In July and August, prices of both antimony metal and trioxide (ATO) continued to rise amid ore shortages in China and disruptions to sea shipping worldwide. Market participants expected further price increases, but some warned that high prices could push customers to seek possible alternatives to antimony as a flame-retardant additive.
Price movesAverage prices for antimony moved up in August. Overall availability of ores was limited, and this was likely to drive prices further upward, Chinese market participants said.
Chinese sources said that most domestic antimony producers have suspended their operations due to the shortage of feedstock, so they could only sell from inventories.
"The producers definitely have no intention of selling cheap. They are keeping their prices very firm, and some have even asked for [antimony ingot] prices above 70,000 yuan [$10,848] per tonne," a Chinese trader said.
Chinese sources also said that exports of antimony and the downstream antimony trioxide were promising, which would also support the metal's price.
China exported 5,123,575kg of antimony oxides in July 2021, up by 52.61% month on month, according to China's...