Industrial Minerals

Latest News

Biden signs order to strengthen US supply chains, address chips shortage

Friday, 26 February 2021

United States President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Wednesday February 24 intended to secure his nation’s supply chains through a review of critical products, which will include computer chips and batteries.
Total EU new car sales down by 24% in January

Thursday, 18 February 2021

Sales of passenger cars in the EU dropped by 24.04% year-on-year in January 2021, the European Automotive Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on Wednesday February 17.
EU steel consumption set to recover in 2021, Eurofer says

Monday, 15 February 2021

Demand for steel in the European Union is expected to rebound by 13.3% year on year in 2021 after a 13% slump in 2020, the European steel association Eurofer said last week.
World crude steel output down 1% in 2020, Worldsteel says

Thursday, 28 January 2021

Global crude steel output fell by 0.9% year-on-year to 1.86 billion tonnes in 2020, with an increase in China unable to offset declines across most other major steelmaking nations, the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) has said.

FOCUS: Shorter minerals contracts, lower volumes in ‘slow’ negotiations for 2021 supply

Friday, 06 November 2020

Contracts for the supply of several mineral raw materials for 2021 are expected to be shorter in their duration and cover smaller volumes compared with previous years, while market participants claim negotiations are progressing slowly and with no clear market references.
European outlook for silicon carbide lackluster, but China could provide uptick

Tuesday, 03 November 2020

Prices for silicon carbide abrasive- and refractory-grade materials delivered to Europe held steady over October on subdued demand, and were likely to remain steady on a flat market in the foreseeable future, sources said.
PRICING NOTICE: Conclusion of open consultation on industrial minerals methodology

Tuesday, 06 October 2020

Fastmarkets opened a consultation on September 1, 2020, inviting feedback on its industrial minerals methodology in line with our annual methodology review process.
Abrasive-grade silicon carbide market bullish for near-term price rises

Wednesday, 30 September 2020

Prices of abrasive and refractory-grade silicon carbide held firm over the past month, while market participants anticipate the abrasive price will increase in the near term due to rising freight costs globally and environmental restrictions in China.

INTERVIEW: ‘I believe AK Steel is a diamond in the rough’ - Lourenco Goncalves

Monday, 08 June 2020

Battle tested, hard-nosed, and, at times, known to be very blunt, the top executive of the largest and oldest independent iron ore mining company in the US has been called many things in an almost 40-year career spent from one end of the steel supply chain to the other. Fearful is not one of them.
Taking the brakes off auto production

Monday, 08 June 2020

Steel mills and service centers expect a slow restart to auto making, reports Gregory DL Morris.
INTERVIEW: ‘I am going to transform our company’ - Severstal CEO

Friday, 03 January 2020

Alexander Shevelev, CEO of Russian steelmaker Severstal, says that the company has changed its culture quite quickly and substantially to focus on being a solutions provider. Richard Barrett asked him to explain that mission and to recall his path from the shop floor to the top of a company that employs 50,000 people
Steel market woes are weighing on refractories

Friday, 03 January 2020

Pressure is continuing to mount on the refractories sector while its main market – the steel industry – suffers from overcapacity, trade tensions and emissions reduction targets, Rose Pengelly finds.