Flake Prices Settle Higher than Expected

By: Simon Moores, Manager | Industrial Minerals Data

The price of medium to large flake graphite material has stabilised at higher levels than expected following a fall from unprecedented highs of 2011.

+100 mesh and +80 mesh material ranging from 90 to 94% C has settled in Q1 2013 at, on average, 46% lower than prices in 2011, the highest the industry has ever seen.

The industry saw continuous price decreases for a 6 month period between April 2012 and October 2012 but a period of stabilisation has since taken hold.

Despite the significant drop, many minerals have fared far worse with fluorspar hitting all-time lows following a similar 2011 peak.

To put this in context, flake prices are 60% higher than pre-recession levels (2008-2009) as is demonstrated by viewing our +80 mesh, 94-97% C price in the IM Data database (see above).

Industrial Minerals Data | Graphite sets the prices for the natural graphite industry. An annual subscription offers global prices (on a price-of-the-moment basis) and regular analysis on flake, amorphous, vein and spherical graphite markets.