Review and forecast of the market situation for cadmium

According to the U.S. geological services in 2006 the World production of cadmium reached 20 900 tons. The principal producers were  – China, Japan, Kazakhstan and Korea. In the overall production the share of these countries comprises 12 000 tons. Among the main producers of cadmium are also Canada, Mexico and Russia.
Principal fields of application – the production of nickel-cadmium batteries, where cadmium salts are used; the production of pigments and coatings, where metallic cadmium powder is used. Recently around 10% of metallic cadmium was used in the production of pigments. At present nickel-cadmium batteries are being broadly substituted by Li-ionic.
In prospect the growth of the demand for cadmium is anticipated in the production of solar batteries.
From the beginning of 2007 the prices stayed at a very low level of 1-2 $/p. In June 2007 there was a sharp rise of the prices up to 6.5 $/p. In the view of the market analysts this happened due to the occurrence of a temporary deficit of supplies, which arose due to the fact, that, the deliveries of cadmium are primarily done under long-term contracts. The situation with the deliveries improved, and the prices started to go down again. During the last months in 2007 they kept to the level of 3-4 $/p.
In September there was information of the plans of a Brazilian company the Votorantim Metais to increase the production of cadmium before the end of the year up to 430 t.p.a. from the current level of 360 t.p.a.
By the end of the year some sellers suspended their deals, anticipating the further drop of the prices. But according to the forecasts of the analysts, this should not occur. At the beginning of January 2008 the prices remained at the level of 3-4 $/p.

According to materials:
Metal Bulletin Monthly, 2007, December
Mining Journal, 2007, August, 31
Mining Journal, 2007, December, 21/28
Metal Bulletin Monthly, 2008, January, 7