BEIJING (Asian Metal) 12 Dec 08 – Higher offers of magnesium ingot are showing up in Chinese spot market. Although producers are aiming to push the price up further, consumers think it unlikely for the price to continue to go up as demand is still not very strong.
A Shanxi-based producer raised the offer of magnesium ingot to RMB16,700/t (USD2,427/t) ex works on Thursday and a deal is expected to be concluded at such a price. According to the source, the mainstream price of magnesium ingot has increased to RMB16,300-16,500/t (USD2,369-2,398/t) ex works and some producers have begun to quote RMB16,800-17,000/t (USD2,442-2,471/t) ex works.
"We have only 30-40t of magnesium ingot on hand, so we cannot serve more orders now," said the source, adding that the smelter is running with an output of 300-400tpm based on its capacity of 10,000tpy. The source reported to have received more inquiries this week, indicating that the demand turns a little bit stronger.
A Ningxia-based supplier sold a batch of magnesium ingot at RMB16,600/t (USD2,413/t) ex works on Wednesday and lifted the offer to RMB16,800/t (USD2,442/t) ex works thereafter. "As the price goes up very fast, many smelters claimed that they have no material to supply," said the source. The source revealed that buyers could purchase magnesium ingot at RMB15,500-15,600/t (USD2,253-2,267/t) ex works early last week.
However, the source worries that the price may not continue to rise as many end users are still holding back from purchasing. Besides, the export market is still very quiet. With the Christmas holiday around the corner, the export market will become slower, which will not help the magnesium price to climb up further.
Meanwhile, a small-sized magnesium alloy producer from Jiangsu holds that the magnesium ingot price will not rise much and is even likely to retreat late this month. "Many magnesium alloy producers in the coastal areas are still out of production, so the demand for magnesium ingot remains low. There is no reason for the price to go up," said the source. Nevertheless, the source confirmed that many magnesium ingot smelters have halted production in succession during the past two months, resulting in a great decline in output.
The source bought less than 20t of magnesium ingot at RMB16,200/t (USD2,355/t) ex works on Tuesday and will not make purchase before the Spring Festival.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Molybdenum's Applications in the World of Energy
Molybdenum's Applications in the World of Energy
Like I said, moly is used to make high strength metal alloys. It can be found in almost every modern drill. It greatly increases the strength of the drill and can limit technical mishaps reducing costs. In that sense, moly is needed in every aspect from drilling exploratory holes in an oil and natural gas field, to drilling the production and injection wells that go into getting a geothermal power plant up and running.
You can also find moly in the coalfield. If it's a longwall mining operation, it can be found in the shearers used to extract the coal and the conveyers used to transport it. In an open-pit, truck and shovel operation, moly is again used in both the extraction and transportation process.
The corrosion resistance combined with temperature insensitivity makes moly very important in the production of oil/natural gas pipelines. The Alaskan pipeline consists of half-inch metal alloy that could handle up to 25,000 pounds of PSI and temperatures of negative 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You could find up to 7% moly in that 800 miles of pipeline. Without moly, you definitely wouldn't be getting an above +99% reliability rate, which delivers the U.S. with approximately 775,000 barrels of oil per day.
Molybdenum is also used as a hydroproccessing catalyst in petroleum production. In English, moly is used to remove sulfur and nitrogen in making light sweet crude. This is very important as the quality of oil is diminishing more as 'the low hanging fruit' in the oil world has already been picked. Canadian oil sands, and the tar oil from Venezuela are examples of oil that contain high levels of external elements that need to be purged in order to create light sweet crude oil.
Molybdenum can be found in every modern turbine used in a power plant. All power plants, except wind and water, directly use heat to turn a turbine. In the highly abusive environment of a turbine, strength, corrosion resistance and heat insensitivity, make moly the perfect industrial metal for power plant turbines. It greatly increases the lifespan; hence reducing the cost of the power plant
In a geothermal power plant, moly can be found in the back pressure turbine or the condenser and pumps that re-injects the fluids back into the earth. In wind energy, moly is used in the actual structure of the windmill and can be found in everything from the bearings to the generator. In hydroelectricity, again moly can be used in the turbines and generators.
Molybdenum's contributions to the world of nuclear energy are by far the most significant. Without molybdenum, the nuclear world would be set back at least 20 years. Newly developed high performance stainless steel (HPSS) contains up to 7.5% moly. I cannot stress the importance enough of HPSS to the world of nuclear energy. This alloy can more than triple the life of aging fleet condenser tubes. Fleet condensers, which are rather large, are used in the heat transfer process.
Brass, copper, and nickel, made up the alloys previously used in fleet condenser tubes. Although these alloys were efficient in conducting heat, their lifespan was only 8 years. HPSS conductors were brought into play about 30 years ago. As of right now, the longest HPSS conductor has remained in service for over 26 years and is still going strong today.
Older copper alloy fleet condenser tubes had corrosion issues. This affected the power plant in a couple of ways. It allowed for the build of corrosive materials reducing the efficiency of the power plant. Also, the corrosion rendered weak spots in the fleet condenser tube, which could then result in holes. This was just not acceptable, because chemicals like sodium and chloride could leak and damage other vital parts of the reactor. Corrosion resistance leading to less build up of undesirable substances increased the capacity of reactors by up to 20%.
The importance of molybdenum in nuclear energy is undeniable. But it is also used in harvesting EVERY other form of energy. Moly is the only way you can play these markets all at once.
Just because moly is vital to these markets doesn't necessarily mean that there's a bull market in this industrial metal. But do you really think I would have chattered on and on about moly if the supply and demand picture didn't look positive for investors?
Supply and Demand of MolybdenumSupply for molybdenum faces a similar conundrum to that of oil. Although there is current mine production significant enough to meet demand, refiners, or roasters, are expected to run into a shortfall. Guesses on when this shortfall, depending on demand, is estimated to come somewhere between 2009-2015. Yes that's kind of a large range, but let me tell you where that number comes from.
A roaster is similar to a refinery in that it processes the moly into a fine powder, pellets, or any other form refined moly used in the industrial world. Total world moly roaster capacity can currently put out at an annual rate of 320 million pounds. That 320 million pounds also barely meets global demand. There isn't much more roasting capacity left. The problem is that there is no one actively permitting for the production of any new roasters here in the United States, and roaster production looks grim on a global level as well.
The exact date is impossible to predict, but a roaster shortage is definitely on its way. The data above is based on one very important assumption. The assumption is that mines will also be able to increase their output. Western demand looks to increase by around 3% annually, while the demand of China and the C.I.S. are looking at a demand increase of around 10% annually.
Globally demand is expected to increase at around 4.5% per annum. Unless moly mine production picks up at a rapid pace, shortfalls of the silvery metal are expected to arrive at around 2009. Note that we are talking about mine production and not roaster capacity anymore.
This increasing demand can be attributed to two main factors. Hydroprocessing catalysts are becoming essential in today's market for crude oil. The other contributing factor is the increase in nuclear reactors that are planned for production. There are 48 nuclear reactors to be built by 2013, and approximately 100 that are to be built by 2020.
The International Molybdenum Association (IMOA) says that an average reactor contains about 520,000 feet of stainless steel alloy. Some larger reactors contain over 1 million feet of stainless steel alloy. With the metal alloy containing up to 8% moly, well you can do the math.
If you don't believe me when I tell you a molybdenum crunch is on the way, would you believe China? Your answer should be yes. China currently produces around 20% of global production. The IPO of a Chinese molybdenum ETF, China Molybdenum (very creative), jumped 59% after its open on Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index. Oh yeah, did I mention that China passed an export quota for moly on June 18? If global supply is able to keep up with global demand, which I sincerely doubt, we're still looking at China beginning to hoard the 1/5 of global production that currently produce.
Molybdenum has to supply the growing growth in all energy markets. More and more people are industrializing in the developing countries. That requires energy, and I expect that energy to arrive from numerous sources. The supply and demand picture represents us with a double-edged dagger: Roaster shortages are unable to keep up with growing demand. Mine production is unable to keep up with growing demand. I see both of these scenarios as very likely, but only one is necessary to send the price of molybdenum to new highs. As one or both of these scenarios, expect China and the countries in the C.I.S. to limit and eventually negate exports, only throwing gasoline on the already blazing fireMonoammonium Phosphate (MAP)
Certificate of Analysis
Product name:Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP)
Name of sample | Monoammonium phosphate tech |
ANALYSIS ITEM | ANALYSIA BALUES |
NH4H2PO4 | 99.21% |
P2O5 | 61.20% |
N | 12.09% |
H2O | 0.05% |
Water insoluble | 0.0006% |
Molecular formula:NH4H2PO4
Molecular weight:115.03
Standard executed:Q/70894764 01-1998
Capacity:10000t/a
Properties: white granular crystal; relative density at 1.803,melting point at 190,easily soluble in water, slightly soluble in alcohol, insoluble in ketone, PH value of 1%solytion is 4.5.
Uses: As a fire-prevention agent for fabric, timber and paper, as well as a fire-prevention coating, and dry powder for fire extinguisher.
Melamine Cyanurate(MCA)
※ Flame retardant MCA※ | |||||||||||||||||||
| Product name | Melamine Cyanurate | Powder | Masterbatch | ||||||||||||||||
| Formula: | C6H9N9O3 | Molecular Weight | 182.16 | ||||||||||||||||
| Molecular | (CH3CH2O)3PO | ||||||||||||||||||
| Quality |
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| Nature | Appearance:White crystal power with satiny, odorless and tastless Sublimation temperature:440℃ Density(kg/m3):1500-1600 Bulk density(kg/m3):450-550 Heat weightless(760mmHg): Normal temperature 0 300℃ five hours 0 350℃ five hours 3.5% olubility in water:(g/100ml)(20℃)0.001 | ||||||||||||||||||
| The product advantages | 1. MCA is an excellent flame retardant,non-poison and non-corrosion. 2. With sublimation temperature 440℃,MCA has a high thermal resistance and a good thermostability in the processing. 3. Using the product may costless,and get good electrical and mechanical properties. 4. The synthetic resin added with MCA has excellent qualities:the resin will not fade and not have exudates of MCA in the surface. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Use | Excellent results of using the compound of MCA and other flame retardants The compound of MCA and red phosphorus(P:3-6%，MCA 10-15) The compound of MCA and Sb2O3(Sb2O3:2-5%,MCA 8-15) Both of them will have excellent flame resistance to UL 94V-0,with OI 38.0. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Packing | 20kg/weave bag(plastic liner)(11t/20feet box) 25kg/weave bag(plastic liner)(22t/40feet box) | ||||||||||||||||||
Ammonium Polyphosphate Halogen-free polyolefin fire retardant
※Ammonium Polyphosphate ※ | |||||||||||||||||
| Type | Halogen-free polyolefin | Company name | APP-4 | ||||||||||||||
| Appearance | White , Flow powder | ||||||||||||||||
| Quality |
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| Brief | APP-4 is non-tocxic fire retardant ， is environment friendly fire retardant. is is non-tocxic, non-corrosive and involatile. It give less bed effects to plastic .
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| Use | Used in polyolefin ，especiall for PP, PE, EVA ， mixed with pentaerythritol , its oxygen index is 32.0
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| Packing | 25kg in PE lined woven bag | ||||||||||||||||
Crystalline Ⅱ ammonium polyphosphate with high polymerization degree (APP-N)
Product description：
Ammonium polyphosphate, its molecular formula is ((NH4)n+2PnO3n+1, has high polymerization degree and belongs to crystal phase II, It is water insoluble straight-line polymer. The product has high content of phosphorus and nitrogen, strong heated stability and chemical stability, low water solubility and humility, nearly neutral Ph value.
Product appearance：
White free-flowing powder (reflectance of color ≥94, average particle size;10-55um).
Application：
-Expanding fire-refractory coating;
-Fire-refractory building board, coiled material;
-Thermal plasticity polyolefin
and unsaturated arene plastic;
-polyurethane foam;
-Epoxy resin and unsaturated resin;
-Cable and rubber;
-Plastic material of electron device;
-Fiber fabric.
Product packing：
Materials: Fiber drum, kraft bag, woven PVC bag (polyethlene liner).
Net weight: 20kg,25kg,40kg(in accordance with clients' requirements)
Quality index
Content of crystal phase II APP | % (w/w) | ≥99.0 |
Content of phosphorus | % (w/w) | ≥31.0 |
Content of nitrogen | % (w/w) | ≥14.0 |
PH,10%slurry,25oC | - | ≥6.0 |
Content of water | % (w/w) | ≤0.20 |
Thermal decomposition onset | °C | ≥285 |
average particle size (in accordance with client's requiements) | um | 15 |
Density | g/cm3 | 1.9 |
Bulk density | g/cm3 | 0.7 |
Viscosity,10%slurry,25oC | mpa.s | ≤80 |
reflectance of color | - | ≥94 |
Degree of polymerization | n | ≥1500 |
Solubility,25oC | g/100mlH2O | ≤0.20 |
Inaddition,we can supply many types of APP, please contact us for more details!
Ammonium Polyphosphate
※Ammonium Polyphosphate ※ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | n>1000 | Company name | APP-1000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearance | White , Flow powder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Quality |
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| Toxicity | APP is non-tocxic fire retardant, but you should wear defence for it is very tiny powder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Use | APP are used in expanding fire-refractory coating and PU foamalso applied in fiber, wood and plastic rubber. It has high molecular weight(n＞1000） and high stability, it can be used in expanding fire-refractory coating
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| Packing | APP are used in expanding fire-refractory coating and PU foamalso applied in fiber, wood and plastic rubber. It has high molecular weight （n＞1000） and high stability， it can be used in expanding fire-refractory coating | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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