 |
 |
||||||
[May 2003]
Talc and Pyrophyllite Report - New Edition
A new report from Roskill says that the main areas of growth for talc in the
next few years are likely to lie outside its two main end uses of paper and
ceramics. Each of these currently accounts for over 30% of total
consumption of talc minerals. However, talc faces increasing competition in
both markets, as precipitated and ground calcium carbonate take increasing
market share for paper fillers and the refractories industry adopts higher
performance mag-carbon and dolomite-carbon products in place of
pyrophyllite.Roskill predicts that the main areas of growth will be in the plastics and
paints industries, with talc consumption in these areas growing by 3% per
year to 2006 for plastics and 2% per year for paints in North America and 4%
to 7% per year in Asia and Latin America.Talc production fell by around 10% from 1996 to 2002, primarily due to lower
output from China and the USA, which in 2002 accounted for 40% and 13% of
the world total respectively. Six countries - Brazil, China, Finland,
France, India and USA - together accounted for around 80% of total world
output in 2002.By far the largest producer of talc in the world is the Luzenac Group.
Total production from group operations in Western Europe, North and Central
America and Australia rose from 1.26 million tons in 2000 to 1.33 million
tons in 2002, following the acquisition of the Three Springs mine in
Australia.The concentration of pyrophyllite production is even more marked than that
of talc. South Korea and China each accounted for over 30% of world output
in 2002. South Korea overtook China as the leading producer in 2001.Following the introduction of export quotas, the average value of all forms
of Chinese talc exports increased from US$82 per ton in 1996 to US$109 per
ton in 2001 and US$121 per ton in 2002. China's entry into the World Trade
Organization in late 2001 means that tariff and non-tariff trade barriers
will have to be removed by or reduced by 2005.Roskill says that there are concerns that Chinese exports may rise again to
the 1 million ton per year level attained in 1996 and 1997, exerting
downward pressure on talc prices in the next few years.The report - The Economics of Talc & Pyrophyllite (9th edition, 2003) -
contains 191 pages, 196 tables and 27 figures and provides a detailed review
of the industry in 64 countries, with subsections on the activities of the
leading producing companies. It costs £1100/US$2200/€1925.For ordering details etc. e-mail: info@roskill.co.uk
ENDS