High inventory levels keep price recoveries at bay

• Autores: Laura Syrett
• Localización: Industrial Minerals, ISSN 0019-8544, Nº. 570, 2015 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Marzo)
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Lingering inventories in rare earths and titanium dioxide (TiO[subscript]2 ) markets are frustrating hopes of recovery in these sectors, IM learned in February. Elsewhere, market observers have warned of an imminent price jump for Indian drilling grade barite (barytes), while most other markets remained stable under steady but subdued trading conditions in recent weeks.

    TiO[subscript]2 prices are unlikely to see a lift before 2016, but the long term fundamentals for the market are strong, industry analysts have said. Prices for ilmenite, rutile and TiO[subscript]2 are stable towards the lower end of IM 's published ranges at present, after dropping slightly towards the end of Q4 last year.

    One Europe-based distributor said that the upper end of IM 's price range for Chinese SG 4.20 drilling grade barite (API, underground lump, FOB China) fell from $128/tonne to $123/tonne. Prices at the lower end of the range had only softened slightly, meanwhile, from $112/tonne to $110/tonne.