U.S. Gulf:
No changes were heard in the Gulf sulfuric acid vessel market. Price ideas were previously reported in the $245-$250/mt CFR range.
Gulf Coast:
U.S. Gulf Coast contracts were quoted in the $85-$110/st DEL range for 2021 agreements. Players generally predicted a move above $200/st DEL for updated 2022 agreements.
Midwest:
Sources noted Midwest pricing even with the Gulf Coast at $85-$110/st DEL for the 2021 contract year.
West Coast:
Tons delivered to the West Coast were reported at $100-$130/st DEL for 2021 deals.
Brazil:
Recent Brazil spot price ideas were reported at $275-$280/mt CFR, steady from one week earlier.
China:
An unnamed 300,000 mt/y aluminum smelter located in China’s southern Yunnan province halted all production following an electrolytic cell fire on Nov. 18, Shanghai Metals Market reported. Both the accident’s cause and a timeline to return to production were unavailable on Nov. 23. Aluminum prices on the London Metal Exchange climbed 2.5 percent on the day following the incident, Reuters reported.
China metals producer Daye Nonferrous has been forced to delay the commissioning of a new 400,000 mt/y copper smelter due to difficulty procuring necessary components from international producers, Fastmarkets reported. The project, located in Huangshi, Hubei province, was previously slated for commissioning before the end of 2021. Daye is now targeting a mid-2022 start of production.