SMM Weekly Review: Rare Earth Products Prices Dropped Broadly This Week

SHANGHAI, Jul 1 (SMM) - PrNd products prices dropped as a whole this week. The prices of PrNd oxide and alloy mainly stood at 930,000-940,000 yuan/mt and 1.13-1.15 million yuan/mt respectively early in the week. The metal factories purchased PrNd oxide on rigid demand with mainstream traded prices at 930,000 yuan/mt. The magnetic material enterprises placed few new orders for PnNd alloy, and maintain stood on the sidelines. As the weekend approached, the prices of both PrNd oxide and alloy dropped slightly to 925,000-930,000 yuan/mt and 1.025-1.035 million yuan/mt respectively, with few transactions made. 

The dysprosium oxide prices fell slightly this week, and the mainstream prices were lowered from 2.48-2.52 million yuan/mt to 2.45-2.47 million yuan/mt. The market supply was sufficient, and the traders were willing to surrender some of their profits. However, the downstream demand was muted, and most players were wait-and-see. The prices of dysprosium iron dropped subsequently to 2.45-2.47 million yuan/mt. The prices of dysprosium metal dropped, with few successful transactions in the market in a quiet market. The mainstream prices dropped to 3.25-3.26 million yuan/mt.

The terbium oxide and metal prices dropped as well this week. The mainstream transaction prices of terbium oxide were lowered from 14-14.2 million yuan/mt at the beginning of the week to 13.8-14 million yuan/mt, and that of metal fell from 18.1-18.2 million yuan/mt to 18-18.1 million yuan/mt. The downstream enterprises were less interest in buying, and the actual transactions were thin. The prices stabilised and trading market was quiet as the weekend approached. The yttrium oxide prices were on the downward trajectory last week, and the mainstream transaction prices fell from 82,000-84,000 yuan/mt to 80,000-82,000 yuan/mt. 

Since gadolinium iron could substitute PrNd alloy in magnetic materials to some extent, the prices of gadolinium oxide usually shadow the moves of PrNd oxide, and dropped slight this week. The mainstream transaction prices of gadolinium oxide fell slightly to 530,000-535,000 yuan/mt, and stabilised approaching the weekend. The prices high-purity gadolinium oxide were mostly between 570,000-590,000 yuan/mt this week. The transaction prices of gadolinium iron dropped to 495,000-505,000 yuan/mt, and the orders from downstream magnetic material enterprises were relatively muted. The mainstream quotation of erbium oxide this week was slightly lowered to 358,000-362,000 yuan/mt.