Silicon prices hit their highest-ever prices worldwide in the week to Friday September 24 on reduced supply, especially out of China - the biggest global supplier - where a power shortage is limiting production of all metals.
Chinese silicon prices shot up by 65.2% in the week to Friday, following a 47% increase the week before. In the United States, silicon metal gained 12.3% in the week to Thursday September 23, following
a 13.35% increase the previous week amid a worsening domestic shortage.
Both Chinese and US silicon prices are now at their highest since Fastmarkets began assessing them in 1997.
Standard grade silicon - 98.5% pure, also known as 5-5-3 grade - is needed by automakers to produce lightweight engine parts. Die casters make such parts with secondary aluminium alloys that contain silicon.
The five secondary aluminium alloys that Fastmarkets assesses in the US
also rose in the latest weekly assessment amid the surging silicon prices.
Chain reaction
"The world is in absolute tumult because of silicon now," one multi-metal buyer with a US alloy maker told Fastmarkets late on Thursday.
"I'm hearing [silicon]...