Resumen de Chinese fortunes begin to turn for fluorspar and graphite
Graphite has been more resilient than many commodities. Prices for 94%, +80 mesh flake graphite were at $1,400/tonne (CIF) at the start of 2013, and were 30% higher than pre-recession 2008 levels, despite falling from all-time highs of $2,500/tonne in 2011.
2012 exports volumes of graphite and fluorspar - two of China's leading non-metallic mineral products - showed improving trend throughout H2 2012, to reach near parity with 2011 in November.
Natural graphite exports - flake and amorphous - improved from a 67%-drop compared with 2011 levels in June, to just 13% in November. Metallurgical grade fluorspar (metspar) volumes, however, were still 44% behind 2011 levels in November, and have not yet reflected the positive turn for prices.
