Industrial Minerals

Features

• India enters a deciding decade

  After designing a symbol for the rupee, India has joined the ranks of only a handful of countries with a currency icon. This is in preparation for the ten years in which, the country believes, it will become an economic superpower. The mining industry, including refractory and white minerals, is central to this plan Read More

• New dawn for fluorine refrigerants

  With the phase-out of HFC-134a from mobile air conditioning under way, western chemical producers are pioneering a new range of fluorine refrigerants vying to fill their predecessor’s role Read More

• The winds of change

  The new generation of alternative power sources are providing attractive prospects for industrial mineral applications. Despite the recession, and against expectations, the photovoltaic and wind power sectors grew significantly in 2009, a trend that is expected to continue through 2014 Read More

• The Lithium Supplement 2010: Talison

  Last month’s lithium merger between Talison Minerals Pty Ltd and Salares Lithium Inc. was met with a bout of surprise. But while the immediate short term challenges seem significant, on longer term the move makes sense Read More

• The Lithium Supplement 2010: Oilfield brine

  Gerry Clarke reviews Alberta’s oilfield brine potential as a new and different lithium resource that has quietly emerged over the last two years. While the gas companies serve up waste brine containing anomalous lithium values, its future as a resource is critically dependent on processing advances and, ironically, the continuing success of the province’s oil and gas industry and, of course, demand Read More

• The Lithium Supplement 2010: China review

  Robert Baylis of Roskill Information Services on how brine and mineral convertor expansions in China are preparing for an increase in battery grade lithium demand Read More

• The Lithium Supplement 2010: Afghanistan

  While Afghanistan’s mineral wealth is undoubtedly huge, a review of the country’s lithium resources shows that the Pentagon has spoken too soon on its potential to be the new “Saudi Arabia of lithium” Read More

• The Lithium Supplement 2010: FMC expands

  With the expansion of its brine operation in Argentina secured, FMC Lithium shifts its strategy to quality as it reacts to the needs of cathode manufacturers Read More

• The Lithium Supplement 2010: Galaxy Resources

  Galaxy Resources has led the pack of lithium developers with its Mt Cattlin spodumene mine in Western Australia and its Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant in China. Managing director, Iggy Tan speaks with IM on the company’s progress as it closes in on production start-up Read More

• The Lithium Supplement 2010: Electric vehicles

  Seth Fletcher makes a case that, while much could still go wrong, in political, economical and technological terms the world appears ready for the electric vehicles that will transform lithium from obscurity to a commodity Read More

• The Lithium Supplement 2010: Reed Resources

  IM talks with Chris Reed, managing director of Reed Resources Ltd, on its Mt Marion spodumene project, establishing a lithium carbonate plant in Asia, and supply-side competition Read More

• Pharma-minerals focus

  The versatility of non-metallic minerals ensures they remain central to pharmaceuticals developments Read More

Supply Developments

• Rare earth supply fears become reality

  Global fears of a rare earth supply shortage have been made a reality by China after it dramatically cut its export quota by 70% for the second half of the year Read More

• S&B bauxite difficulties persist

  S&B Industrial Minerals SA, the EU’s leading bauxite producer, is finding it tough going this year as it comes to terms with disruption to its bauxite supply impacted by delays in permitting in a beleaguered Greek economy Read More

• Talison backs brine with Salares Lithium merger

  Talison Minerals Pty Ltd has given the clearest signs yet that brine is the future for the lithium industry after it struck a deal to merge its spodumene business with Toronto-based brine explorer Salares Lithium Inc Read More

• Novocarb targets soda ash pricing changes

  French soda ash producer, Novocarb has set out its vision to change the way soda ash is priced in a move that echoes the titanium minerals industry Read More

• Barytes braced for US drilling ban impact

  Suppliers of barytes to the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas drilling industry are braced for a significant drop in demand in the wake of a US ban on most offshore operations Read More

• EU fines phosphates cartel

  The European Commission has fined several animal feed phosphates producers a total of Û175.65m. ($226.6m.) for operating a price-fixing cartel lasting over three decades, the executive branch of the EU announced. Read More

• Borates revival sparked by China

  Borates market is on the way to recovery. Prices are still low but demand is expected to rise by 4.5% in 2014 Read More

• Industrial Minerals Prices August 2010

  Summary of industrial mineral prices listed in monthly IM issue. Read More

• Price Briefing August 2010

  Future clouded by Chinese restrictions Read More

Comment

• Made in China

  Government moves to shift country to a higher value goods supplier Read More

Market Monitor

• Ford’s filler punch

  Ford Motor Co.’s research centre in Germany, Ford Forschungszentrum, revealed that it is getting closer to using more natural fibre filled plastics in its autoplastics Read More

Strandlines

• Former PM blamed for Ukraine TiO2 doubts

  Ukraine’s sole miner of titanium dioxide (TiO2) feedstock has blamed the “personal hostility” of former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko for the uncertainty over mining licenses it is now facing Read More

• TRG makes rutile pricing stand

  In a interview with IM, Neil Gawthorpe, marketing director of Sierra Leone rutile miner, Titanium Resources Group, targets wholesale changes to the way rutile is priced and calls for the sector to take advantage of a ‘golden opportunity’ by Simon Moores, Deputy Editor Read More

Diary Dates

• Diary Dates August 2010

  chromite; lithium; fluorspar Read More

Processing

• Charging ahead

  Anne Virden of Malvern Instruments discusses the effects of electrode particle size on battery performance Read More

Exposure

• Lac à Paul phosphate/ilmenite deposit

  Ressources d’Arianne Inc. has decided to now concentrate on its phosphate assets owing to the opportunities of the growing fertiliser market. The company hopes to start production of phosphate and ilmenite within the next five years at its Lac a Paul deposit in Quebec, Canada Read More

People & Places

• People and places August 2010

  John Batty, Mintek; Steven Hodgson, Rusal; David Delaney, James Dietz, PotashCorp; William Randall, David Stein, Rodinia Minerals; Miles Disbrey, Eriez; Pierre Frogier, Harold Martin, Eramet Read More

Refractories Hotline

• Kerneos builds bauxite briquetting plant for CAC

  Kerneos has invested €4m. in a briquetting plant at its calcium aluminate cement (CAC) facility in Dunkirk, north France, prompted by supply difficulties with suitable sized bauxite grades Read More

Trading Faces

• Comment: A catalogue of TiO2 disasters

  Lack of criticism for industry despite less than perfect record Read More