US Ceramics assets add processing & logistics capabilities for refractory, proppant, & flame retardant markets Emerging non-metallurgical bauxite producer, First Bauxite LLC (FBX), which is exploiting the Bonasika high purity gibbsitic bauxite deposit in Guyana, has greatly reinforced and expanded its production potential by acquiring ceramic proppant producer US Ceramics LLC (USC). Title image Bauxite [...]
US demand tight | International growth | Frac sand surge | Barite India & Nigeria The oilfield market for industrial minerals – such as barite, bentonite, silica sand, calcium carbonate, graphite, and bauxite – used in a range of applications including drilling fluids, stimulation, and well cementing – appears to be entering a period of [...]
Ceramic clay supply cut off | Tile producers' stocks running out | Graphite expansion on hold As the Russia-Ukraine war tragically passes its 50th day, with still no end in sight, industrial mineral supply chains and markets continue facing widespread disruption and uncertainty. Since the war started on 24 February 2022, many industrial mineral companies we [...]
We are delighted to announce that ANFRE, Spain (National Association of Manufacturers of Refractories, Materials and Related Services) and IMFORMED, have joined forces to present the: XI European Congress of Refractory Raw Materials, Machinery & Installation Hotel Condes, Barcelona, 11-12 May 2022 A stimulating conference focusing on key aspects of the refractory raw materials industry [...]
Review of China Refractory Minerals Forum 2021 ONLINE As we head towards the Chinese New Year of the Tiger (1 February 2022), it is timely to review some of the key issues influencing the supply of Chinese refractory raw materials to global markets. Title Image Peak Magnesite: PRCO’s Kamado high purity, and high altitude (4,200 metres), [...]
Oil & Gas Market | Barite | Bentonite | Pollucite/Caesium Formate | Gilsonite While it wasn’t quite the usual fizz and excitement of our annual in-person event in Houston where we bring together the great and the good of the world’s oilfield minerals industry for a networking and knowledge extravaganza, our virtual version earlier this year, [...]
Being designated a “critical mineral” in the EU and more recently in the USA has certainly assisted fluorspar’s standing as an exploration target. However, those already in the market have known for some years now that mine closures and production capacity reductions in the West combined with China becoming a net importer, a growing consumer, [...]
China Crisis Deepens | Refra-Horn Recycling JV | Cofermin Magnesia Arm | Alumina Issues Last week’s 64th International Refractories Colloquium held in Aachen, organised by the European Centre for Refractories gGmbH (ECREF) was a somewhat surreal experience: a mix of euphoria and novelty in finally reconnecting with each other again face to face (or mask [...]
Supply & Demand | China | CO2 Reduction | Sensor Sorting | Process Costs | Digitisation | Dolomite | Synthetic MgO | Trading | Chemical Markets In what has proved to be another most challenging year for magnesia minerals supply and markets, we review the highlights and key take-aways of IMFORMED’s MagForum 2021 ONLINE which [...]
Cofermin’s evolution 2: Expanding beyond a Chinese minerals focus Securing Chinese industrial minerals supply for world markets has been a vital and growing role for mineral traders and distributors since the 1980s. And it has never been easy. Today, ongoing issues with primary ore availability, environmental controls, government reforms, process costs, logistics, and most recently [...]
