Much has been happening in the fairly closeted world of antimony trioxide over the last few weeks. The temporary closure of one of the world’s leading mines in China has seen speculators pushing prices high while demand, on the whole, remains dismal.
Added to this mix are new project announcements elsewhere in the world, while the Chinese government has stated its intent to further control domestic resources.
China is by far the largest producer and exporter of antimony trioxide, dominating the marketplace. In 2009, the USGS estimates that Chinese production of antimony was 170,000 tonnes, representing 91% of world production.
Other significant producers include Bolivia, Russia, South Africa, and Tajikistan, with the largest being Bolivia with an estimated output of 4,500 tpa in 2009.
Within China, the Hsikwangshan Twinkling Star Antimony Co. Ltd is the largest producer, with a capacity of 55,000...