Some smelters release crude indium inventories in bulk

BEIJING (Asian Metal) 3 Dec 08 – As the end of the year draws near and many smelters need to collect the money back, some small crude indium smelters start to release the materials in bulk at lower prices.

A Hunan-based smelter with a monthly production output of around 300-400 kg sold around 500-600kg of indium 99%min in total last week and this week. The concluded price was RMB1,450/kg (USD212/kg) VAT excluded last week and it decreased to RMB1,350/kg (USD198/kg) VAT excluded early this week.

The source said, "We are in need of money so that we release the metal in bulk." They hold around one ton of indium 99%min on hand. "We may also consider releasing more metals before end of the year, though the concluded prices are lower than our production cost, it is better than holding the materials in stocks." The source revealed that only those who are in tight capital supply are likely to release the metal in bulk.

A Hunan-based indium investor revealed that there are many small-sized smelters in Changde and Zhuzhou that have been shut down since October due to the environmental protection adjustment carried out by the local government and also due to the decreasing and low demand under the economic crisis. Each of these smelters has an average monthly production capacity of around 200-300kg.

The source estimated, "Seven crude indium smelters in Changde and at least fifteen smelters in Zhuzhou hold indium 97-98%min inventories, totaling 16-17t."