SiMn Alloy Plants Show Weak Willingness to Cut Production, Spot Prices Remain Stable [SMM Weekly Review]

Tungsten hexafluoride is a key deposition material in the manufacturing of memory chips and advanced logic chips, and it has been a popular product in the current surge in demand for electronic specialty gases. Affected by factors such as the exit of some ex-China capacity and continuous capacity expansion of downstream memory chips, the supply-demand gap has widened, directly pushing product prices into an upward trajectory. An analyst said: "Taking tungsten hexafluoride, which has seen a significant market price increase, as an example, the average monthly price of 5N-grade in June is expected to reach 1,760 yuan/kg, up 236% YoY. The surging demand for memory chips has been the core underpinning throughout." The head of a specialty gas producer in Shanghai said that demand for helium had climbed sharply recently and that, despite running double shifts, the plant’s production still could not meet demand. The head noted: "The semiconductor industry has very high demand for helium. Many clients are asking—prices change daily. It's possible that the price you pay today won't be available tomorrow, or you simply can't buy it.

[Magnesium Market Stalemate with Temporary Stability, Transactions Slightly Recover] Today, the 99.90% magnesium ingot price in the main production areas was quoted at 16,300-16,350 yuan/mt, down by 50 yuan/mt from the previous working day.

[SMM Magnesium Express]U.S. company Magrathea announced the completion of a new round of financing, with cumulative capital support exceeding $100 million, accelerating the reconstruction of U.S. magnesium smelting capacity. The company has built the only newly constructed primary magnesium smelter in the U.S., signed multiple commercial agreements, and aims for an annual sales volume of over $500 million in the future. In March 2026, Magrathea secured a $24 million Series A funding round and established Arkansas Magnesia in a joint venture with TETRA. The first-phase commercial plant has initiated engineering design. The company has independently developed a new generation of electrolysis technology, enabling green production of metallic magnesium from seawater and brine. As the project progresses, the U.S. domestic magnesium supply chain's self-sufficiency is expected to gradually strengthen.