As we head towards the final quarter of 2022 and look towards 2023 and beyond, the international refractory industry is readying itself for a busy period of important international refractory meetings (ICR, Aachen; ALAFAR, Foz do Iguaçu; IREFCON, Kolkata). Kicking off the season was IMFORMED’s China Refractory Minerals Forum 2022 ONLINE held on 14 September [...]
Since its restructuring and new management announced in January 2021, we have been reporting on the evolution of Essen-based global mineral distributor Cofermin Group. In this latest follow-up article we focus on the management and role of Cofermin’s chromite division, Cofermin Chrome, established in 2015. Title Image Chromite Horizons: One of South Africa’s leading sources [...]
New sources of salt are being developed to meet the rising demand for salt worldwide. Some 330m tonnes of salt is consumed globally, with the primary markets being the chloralkali and deicing sectors. The Asia-Pacific region is seeing significant market demand growth estimated at 35% over the next decade. However, the region has been beset by [...]
Fluorspar market awaits outcome as it readies to meet at Fluorine Forum 2022 Canada’s beleaguered newcomer to the global fluorspar supply sector, Canada Fluorspar Inc. (CFI), is awaiting news, potentially by mid-October 2022, of a positive outcome to end its period of interim receivership and closure since February 2022. On 30 August, Newfoundland’s Supreme Court [...]
IMFORMED was delighted and honoured to have its Refractory Raw Material World Sources Map® reproduced in the feature articles section of the August 2022 issue of the American Ceramic Society Bulletin (map details here). The section focused on mineral supply for the ceramics and glass industry, including critical mineral supply chains and refractory raw materials. Also featured [...]
CRM reality check, sustainability & recycling | EIG 2022 Review IMFORMED was honoured to speak on recycling industrial minerals at last week’s 22nd Extractive Industry Geology Conference, hosted by the Camborne School of Mines at the University of Exeter. Some 170 delegates from across the UK’s minerals industry attended this well-established event enjoying the sunshine, [...]
Testing times sustain market turmoil, but outlook positive 2020-21 was all about coping with COVID-19 and responding to the pandemic’s ramifications and the subsequent recovering market demand. While 2021-22 has seen a continuation of this trend, also thrown into the mix has been the tragic Russia-Ukraine conflict which has compounded the situation further. In short, [...]
Last year we reported on the latest stage of evolution of global mineral distributor Cofermin Group, as it entered a new era of management in January 2021. In this latest follow-up article we focus on the management and role of Cofermin’s chemicals division. Title Image Chemical “sourcerers”: Pictured here is fluorspar, shipped from source to [...]
Review of Fluorine Forum 2021 ONLINE The global fluorine raw materials supply chain is undergoing a period of some challenge. In addition to the widespread disruption caused by the pandemic and ongoing logistical issues, compounded by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the fluorspar market is witnessing increased demand from traditional and fast evolving sectors, especially in Li-ion [...]
Leading industrial minerals distributor Cofermin Group has strengthened its magnesia offering amid its expanding mineral portfolio by establishing a new division to specifically focus on magnesia material supply and markets. The new arm, called IMagine, was launched in July 2021, and will focus not just on refractory grade magnesias, but across the whole spectrum of [...]
