Price discounts disappear for non-standard sizes amid US silicon shortage

Silicon consumers in the United States have resorted to buying non-standard sizes without the usual discount amid a shortage of spot silicon metal, sources told Fastmarkets this week.

There have also been reports that even the usually unpopular size, "half by down," could not be found.
Never mentioned in previous years, this smaller-size silicon is still standard in terms of purity (5-5-3 grade) and has increasingly featured in this year's deals because spot silicon supplies have shrunk.

"Half by down," or "1/2 x down" refers to silicon half an...

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