The Conversation (0)
A brief overview of chromium price developments, supply and demand and significant market movers.
Chromite ore and finished chromium alloys have diverged in price since the beginning of the new year, according to Metal-Pages.
Prices for chromite ore in Europe have been flat, with 52-percent chromium concentrate going for $1.12 per pound since mid-December. Chinese prices for South African 44-percent CIF concentrate have been holding steady at $190 to $195 per metric ton (MT) since mid-January.
The only activity in the chromite market has been for Turkish 42-percent product in China. That price is running at $260 to $265 per MT, up about 4 percent since the beginning of the year.
But ferrochrome prices have shown strength over the last few weeks. European 60 percent (6 to 8 percent carbon) is going for $1.00 to $1.05 per pound, up 8.5 percent on the year so far.
Chinese 50-percent ferrochrome has had a similar run. Prices for the alloy flattened this week, holding at 7,600 to 7,800 renminbi (US$1,219 to $1,251) per MT, but are up 10 percent since early December.
That is perhaps a sign that chromium end use is picking up, but it remains to be seen if that will trickle through to ore prices.