Selenium dioxide prices show uptrend in China
2015-06-02 09:15:59 [Print]
BEIJING (Asian metal) 2 Jun 15 - With Chinese manganese flake prices rebounding, selenium market participants expect manganese plants to increase production this month, which will drive up the demand for selenium dioxide 98%. Therefore, some producers raised quotations in the past two days, and others were also in no rush to sell the material in view of higher prices of crude selenium from copper plants.
A selenium dioxide 98% producer concluded deals with a total volume of 5t at RMB135-140/kg (USD21.8-22.6/kg) during Monday to Wednesday last week. “But we suspended quoting on Thursday and Friday, as copper plants increased prices for crude selenium from RMB160-180/kg (USD25.8-29.0/kg) to RMB200/kg (USD32.3/kg),” said the producer.
The producer’s monthly output is around 15t, but he only holds a small stock of 2-3t at this moment. He noted that the price had been decreasing since the beginning of this year, and participants expect manganese plants to resume production driven by the current rebounding manganese flake prices. “We will not sell the material at prices below RMB150/kg (USD24.2/kg) in the short term,” claimed the producer.
With a production capacity of 40tpm, another selenium dioxide 98% producer in South China sold 6-7t of the material at RMB145/kg (USD23.4/kg) last week. “We can still accept the price if our regular customers are to place orders in the coming two days,” said the producer. “But we will not sell the material at the price in the spot market due to higher quotations for crude selenium from copper plants.”
In the meantime, the producer cited that the operating rate among downstream manganese plants has not increased yet in the recent one week, as the producers are waiting for another price rebound of RMB200-300/t (USD32-48/t). “Therefore, the price increase is mostly supported by copper plants’ raising offers for crude selenium, but hopefully, manganese plants will increase production in the coming one or two weeks,” he added, having 10-20t of stocks in hand.
A selenium dioxide 98% producer concluded deals with a total volume of 5t at RMB135-140/kg (USD21.8-22.6/kg) during Monday to Wednesday last week. “But we suspended quoting on Thursday and Friday, as copper plants increased prices for crude selenium from RMB160-180/kg (USD25.8-29.0/kg) to RMB200/kg (USD32.3/kg),” said the producer.
The producer’s monthly output is around 15t, but he only holds a small stock of 2-3t at this moment. He noted that the price had been decreasing since the beginning of this year, and participants expect manganese plants to resume production driven by the current rebounding manganese flake prices. “We will not sell the material at prices below RMB150/kg (USD24.2/kg) in the short term,” claimed the producer.
With a production capacity of 40tpm, another selenium dioxide 98% producer in South China sold 6-7t of the material at RMB145/kg (USD23.4/kg) last week. “We can still accept the price if our regular customers are to place orders in the coming two days,” said the producer. “But we will not sell the material at the price in the spot market due to higher quotations for crude selenium from copper plants.”
In the meantime, the producer cited that the operating rate among downstream manganese plants has not increased yet in the recent one week, as the producers are waiting for another price rebound of RMB200-300/t (USD32-48/t). “Therefore, the price increase is mostly supported by copper plants’ raising offers for crude selenium, but hopefully, manganese plants will increase production in the coming one or two weeks,” he added, having 10-20t of stocks in hand.
