Crude indium determines the market
2005-02-08 09:20:35 【Print】
BEIJING(Asian Metal)8-Feb-05 The market of crude indium would end with a tight supply before Spring Festival. While market participants hold different opinions about the market after the holiday.
"We are confident that the price of crude indium would increase due to a potential tighter supply, "said a senior official from a Yunnan based smelter, which has a production capacity for crude indium 6tpy with an output 400-500 kilogramme per month for the moment.
The official continued, "The price of refined indium has hit $1,000/kg. And it is expected to rise further after the holiday. So it's no doubt that the price of crude indium would rise, pushed by the increasing refined indium price." According to the source, although some buyers bid at rmb8,300/kg, the smelter was still reluctant to sell its hundreds of kilogramme crude indium, believing the price would hit higher prices after the holiday.
A trader from Hunan said it would be difficult for the buyers to get crude indium after the holiday. "I think the price would meet a hike after the festival in view of the tight supply. It was reported that 34 indium producers in Hunan have halted production. And as I know, whether they can resume production at the beginning of this March is still hard to say, "said the source.
On the contrary, refined indium smelters do not think so. "I think crude indium producers are just holding the material, expecting higher prices, "said a senior official from a Hunan based smelter with 20tpy production capacity. According to the source, the smelter halted production owing to no raw material available in the past few weeks.
Another source from a Guangdong based refined indium producer with 15tpy production capacity said the situation was not so bad as most market insiders thought. "The shortage of crude indium has kept for a long time. And I think crude indium producers should take a certain quantity of indium in hand presently. And some major producers are still maintaining production for the moment, "said the source. The source disclosed that the smelter maintains production at present with hundreds of kilogramme output per month.
According to industry insiders, the current offer of crude indium ranges rmb8,300-8,400/kg.
"We are confident that the price of crude indium would increase due to a potential tighter supply, "said a senior official from a Yunnan based smelter, which has a production capacity for crude indium 6tpy with an output 400-500 kilogramme per month for the moment.
The official continued, "The price of refined indium has hit $1,000/kg. And it is expected to rise further after the holiday. So it's no doubt that the price of crude indium would rise, pushed by the increasing refined indium price." According to the source, although some buyers bid at rmb8,300/kg, the smelter was still reluctant to sell its hundreds of kilogramme crude indium, believing the price would hit higher prices after the holiday.
A trader from Hunan said it would be difficult for the buyers to get crude indium after the holiday. "I think the price would meet a hike after the festival in view of the tight supply. It was reported that 34 indium producers in Hunan have halted production. And as I know, whether they can resume production at the beginning of this March is still hard to say, "said the source.
On the contrary, refined indium smelters do not think so. "I think crude indium producers are just holding the material, expecting higher prices, "said a senior official from a Hunan based smelter with 20tpy production capacity. According to the source, the smelter halted production owing to no raw material available in the past few weeks.
Another source from a Guangdong based refined indium producer with 15tpy production capacity said the situation was not so bad as most market insiders thought. "The shortage of crude indium has kept for a long time. And I think crude indium producers should take a certain quantity of indium in hand presently. And some major producers are still maintaining production for the moment, "said the source. The source disclosed that the smelter maintains production at present with hundreds of kilogramme output per month.
According to industry insiders, the current offer of crude indium ranges rmb8,300-8,400/kg.
