AM Statistics: Chinese nickel cathodes output up by 4.57% YOY in 2013

BEIJING (Asian Metal) 15 Jan 14 - According to the data from Asian Metal, Chinese nickel cathodes output was 193,980 tons in 2013, up by 4.57% compared with 185,500 tons in 2012. Producers finished the production project in 2013.

Although nickel price kept at a low level in 2013, many producers increased the output of nickel cathodes in 2013 as producers held optimistic attitudes towards the long term market. Jinchuan Group increased the output of nickel cathode by 44% to 141,000t in 2013. Jien and Xinjiang Xinxing halted production in April and May, so the output decreased slightly in 2013. Yuanjiang Nickel Industry halted nickel cathode production from September, 2013 and they planned to resume production at the end of January, 2014.

Guangxi Yinyi Science and Technic Mine Metallurgy Co., Ltd plans to increase nickel cathodes production capacity to 20,000t in 2014. They produced about 9,000t of nickel cathodes in 2013, based on its full production capacity of 15,000tpy. They started equipment upgrading in January and planned to resume production after the Spring Festival holiday. Because of the equipment upgrading, they will increase the nickel cathodes production capacity to 20,000t in 2014.

Nickel cathodes output in China (Unit: ton)

Because Indonesia started banning nickel ore export, nickel price rebounded greatly this week. If Indonesia kept the export ban, nickel price may increase after the Spring Festival. In this case, nickel cathodes output may increase further in 2014.