Heading into 2019, China’s mineral supply squeeze continues to challenge world refractory producers Getting it sorted: workers sift out impure lumps from crude bauxite ore arriving at CMP Guizhou Co. Ltd's new 100,000 tpa calcination plant at Xiuwen, Guizhou, which came on stream in early 2018. A range of factors arising in 2017 [...]
Fluorine Forum 2018 Review The beginning of the year’s final quarter is always a busy time for the fluorspar market, as consumers seek to secure supply for the following year. With prices at six-year highs and availability constrained, negotiations and discussion have been at a higher level of intensity. All of which lent a considerable [...]
Review of China Refractory & Abrasive Minerals Forum 2018 Well, the Chinese Year of the Dog has certainly lived up to its name as suppliers, traders, and consumers of Chinese refractory and abrasive minerals strive to secure supply contracts under challenging circumstances for 2019 as we head into Q4 2018. The continuing tightness in supply [...]
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 [...]
