grade lithium carbonate in China including trades, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.
Galaxy's spodumene production falls in Q3

Thursday, 18 October 2018

Galaxy Resources produced 35% less lithium spodumene in the third quarter due to lower feed grade, higher proportion of weathered ore and reduced recovery rates.

Ceramics-Glass

FLUORSPAR 2018: current market trends to continue pressuring prices

Monday, 22 October 2018

Tighter supply in the fluorspar market has put pressure on raw materials and fluorine-derived product prices, while new products and increasingly fragmented end-user markets are creating widespread uncertainty.
Lynas lashes out at Malaysian environmental probe

Monday, 22 October 2018

Lynas is calling for fairness from the Malaysian government during its environmental investigation.
Refractory minerals taken off US tariffs list; TiO2 pigments, ceramic raw materials still included

Monday, 22 October 2018

Graphite, magnesia, alumina and silicon carbide are excluded from the list of China-origin materials subject to a new US tariff, as are antimony, rare earths and barite. Pigments such as titanium dioxide will also be subject to the duty, as will refractory finished products, some ceramic minerals such as kaolin, and lithium.
US soda ash production hits 2018 high in July

Monday, 22 October 2018

Soda ash output in the United States has hit a 2018 high, will South American and Southeast Asian consumption is on an upward trend.

Construction-Chemicals

Argentina's crude steel output rises 2.8% in September

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

Argentinian crude steel production grew by 2.8% year on year in September, but was down 4.5% from the prior month's volume.
Increase in 'child wells' threatens Permian fracking prospect

Monday, 22 October 2018

Crowded basins are driving a trend to drilling near existing wells, Schlumberger boss warns, and the result could be lower sand intensity.
AACHEN 2018: Raw materials, price evolution in the spotlight

Monday, 22 October 2018

Attendees discuss how market participants will secure supply for the coming year, and how prices are expected to perform going forward.
Aachen 2018: What we learned

Monday, 22 October 2018

Key takeaways from the 61st International Colloquium on Refractories, held September 25-26 in Aachen, Germany

Energy

Lynas lashes out at Malaysian environmental probe

Monday, 22 October 2018

Lynas is calling for fairness from the Malaysian government during its environmental investigation.
SQM opposes agreement for share sale to competitor Tianqi

Monday, 22 October 2018

SQM is citing risk to free competition in its opposition to China's Tianqi Lithium acquiring a 24% stake in the Chilean miner currently held by Canada's Nutrien.
GLOBAL LITHIUM WRAP: Chinese producers raise battery-grade lithium carbonate offer prices; seaborne markets quiet

Friday, 19 October 2018

Chinese domestic spot battery-grade lithium carbonate offering prices increased in the week to Thursday October 18, supported on falling producer stocks, but reported concluded deals remained within Fastmarkets’ current price ranges.
Launch of UK fracking opens up sand opportunities

Friday, 19 October 2018

Cuadrilla has commenced fracking activities in the UK, opening up the potential for further frac sand demand.

Processing

Venator attempts a further round of TiO2 price increases in the Americas

Monday, 22 October 2018

Letters seen by Fastmarkets IM call for titanium dioxide (TiO2) price increases of 5 cents per lb in the United States.
Galaxy's spodumene production falls in Q3

Thursday, 18 October 2018

Galaxy Resources produced 35% less lithium spodumene in the third quarter due to lower feed grade, higher proportion of weathered ore and reduced recovery rates.
Russian Mining targets flame retardants sector with expanded magnesium hydroxide plant

Wednesday, 17 October 2018

Russian Mining has increased its capacity for magnesium hydroxide by 50% in line with growth in the flame retardants market, although alumina hydrate (ATH) remains the most widely used material in volume terms.
Antimony trioxide markets soften on low demand

Tuesday, 16 October 2018

Global antimony trioxide prices fell on low demand and weaker antimony metal prices.

Logistics

PRICING NOTICE: Discontinuation of micronised zircon, zircon opacifiers, zircon flour and fused zirconia prices

Monday, 15 October 2018

Industrial Minerals has today discontinued its micronised zircon, zircon opacifiers, zircon flour, and fused zirconia prices.
Price briefing: October 5-11

Friday, 12 October 2018

Chinese TiO2 prices fall further as yuan exchange rate slides; GLOBAL LITHIUM WRAP: Chinese battery-grade lithium carbonate, hydroxide prices soften after Golden Week; China's DBM price edges up on magnesia industry consolidation in Haicheng; PRICING NOTICE: Extending consultation period on proposal to amend soda ash prices
LME WEEK 2018: The tools to trade

Friday, 05 October 2018

In a world of razor-thin margins and fierce competition, there is unprecedented pressure to make better decisions faster.
Aachen 2018: What we learned

Thursday, 04 October 2018

Key takeaways from the 61st International Colloquium on Refractories, held September 25-26 in Aachen, Germany

Regulation

Rutile market to tighten further after strike action at Iluka’s Sierra Leone operation

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

Strike action at Iluka Resources’ Sierra Leone operation, resulting in a temporary halt in production, will likely exacerbate already tight rutile markets.
Argentina's crude steel output rises 2.8% in September

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

Argentinian crude steel production grew by 2.8% year on year in September, but was down 4.5% from the prior month's volume.
Increase in 'child wells' threatens Permian fracking prospect

Monday, 22 October 2018

Crowded basins are driving a trend to drilling near existing wells, Schlumberger boss warns, and the result could be lower sand intensity.
SQM’s third-quarter lithium sales down by 15%

Monday, 22 October 2018

Technical delays and logistical challenges slow down Chilean producer SQM’s lithium sales during July-September by 15%.

Oilfield

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.
IM's November Price Movements

Monday, 11 December 2017

IM's monthly price movements.

Sector News

Refractories

Agrimarkets

Ceramics-Glass

Construction-Chemicals

Energy

Processing

Logistics

Regulation

Oilfield