Summary: According to Refractory Window data: in the first half of February, driven by the decline in industrial alumina prices, the benchmark prices of sintered corundum and white corundum dropped sharply; due to the lower coal prices, the benchmark prices of re-burned and medium-grade magnesia decreased, while the price of silicon carbide increased. Other bulk raw materials remained stable.
Corundum Price Trends
The benchmark prices of sintered corundum and white corundum significantly lowered, while the brown corundum market remains firm.
As the price of alumina, the raw material, dropped significantly by over 2,000 CNY/ton, the benchmark prices of sintered corundum and white corundum also decreased, with a reduction of 1,550-1,650 CNY/ton, bringing the benchmark prices down to 5,400-5,500 CNY/ton.
After the Chinese New Year holiday, although the price of alumina continued to decline, the rate of decline significantly narrowed. Currently, most corundum manufacturers have resumed operations, but the alumina price is still on a downward trend, so to reduce risks, most manufacturers are maintaining a low production rate.
Although the prices of white corundum and sintered corundum have decreased significantly, the price of bauxite remains high, and under the support of high costs, the benchmark price of brown corundum remains firm, with the price range staying between 5,300 and 5,400 CNY/ton.
Bauxite Market Insights
As bauxite mining areas in Shanxi have gradually started operations, bauxite manufacturers also stocked up on ores before the New Year, but the high ore prices have provided cost support for bauxite.
As the market gradually fills with both imported and domestic bauxite, yet demand has not warmed up, it is difficult to raise bauxite prices.
Flake Graphite Market Status
Most flake graphite companies in Northeast China have not yet resumed production, and market transactions remain light, with prices temporarily stable. After March, as the weather warms up, flake graphite companies are expected to gradually resume production, but market confidence remains low.
One flake graphite customer in Shandong imported flake graphite to ensure product quality, and besides self-use, also sold some products.
Magnesia Pricing Trends
Magnesia enterprises in Liaoning have gradually resumed operations. Due to the decrease in energy costs, the prices of re-burned magnesia and medium-grade magnesia have dropped, with re-burned magnesia prices decreasing by 50 CNY/ton to 1,200 CNY/ton, and the benchmark price of medium-grade magnesia dropped by 100 CNY/ton to 2,400 CNY/ton. The benchmark prices for electrofused magnesia and high-purity magnesia have already been adjusted and are currently stable.
Additionally, with the rise in graphite electrode prices and the recovery of unified electricity prices in March, there is a strong wait-and-see sentiment in the market.
Silicon Carbide Market Trends
After the Spring Festival, silicon carbide enterprises gradually resumed operations, and the production capacity release rate has increased. However, due to tight supply and rising prices of petroleum coke, the smelting cost of silicon carbide remains high. Under pressure, silicon carbide manufacturers have successively raised product prices by 50-100 CNY/ton.