Traders of non-metallurgical bauxite and brown fused alumina (BFA) remain insistent that prices are still firm for niche applications due to a shortage of supply despite a drop off in demand in refractory applications for steel making.
Some traders questioned are even pinning hopes in an uptick in prices over the next quarter. At present, most commonly traded grades of refractory bauxite stand in a range of $500-530/tonne.
Confounding expectations of a sharp price...