Industrial Minerals

Supply Developments

• China’s natural resources plan 11 March 2010

  Lifton: Chinese rail plan is a way of valuing world’s natural resources in RMB Read More

• Bissett Creek graphite boost 11 March 2010

  Stronger prices rekindle interest in Bissett Creek as Northern Graphite raises $1.44m Read More

• Zeolite in nuclear waste barrier 11 March 2010

  Bear River Zeolite wins contract to supply zeolite for US nuclear waste remediation Read More

• Nabaltec sees 2009 turnaround 09 March 2010

  Second half sales up 21% as mineral flame retardant market improves Read More

• Canpotex raises list prices 08 March 2010

  Potash prices continue recovery in Q2 as demand from farmers increases Read More

• Australia antimony moves forward 08 March 2010

  Anchor positive on long term antimony prices as it starts 2010 Wild Cattle Creek drilling Read More

• Lynas awards $32m. contract 05 March 2010

  Australian rare earths miner employs Abesque to build Mount Weld plant Read More

• Perlite Canada closes plant 05 March 2010

  Quebec firm shuts plant in cost-cutting drive; expects to break even in 2010 Read More

• Namibia’s first lithium project 04 March 2010

  Black Fire Minerals plans to explore lithium in south-west Africa Read More

• Reed lithium pushes forward 04 March 2010

  Australian lithium developer on track to ship Mt. Marion concentrate in Q1 2011 Read More

• S Africa to enter graphite market? 04 March 2010

  Jonkel expected to be South Africa’s first graphite producer before the end of 2010 Read More

• Seabed phosphate permit granted 03 March 2010

  Widespread Energy to explore phosphate deposit off New Zealand’s east coast Read More

• Allana secures potash funding 03 March 2010

  Canadian group secures $4m. through share placement to develop Ethiopia project Read More

• Globex eyes 1m. tpa talc ore 03 March 2010

  Resource estimate indicates 1m. tpa of talc and magnesite mill feed possible Read More

• Perlite Canada boosts sales 02 March 2010

  Processing plant acquisition boosts sales but net loss reported for fiscal 2009 Read More

• Beacon Hill magnesite funding 02 March 2010

  Australia-based group raises £5m. to fund Tasmania magnesite project Read More

• Producers await fluorspar policy 02 March 2010

  Delay in release of new Chinese fluorspar industry standards leaves industry waiting Read More

• Profits drop for Intrepid Potash 01 March 2010

  US group’s earnings drop on lower potash prices; demand returning to pre-crisis level Read More

• Miners avoid Chile earthquake 01 March 2010

  Chemetall and SQM unaffected as northern ports remain open for exports Read More

• Black Bull survival doubts 01 March 2010

  Canadian quartz miner reports loss; says long-term survival is a “serious matter” Read More

• SQM lithium falls to 23,000 tonnes 26 February 2010

  Chilean group reports 34% drop in annual profits despite potash sales tripling Read More

• Takeovers to impact fertilisers 26 February 2010

  Acquisitions by mining giants will impact market dynamics for potash and phosphates Read More

• SUPPLY SITUATION REPORT: Graphite March 2010

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• TOP STORIES: South Africa rejoins wollastonite supply March 2010

  Namaqua to start up April 2010; Targets 23,000 tonnes for 2014; New world class producer? Read More

• TOP STORIES: Brunner Mond adjusts to new dawn March 2010

  Netherlands plant closure absorbs loss of demand; Europe feels pressure from new US tonnages; Soda ash prices fall €30/tonne Read More

• TOP STORIES: Molycorp to reopen Mountain Pass RE mine March 2010

  20,000 tpa REO by 2012; Oxides, metals, & magnets; Green applications targeted Read More

• TOP STORIES: Vertical integration drives M&A activity March 2010

  Metals groups search for next big profits; Huge deals grip fertiliser industry; $350m. for fluorspar source Read More

• TOP STORIES: POSCO & Eramet up lithium activity March 2010

  Lithium seen as industrial ‘growth engine’; POSCO eyes seawater source; Eramet plans lithium buyout; Bolivia on back burner Read More

• TOP STORIES: Russia to start magnesium hydroxide production March 2010

  Nikochem j-v with Rusnano; Nano Mg(OH)2 pilot plant 2011; Russian flame retardant market growth Read More

• TOP STORIES: Workers’ lock-out hits US Borax March 2010

  Union rejects new contract; Borates output down 31% in 2009 Read More

• TOP STORIES: Minelco’s Seqi olivine closes after just 5 years March 2010

  World no.2 producer to close mine; Market loses 2m. tpa capacity; New olivine supplier sought Read More

• Globe fluorspar sees recovery 25 February 2010

  Australian group forecasts fluorspar recovery as it explores Mozambique potential Read More

• Galaxy plans battery EMD plant 24 February 2010

  Lithium group to build electrolytic manganese dioxide plant for battery industry Read More

• Vale in kaolin divestment talks 24 February 2010

  Brazilian mining giant negotiating the sale of its Para Pigmentos kaolin business Read More

• SQM suspends two operations 24 February 2010

  Chilean SQM cuts back iodine and sodium nitrate production as inventories high Read More

• Rhodia silicas unit profits rise 24 February 2010

  Silcea division more than doubles Q4 profits as prices and volumes recover Read More

• Li3 expands lithium prospects 24 February 2010

  US group acquires several lithium assets in southern Peru and Nevada Read More

• Shanghai lithium plant build starts 23 February 2010

  Galaxy begins plant construction after $130m. loan from China Development Bank Read More

• S Africa re-enters wollastonite 23 February 2010

  Namaqua to start up wollastonite production in April; targets 23,000 tonnes for 2014 Read More

• Pricing boosts soda ash profits 23 February 2010

  Penrice profits rise 5% in fiscal H1 as it forecasts full-year improvement Read More

• Eramet manganese in 2009 loss 22 February 2010

  Division reports full year €27m. loss but steel recovery drives stronger second half Read More

• First Bauxite eyes 100,000 tpa 22 February 2010

  ThyssenKrupp hired to design plants for calcined bauxite production in Guyana Read More

• Chinese fluorspar policy awaited 19 February 2010

  Producers in the dark on new standards expected to constrain global supply Read More

• Arafura raises rare earth funds 19 February 2010

  Australian developer’s share placement could raise $35m. to advance Nolan project Read More

• New S. Africa mining royalties 18 February 2010

  Postponed royalties to be introduced on 1 March; rate set at 5% of operating margin Read More

• Stronger Q4 for Solvay chemicals 18 February 2010

  Soda ash and fluorochemicals producer doubles profits despite lower volumes Read More

• BPC: Potash set to rocket 18 February 2010

  BPC believes demand for potash could nearly double from 2009 levels to 45m. tpa Read More

• Steyuan to up metspar capacity 18 February 2010

  Chinese metallurgical fluorspar producer eyes 50,000 tpa as market tightens Read More

• US minerals slump in 2009 17 February 2010

  Total value drops 20% to $57.1bn as USA increases reliance on imports Read More

• Rockwood improves Q4 earnings 17 February 2010

  Lithium and TiO2 group reports stronger quarter based on cost cutting programmes Read More

• Kirrin buys rare earth prospect 17 February 2010

  Canadian explorer inks deal to acquire Grevet rare earth deposit in Quebec Read More

• Minelco to close Seqi olivine 17 February 2010

  World’s second largest olivine producer to shut down Greenland mine by November Read More

• Sephaku plans fluorochem plant 16 February 2010

  South African miner eying aluminium fluoride production at Nokeng fluorspar mine Read More

• Yara to acquire Terra Industries 15 February 2010

  Fertiliser producers agree $4,100m. deal, giving Yara a large slice of the US market Read More

• Mitsubishi taps Galaxy lithium 15 February 2010

  Japanese trading house seals off-take agreement for Australian mine Read More

• Imerys profits take a hit 15 February 2010

  French mineral producer's Q4 profits fall 13% as end markets remain depressed Read More

• Vale acquires Fosfertil majority 12 February 2010

  Brazilian mining group agrees $1,030m. deal to become fertiliser giant Read More

• GrowMax potash gets $10m. boost 12 February 2010

  Peru potash project receives funding through investment from India’s IFFCO Read More

• Martin Marietta in Q4 loss 12 February 2010

  US group post weak fourth quarter but magnesia business hits record earnings Read More

• China rare earth reserve approved 12 February 2010

  Baotou Rare Earth receives approval and funding from Inner Mongolia for stockpile Read More

• Fluorita eyes acidspar expansion 12 February 2010

  Mexican miner’s new concessions could add up to 40,000 tpa extra capacity Read More

• Vale kaolin and potash rebounds 11 February 2010

  Brazilian mining giant reports stronger Q4 for industrial minerals revenue Read More

• Rio Tinto Minerals’ profits down 11 February 2010

  Annual earnings drop 9%, hit by lower sales for borates, talc and TiO2 Read More

• Chromex restarts Stellite mining 10 February 2010

  South African miner gearing up to produce non-met grades of chromite Read More

• First Bauxite to expand in Guyana 10 February 2010

  Group plans Tarakuli deposit acquisition to further non-met bauxite expansion Read More

• Nevada lithium acquisitions 10 February 2010

  American Lithium Minerals acquires nine deposits while Lithco expands reserves Read More

• Compass posts lower Q4 earnings 09 February 2010

  Milder winter weather reduces salt demand for North American producer Read More

• HEG to boost graphite production 09 February 2010

  Indian graphite electrode manufacturer to increase output to 80,000 tpa in Q1 2012 Read More

• New DBM plant for India 08 February 2010

  India’s NMDC plans 36,500 tpa dead burned magnesia plant in Kashmir in 2012 Read More

• Brunner Mond: soda ash down 25% 08 February 2010

  Closure of Netherlands plant helps European producer absorb demand losses Read More

• MTI Q4 profits rise 44% 05 February 2010

  PCC producer reports higher profits as end markets show signs of recovery Read More

• Agrawal eyes lithium-ion market 05 February 2010

  Indian graphite producer to double output by 2013 and enter Li-ion battery market Read More

• FMC profits rise 34% in Q4 05 February 2010

  US group improves but soda ash and lithium businesses declined year on year Read More

• Russia magnesium hydroxide plan 05 February 2010

  Nikochem to develop nano magnesium hydroxide with Rusnano for flame retardants Read More

• Bosai closes Ghana bauxite buy 04 February 2010

  Chinese group completes acquisition of Rio Tinto Alcan’s 80% Awaso stake Read More

• Rio borates lockout continues 04 February 2010

  Management and union remain in standoff at Boron as backup workforce is brought in Read More

• Argentine lithium starts up 04 February 2010

  Lithium carbonate production from the Salar del Rincon to reach 1,500 tpa Read More

• CARBO proppants Q4 profits drop 04 February 2010

  US proppants producer CARBO Ceramics reports 37% lower income Read More

• Rio still open to talc offers 03 February 2010

  Mining group clarifies news report; would still consider divesting talc business Read More

• POSCO eyes lithium from sea 03 February 2010

  ‘Security first, efficiency second’ for steel producer as it continues lithium push Read More