Prices for bismuth in the European market are becoming firmer because of shipment delays affecting material from China's Hunan Jinwang Bismuth, one of the biggest suppliers, Fastmarkets heard on Thursday January 31.
Fastmarkets assessed the European bismuth price at $3.70-4.10 per lb on January 30. This was up from the previous range of $3.50-4.00 per lb on January 25.The main reason for this week's increase, according to several sources, was that Hunan Jinwang Bismuth (Jinwang) has been unable to deliver on its planned long-term export contracts. Traders and end-users were now looking for other sources able to meet their demands.On January 25, Jinwang, which specializes in the production of high-purity bismuth metal as well as bismuth chemicals, sent a letter to its...