Production restarts, low bids start to erase regional discounts

Date: Sep 25, 2017

Production restarts in Sichuan province and lower-than-expected bids from a Chinese steelmaker dragged vanadium prices down last week, eroding much of Europe’s regional discount in the process.

– Chinese exporters slash offers for ferro-vanadium and V2O5, prompting European buyers to consider forward purchases again – Producers in China resumed production in July when higher prices made operations profitable once more – Further ahead, tight supplies are expected to keep spot prices afloat Vanadium operation rates in China have almost returned to the levels achieved before prices rallied in July, when environmental inspectors reached the country’s vanadium producing provinces. Of output of 2,500 tonnes per month in Sichuan province, around 80% was restarted early in September, market participants told Metal Bulletin. One smelter in Hunan resumed production of 300 tpm very recently after it has been idled for two years while prices were low. The restart can be attributed to production being profitable after vanadium prices rose in July. Metal Bulletin assessed ferro-vanadium prices at $45-51 per kg, fob China, on Thursday September 21, a drop of 9.1% from $50-56 per kg a week earlier. Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) prices fell…

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