Resumen de IM Prices March 2017

Industrial Minerals

• Graphite, flake, 94-97% C, +80 mesh, FCL, CIF Europe ports, $/tonne Source: Industrial Minerals Proposed change to a number of IM's pricing assessment frequencies Industrial Minerals proposes moving the weekly assessment schedule of the following minerals to Tuesday, with effect from 9 March 2017. * Kaolin * Antimony Trioxide * Chromite * Magnesia Assessments currently take place on a weekly basis, every Thursday. Sources expected market activity levels to remain low until at least mid-February as supply chains in China - from production facilities to transportation - were taken offline to varying degrees for the holiday. The Chinese spot prices for lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide were both expected to remain stable over the period as a result. Lithium carbonate (spot, min. 99-99.5% Li2CO3, CIF China) held at $18-21/kg and lithium hydroxide (spot, 56.5-57.5% LiOH, CIF China) at $20.5-24/kg, according to IM 's assessment on 26 January. Lower value-added segments such as producers of iodine salts and teat dip are gladly taking up these offers, given how sensitive their operations are to raw material prices. Higher value-added end markets such as x-ray contrast media and liquid crystal display (LCD) are less likely to bite on these deals, however. [...]as producers push to assert their dominance in a bid to expand market share, the major suppliers will dictate when or if prices will rise.