Offers of Minor Metals in Europe (2010-1-20)

On the supply side of the antimony market, overseas ore continues to flow into the domestic market. The six-month-long price decline has prompted some traders to offload their inventories, though the downtrend has shown signs of easing recently. Major producers such as Yunnan Muli have gradually suspended production, yet some large manufacturers still have spot material available for sale, meaning supply is unlikely to tighten significantly in the near term.Market participants note that from a cost perspective, the mining cost of self-owned antimony ore at some major producers has risen to nearly 100,000 yuan per metal tonne. When adding the smelting and processing charges for antimony ingots, current spot prices are gradually approaching production costs.