News in the market of rare and disseminated metals and semiconductor materials

• Review and forecast of the market situation for cadmium

...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 every detail

• Silicon: production and consumption (review and forecast of the market situation)

In the years 1999 – 2006 the prices for metallic silicon stayed at a level of 1200-1400 euro/ton. In 2006 a situation occurred in the market when the demand outstripped supply. Prices started to rise, in November-December 2007 they rose up to 1800 euro/ton. According to the forecasts the market situation in 2008 shall not change, and the prices shall continue to rise. At the beginning of January 2008 the prices in the free market reached 1900-2000 euro/ton. in every detail