Mixed prices of rare earth products last week, prices of praseodymium and neodymium products continued to rise

SHANGHAI, Mar 30 (SMM) – Inquiries of rare earth increased last week. The prices of praseodymium, dysprosium and cerium products rose slightly. The prices of gadolinium, erbium and other products rebounded during the week, and prices of holmium, neodymium and yttrium products fell slightly.

Separation plants lacked interest in moving cargoes. Many companies reported tight spot supply and raw materials and refrained from purchasing excessively amid high ore prices. Metal plants purchased modestly at low prices to meet production. Inquiries by magnetic material factories increased, purchasing cheaper resources and maintaining proper inventory.

On light rare earth, traded prices of didymium oxide stood at 586,000-590,000 yuan/mt as of Friday March 26, and mostly at around 588,000 yuan/mt. Traded volume stood at around 10 mt. Several traders quoted at 595,000 yuan/mt. Praseodymium-neodymium alloy was traded at 725,000-730,000 yuan/mt on a cash payment basis, and at 730,000-735,000 yuan/mt with a credit period. Trading volume reached 100 mt. Trades of praseodymium and neodymium were extremely low with limited inquiries, and prices dropped slightly. As of Friday March 26, praseodymium oxide was quoted at 515,000-525,000 yuan/mt, with the average price flat from Thursday, and neodymium oxide was quoted at 660,000-670,000 yuan/mt,with the average price down 10,000 yuan/mt from Thursday; cerium prices rose slightly and were quoted at 30,000-31,500 yuan/mt as of Friday, with the weekly average price up 0.16% from the previous week to 30,550 yuan/mt.

On the medium and heavy rare earth side, terbium oxide was quoted at 9,800-9,900 yuan/kg, and the average price was lowered by 90 yuan/kg from Thursday. Quotations by big manufacturers remained firm but traded prices fell noticeably, with the high-end of 980 yuan/kg; mainstream traded prices of dysprosium oxide stood at 3,050-3,060 yuan/kg, with the average price flat from Thursday. Traders reported that the current single trading volume reaches 1-2 mt; mainstream traded prices of dysprosium ferroalloy stood at around 3.03 million yuan/mt; yttrium oxide was quoted at 40,000-42,000  yuan/mt, with the weekly average price down 2.12% from the previous week to 41,600 yuan/mt; holmium oxide was quoted at 960,000-980,000 yuan/mt, and the weekly average price was lowered by 3.22% from the previous week to 992,000 yuan/mt, with few trades. Gadolinium oxide was quoted at 231,000-235,000 yuan/mt, with the average price flat from Thursday.

Some scrap plants in Ganzhou have gradually reduced and stopped production against environmental scrutiny and that is expected to impact supply of didymium oxide. Meanwhile, magnetic material factories restocked cheaper cargoes. As such, prices of praseodymium, neodymium, gadolinium and dysprosium products will have upward room this week.