Silicon Price in Chaos, Depressed Tendency Continues

[SMM Tantalum Flash] Aterian’s interim results, released on 30 September, show £1.341 million of Tantalum and other ore-sales revenue for the six months to 30 June 2026, up from £20,000 a year earlier. Gross profit was £522,000, while the group recorded a £568,000 pre-tax loss. Its Rwanda trading business deployed about US$2.18 million in working capital through joint-venture purchases. Management valued potential sales from those purchases at US$2.78 million, but cautioned that the notional valuation is not additional recognised revenue. The implied US$602,000 gross trading profit is also a management estimate, dependent on completed sales, assays, realised prices, costs and the joint venture’s profit allocation. Aterian said traceability inspections limited suppliers and volumes. It held £131,000 in cash at 30 June; its expectation of expanding trading volumes from the fourth quarter still depends on execution and funding.

Coherent launched PhotonLink, an integrated optics platform for AI infrastructure incorporating Indium Phosphide (InP) lasers, silicon photonics, detectors and optical modules. The company disclosed more than 10 CPO engagements, over 10 NPO engagements and more than five chip-to-chip connectivity projects, with anchor customers and long-term agreements secured for both CPO and NPO. Revenue is expected to begin ramping in Q4 2026. Coherent has shipped over 300 million InP lasers and is expanding its 6-inch InP manufacturing capacity to support the ramp. The customer pipeline provides a clearer commercial demand signal for InP devices and upstream materials, although additional capacity and indium consumption were not disclosed.

Alleima raised tube alloy surcharges in Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania from Oct 1. For hot-finished products, 316/316L rose from €5.26/kg (€5,260/t) to €5.33/kg (€5,330/t); High Mo from €5.74/kg (€5,740/t) to €5.81/kg (€5,810/t); SAF 2205 and SAF 2507 increased 2.26% and 1.95%; and 254 SMO rose 0.70%. The hot-finished energy surcharge more than doubled to €0.21/kg (€210/t). SMM analysis: Mo-bearing surcharges broadly rose, but the energy reset means the full increase cannot be attributed to molybdenum.