China Produces 141,900 mt of Nickel Sulphate in Feb

SHANGHAI, Mar 9 (SMM) - Chinese nickel sulphate output stood at 141,900 mt in physical content or 31,200 mt in metal content, up 0.06% on the month and 24.66% on the year. The main reasons for the small output increase are as follows. 1. Driven by the demand from the electrowinning nickel sector, the prices of nickel sulphate soared in February, with an average price of 39,373 yuan/mt. However, the recovery of demand from ternary precursor manufacturers did not meet expectations. The precursor companies could accept low purchase prices of nickel sulphate, and the market saw almost no transactions of small orders except for the delivery of long-term orders. 2. In February, the supply tightness of raw materials was not eased. The MHP processing fees dropped from 36,500 yuan/mt in metal content to 29,000 yuan/mt in metal content. The above factors caused some nickel sulphate enterprises to reduce their production. Some liquid nickel sulphate companies produced according to their orders in consideration of the warehousing capacity. In March, as the price difference between nickel sulphate and pure nickel continues to narrow, nickel sulphate prices are bound to drop compared with the previous month. At the same time, ternary precursor manufacturers will restock some nickel sulphate owing to the raw material consumption in the first two months. SMM believes that the nickel sulphate output will gain 12.30% MoM in March to 35,000 mt in metal content.