Proposal to amend frequency of fused alumina, refractory-grade bauxite price assessments

The proposal follows feedback from market participants who are seeing less spot liquidity in these two kinds of refractory materials, given that most cargoes are sold through long-term contracts and the fact that global buyers have become inactive in the spot market amid weak demand from the steel industry.

The proposed new specifications are listed below, with the proposed amendments in italics:

MB-ALU-0006 – Alumina, fused brown, min 95% Al2O3, refractory sized (0-6mm), fob China, $/tonne
Quality: Min 95% Al2O3. Crushed, sized between 0-1mm, 1-3mm, 3-5mm, generally in one-tonne big bag
Quantity: Min 20 tonnes
Location: fob China
Publication: Monthly, last Thursday of the month, by 4pm, London

MB-ALU-0008 – Alumina, fused brown, min 95% Al2O3, FEPA F8-220 grit, fob China, $/tonne
Quality: Min 95% Al2O3. Crushed, FEPA size
Quantity: Min 20 tonnes
Location: FOB China
Publication: Monthly, last Thursday of the month, by 4pm, London

MB-ALU-0009 – Alumina, fused white, 25kg bags, cif Europe, €/tonne
Quality: Min 95% Al2O3, 0.4% NA2O. Crushed, sized between 0-1mm, 1-3mm, 3-5mm, in 25kg bag
Quantity: Min 20 tonnes
Location: CIF Europe
Publication: Monthly, last Thursday of the month, by 4pm, London

MB-BX-0010 – Bauxite, refractory-grade, 85%/2.0/3.15-3.2 (0-6mm), fob Xingang, $/tonne
Quality: Min 85% Al2O3, 2.0% iron, 3.15-3.2 bulk density. Crushed, sized between 0-1mm, 1-3mm, 3-5mm
Quantity: Min 20 tonnes
Location: FOB Xingang
Timing: Spot contract
Unit: USD/tonne
Publication: Monthly, last Thursday of the month, by 4pm, London
Notes: Normally in 1-tonne big bag

MB-BX-0011 – Bauxite, refractory-grade, 86%/2.0/3.15-3.2 (0-6mm), fob Xingang, $/tonne
Quality: Min 86% Al2O3, 2.0% iron, 3.15-3.2 bulk density. Crushed, sized between 0-1mm, 1-3mm, 3-5mm
Quantity: Min 20 tonnes
Location: FOB Xingang
Timing: Spot contract
Unit: USD/tonne
Publication: Monthly, last Thursday of the month, by 4pm, London
Notes: Normally in 1-tonne big bag

MB-BX-0012 – Bauxite, refractory-grade, 87%/2.0/3.15-3.2 (0-6mm), fob Xingang, $/tonne
Quality: Min 87% Al2O3, 2.0% iron, 3.15-3.2 bulk density. Crushed, sized between 0-1mm, 1-3mm, 3-5mm
Quantity: Min 20 tonnes
Location: FOB Xingang
Timing: Spot contract
Unit: USD/tonne
Publication: Monthly, last Thursday of the month, by 4pm, London
Notes: Normally in 1-tonne big bag

MB-BX-0013 – Bauxite, refractory-grade, 88%/2.0/3.15-3.2 (0-6mm), fob Xingang, $/tonne
Quality: Min 87% Al2O3, 2.0% iron, 3.15-3.2 bulk density. Crushed, sized between 0-1mm, 1-3mm, 3-5mm
Quantity: Min 20 tonnes
Location: FOB Xingang
Timing: Spot contract
Unit: USD/tonne
Publication: Monthly, last Thursday of the month, by 4pm, London
Notes: Normally in 1-tonne big bag

These prices are part of the Fastmarkets industrial minerals package.

The consultation period for this proposed amendment starts from Tuesday March 19 and will end on Tuesday April 16. The amendment will then take place, subject to market feedback, on Thursday April 25.

To provide feedback on this proposal, or if you would like to provide price information by becoming a data submitter to any of these prices, please contact Ruby Liu by email at: pricing@fastmarkets.com. Please add the subject heading “FAO: Ruby Liu, re: Fused alumina and refractory-grade bauxite price assessments.”

Please indicate if comments are confidential. Fastmarkets will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.

To see all Fastmarkets pricing methodology and specification documents, go to https://www.fastmarkets.com/methodology.