Canadian minor metals and specialty chemicals producer 5N Plus has "significantly" reduced the production of bismuth at its refining and recycling facilities and will increase procurement of the material due to low metal prices, the company said on Monday July 22.
Until now, 5N Plus has relied on process technologies to extract bismuth from the various residues and secondary streams in its refining and recycling facilities. Bismuth is generally recovered as a byproduct of lead and copper. 5N Plus utilizes bismuth as an active ingredient in its products and is a major consumer of bismuth metal. The company refines around 200 tonnes per year of bismuth, Fastmarkets understands. Fastmarkets approached 5N Plus to inquire by how much it will cut bismuth refining and how much material it will purchase after this change, but the producer...