Taking shape: construction at Sepfluor Ltd's Nokeng Fluorspar Project is expected to conclude at the end of October, aiming at 630,000 tpa crude ore, 180,000 tpa acidspar, and 30,000 tpa metspar; initial production targeted for Q1 2019. Courtesy Sepfluor Was 2017 a turning point for the world fluorspar market? Can prices maintain their [...]
China customs sharpens up | Bauxite & magnesite latest | US trade war impact China Minerals Forum 2018 Early Bird Rate ends Friday 3 August Burning bauxite...or not: a calcined bauxite plant in Shanxi province utilising round or down draught kilns (right); the province is enduring another closure of plants owing to environmental inspections. [...]
MagForum 2018 Review The great and the good of the global magnesia business gathered at IMFORMED’s MagForum 2018 conference held 17-20 June, at the Grande Elysée Hotel, Hamburg. And what a superb MagForum it turned out to be, the largest yet with 230 international attendees networking and discussing the key issues influencing the industry, stimulated [...]
IMFORMED proud to present at PRE & ANFRE meetings Refractory raw material supply availability is the chief concern among Europe’s refractory producers as the situation in China, the primary source of key refractory minerals, continues to indicate future supply disruptions. Gathered luminaries of the European refractories industry at the superb dinner venue (Moulin de [...]
Test mining at Korab Resources' Winchester magnesite deposit just 60km from Darwin port, Northern Territory, Australia. Courtesy Korab Resources With the prospect of continued short supply from the world’s major source of magnesia in China, traders and buyers are seeking alternatives worldwide. Among several potential possibilities these now include a planned rejuvenation [...]
Oilfield Minerals Forum 2018 Review Whether it was the spirit of Aloha evoked by the Hawaiian-themed Welcome Reception organised by Excalibar Minerals, or the rising oil price supporting a recovery in drill rig activity, the positive buzz surrounding this year’s Oilfield Minerals & Markets Forum Houston made it seem like the good times were back [...]
Magnesia, bauxite, and BFA production halts in Liaoning, Henan, Shanxi Lone survivor: one of 12 active downdraft bauxite kilns in the Jiexiu district of Shanxi province that is not subject to local government closures as in Xiaoyi, where a 3-month ban is in place. In our last post on the subject of China’s [...]
Refractory Rendezvous Delhi – IREFCON18 Report India's Tirupati Graphite Group has been a leader in flake graphite production for over two decades supplying refractory, foundry and speciality markets; pictured is the mine at Gaura in Palamau district, Jharkhand state, which has a production capacity of 50,000 tpa flake graphite. Tirupati is evaluating other deposits [...]
How US proppant demand has influenced ceramic mineral supply The Kermit, Texas plant of Hi-Crush Partners LP, located in the Permian Basin, has an annual production capacity of 3m tons of high-quality West Texas frac sand sourced from Quaternary aeolian sand dunes. Hi-Crush sold a total of 8.9m. tons frac sand in 2017, more [...]
Review of Oilfield Minerals & Markets Forum Middle East 2018, Bahrain Courtesy RheoMinerals Inc. Key takeaways Middle East growth recognised by oilfield service companies Rising power demand drives push for unconventional gas resources Drilling muds a delicate balancing act using minerals Call for global standardisation of drilling barite specs “beyond API” CS Mining Barite expands [...]
