Abstract
Read the definitive report on the global antimony industry, its markets and
its future
What this report gives you:
- Independent, in-depth research and analysis
- Essential market intelligence for successful business planning
- Detailed survey of production and processing in 51 countries
- Up-to-date profiles of the activities of antimony producing and processing
companies, including Hsikuangshan Shanxing Antimony Co, Metorex, Campine,
Sudamin and Liu Zhou China Tin Group Co.
- Forecasts for end-use consumption & world supply & demand
A valuable resource for:
- Chief executives
- Market researchers
- Information centres
- Strategic planners
- Financial analysts
- Product developers
Chinese policy reforms bring stability to antimony market
Decades of market instability for the main minerals and metals produced by
China appear to be finally over. Boom and bust manipulation of markets and
prices through alternate dumping of supplies and withdrawal from the market of
commodities such as tungsten, tin and antimony had all but destroyed mine
output and development in competing countries. The extent to which it had
ravaged China' s own mineral resources through over-exploitation, high-grading,
damage to mine workings and loss of life was apparently only recently
recognised by Chinese authorities. Widespread mine shutdowns and
investigations that followed led to wide-ranging policy reforms aimed at
resource conservation, orderly development, mine safety, environmental
protection and value-added further processing, all controlled by quotas and
licensing of mining, smelting and exporting. As with everything the Chinese do
in the antimony industry, the changes had worldwide effect. Prices rose from
the 40 year low of less than US$1,000/t in August 2001, to the US$5,300 to
US$5,400/t level as of mid 2007. Moreover, a number of factors not present
during past buoyant price periods indicate that the recovery will endure.
China is now also the largest importer of ores and concentrates, and its own
domestic demand has also become the world' s largest. This solid foundation for
the antimony industry has reawakened interest in antimony resources in
Australia, North America, Latin America, Russia and elsewhere, and new
projects are under development. Cambrian Mining plc' s Costerfield, Australia
project began production in January 2006 and with the refurbished Straits
Hillgrove Gold project in New South Wales going forward, Australia will be
producing over 12,000tpy antimony metal equivalent.
View Cart
