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\ Magnesia markets--refractory contraction and caustic stagnation The recent history of the world's magnesite and magnesia industry is not a tale for the faint hearted or those of a nervous disposition. The catalogue of events of recent years would be divided into sections with headings like: temporary closures, permanent closures, short time working, lower production, lower demand, lower prices, fierce competition, more new capacity coming on stream, and yet more new capacity planned for the future. Looking first at the reasons behind the low demand one can immediately point to the general industrial recession in the Western World. But one needs to look much further than this to understand the full extent of magnesia's chronic problems. The major use for magnesia -- whether it is prepared from the natural carbonate mineral, magnesite, or from the mag nesium chloride contained in seawater or brines -- is in refractories and as such it is highly dependent on the per formance and operating practice of the iron and steel industry. The performance of the steel industry in recent years has been a dismal one and needs little further description here. Suffice it to say that the overall decline in world production between 1979 and 1982 (from 747m. to 644m. tonnes) was further reflected in the marked falls in output from the USA (127m. down to 66m. tonnes) and the EEC countries (141m. down to 11 lm. tonnes) and even in Japan (from 112m. down to 100m. tonnes). Changes in operating practice in the steel industry have been directly responsible for reducing specific consumption of magnesia refractories as new products and techniques have been introduced for the lining and main tenance of furnaces. These have resulted in radical increases in the lining lives of LD furnaces (basic oxygen converters) and parallel advances in electric arc operation using water-cooling of lining panels have raised the prospect of refractory con sumption in this area shrinking by a factor of between five and ten. Refractory problems It has long been recognised (as previous articles in this magazine bear out) that the refractories industry represents a market of increasing quality and decreasing quantity. For a period during the 1960s and early 1970s magnesite was in the fortunate position of gro.wing in both senses--in volume terms at the expense of refractories based on silica and fireclay and in quality terms as demand for the developing LD converter usage made new demands on purity, density, and other properties. During this period the high purity natural mag nesites of Greece, Brazil and Turkey were developed on a massive scale and the producers of magnesia from seawater and brines sought to improve their products to match the properties of these and in some respects surpass special natural materials. Problems of density were solved by the pelletising/ double-burning process and chemical adjustments to the process ensured that harmful impurities such as boron were drastically reduced and that the presence of lime and silica (virtually universal mineral impurities) were present in the optimum ratios to promote periclase crystal growth and contact. Meanwhile the more regular high-iron magnesites found increased usage in electric arc furnaces to partially counter the declining open hearth markets. Shortages and * Brian M. Coope is aformer editor ofIndustrial Minerals now working as ah independent industrialminerals consultant. Industrial Minerals August 1983 by Brian M. Coope high prices in the early 1970s (IM May '74) coupled with the extremely optimistic forecasts for future steel production being made at that time put in train a number of major expansion plans and launched a series of new seawater/brine magnesia projects. The new magnesia capacity came on stream but of course steel output has subsequently fallen well below those original targets. Furthermore the quantity used per tonne of steel melted has fallen drastically, from levels of around 15-20 kilograms per tonne (kg/t) in the early 1970s to the 2-6kg/t range in West Germany and 1.5-2kg/t in Japan of today. Lining lives that were measured in terms one or two hundred heats in the early 1970s are now commonly in the 1,500-2,500 heats range in Japan and around 5,000 heats in the USA, and have on occasions been recorded at over 10,000 heats. In Western Europe lining lives measured in thousands of heats have also been recorded although averages tend to be in the 300/800 heat range, mainly because of the use of dolomite or mixed magnesia and dolomite linings. The ready availability of lower priced dolomite (often at one quarter the price of magnesite) has meant that there has always been a strong rivalry between the two products in Europe -- in contrast to both the USA and Japan. When furnace downtime becomes a way of life (as it has in recent years) dolomite's shorter working life is less of a problem. Conversely when maximum capacity operating is required of a converter the. choice of material must always veer towards top quality magnesite. Dolomite actually affects magnesia consumption in LDs in two ways -- both as a rival lining material and in its role as a flux where dolime slag conditioner is claimed to signifi cantly reduce refractory wear. Electric arcs Undoubtedly the most important development affecting elec tric arc furnaces during the past decade has been the intro duction of water-cooling. First developed in Japan during the early 1970s the practice of running ultra high power (UHP) furnaces with water-cooled sidewall panels is now being introduced to North American and European steel plants. Although magnesia-based refractories continue in use in such furnaces magnesia-chrome and more recently magnesiagraphite bricks -- are the prime products required for such operations the effect of water cooling is to cut drastically the quantity of refractory consumed. Furthermore the roofs of electric arcs are now also being converted to accommodate water-cooling. In Japan extensive water cooling has reduced specific consumption of refractories per tonne of steel melted from the conventional 2.6kg/t down to 0.25kg/t for sidewalls (ie. a factor of 10) and 3.4kg/t down to 0.5kg/t for roofs. Needless to say the implications for a decline in overall tonnage use of magnesia in electric arcs are enormous. Other refractory fields It should not be forgotten of course that open hearth furnaces still represent an important market for magnesia, not only in Eastern Europe and the Third World but countries such as the USA and West Germany still maintain significant capacity. However, the open hearth refractory requirements are at the lower quality, lower value of the magnesia range and further more production by open hearth will continue to decline. The principal area which may see increasing magnesia usage is in the casting shop where continuous casting and secondary refining have taken over. The higher temperatures and greater agitation which are part and parcel of this new technology will lead to a temporary rise in refractory consumption in this area which will probably be followed by a fall as higher performance materials come into use. It is expected that magnesia -- and particularly magnesia-graphite refractories -- will gain some benefit from this mot e. Caustic magnesia markets There is normally quite a strong dividing line between the markets for natural calcined magnesias and the products of seawater or brine operations. Essentially caustic-calcined natural magnesites are used for agricultural and construction markets whereas the higher purity seawater/brines product tends to be used for most of the industrial uses. There are exceptions of course and certainly both natural and synthetic products are used by the paper industry, for instance, and in some regions such as parts of the USA the seawater product can compete in agricultural markets on grounds of cost and availability. Consuming patterns in caustic magnesia vary widely from one country to another--for instance, in the USA the general chemical/industrial sector dominates with around 60% of total consumption whereas in the UK agriculture predominates in a similar proportion, in Austria the same can be said for construction, and in Norway it is paper that dominates. Agriculture The animal feedstuffs sector of the agricultural market has been one of the major growth areas within the magnesia market. This does not mean that it has been free from problems -- and indeed it has suffered both severely from the bandwagon affect (in which producers suddenly all focus their efforts on one market). In Western Europe this led to a somewhat acrimonious period to which the "price war" label has been applied and to be followed by an anti-dumping action in the EEC against imports from China.(In fact both'deadburned and caustic-calcined qualities were cited and indeed North Korea was named as well as China but it is generally agreed that it was Chinese agricultural grade imports that set the ball rolling.) Although the action was not successful (see later section), the action has probably cleared the air a bit and certainly the agricultural sector has been enjoying a good year again in 1983. Vve hesitate to use the word "shortage" in case it sets the bandwagon in motion again, but certainly the order books of established suppliers have been full lately. The UK has traditionally provided the largest individual market but great strides have been made in other market European countries and France in particular appears, to be increasing its magnesia appetite. Grades used for agricultural markets tend to have MgO contents in the 80/90% range and the impurity levels of the common impurities -- CaO, Si02, A1203, and Fe203-- are not critical although the product must of course be free from toxic elements. Fine granular material is used for animal feedstuffs but a coarser material is preferred for fertiliser application and fine powder is used for pasture dusting. Construction Magnesia has long been used by the building industry to produce Sorel cement, a magnesium oxychloride cement used for floorings. Such flooring continues to be popular in central Europe, the Mediterranean area, and the Middle East. The magnesia used for this application should have low lime (which affects the cement setting) and low iron (for reasons of colour). HIGH PURITY QUALITIES OF ALL GRADES OF EUBOEAN MAGNESITE SUPPLIED TO GUARANTEED SPECIFICATIONS MINING TRADING AND MANUFACTURING LIMITED 26, ACADEMIAS STREET, ATHENS -134, GREECE TELEX: 219836 MEBGR CABLES: MINTROUPI-ATHENS Industrial Minerals August 1983 59 The other main constructional use of magnesia is in light weight, fireproof insulating boards. The Austrian producer. OEAMAG, is the prime mover in this field and manufactures its "Heraklith" board from mixtures of caustic magnesia, magnesia flue dust (the by-product of burning operations), magnesium sulphate, wood chips, and polystyrene at factories in Australia, West Germany, and Greece. Industrial uses The main industrial uses ofcaustic-calcined natural magnesites tend to be in paper (where it is used to make magnesium bisulphate lye used in the "magnefite" process), certain chemical and water treatment uses, and for the production of fused magnesia. In the latter case the magnesia content needs to be high (92/93%) and silica, iron, and sulphur must all be low. In fact there are only three producers of any size producing fusing grade magnesia -- MTM and Grecian Magnesite in Greece and Comag in Turkey -- and each starts with pure selected natural magnesites and use wood for fuel in the calcining process to prevent the introduction of sulphur that is inevitable when using coal or fuel oil. Fused magnesia is produced by the likes of Thermal Syndicate and Universal Abrasives in the UK and Sofrem in France for the production of electric heating elements and associated parts. Paper manufacturers can use both natural and synthetic caustic magnesia although natural material must be low in silica and iron. The Norwegian seawater magnesia producer, Norsk Hydro, has made a particular speciality of producing paper grade product and its 25,000 tpa output is aimed almost entirely at this sector notably in Scandinavia but also in West Germany and France. Steetley is also an important supplier to the paper industry as are the two Dutch companies, MAF and Van Mannekus. Magnesia is also used in grinding wheels as a binder to hold the abrasive grains in the form of a cement (Sorel-style). COMAG CONTINENTAL MADENCILIK SAN. ve TIC. A.S. OUR ADDRESS: Inonu Cad. Gumussu Palas 26/10 TAKSIM/ISTANBUL TURKEY Telephone: (01)149-7246-145-1244 Tlx: 24823 CMAGTR Producer and Exporter MAGNESITE Crude and Caustic Calcined 60 The other main uses of seawater magnesias are in chemicals, where magnesia provides the starting point for a range of magnesium chemicals, and in the rubber and plastics industry where it is used in the processing of neoprene rubber and rayon. Magnesia is also used in environmeuta! control either as boiler fuel additive or as a stack gas scrubber where its essential role is to remove sulphur and in water treatment where it acts as a neutraliser in a similar way to lime or dolime. Production To arrive at a figure for total world production of natural magnesite requires a high degree of guesswork, mainly because the four largest producers -- the USSR, Czecho slovakia, China, and North Korea -- are all Eastern Bloc countries for which reliable statistics are not easily obtained. Total crude output from these countries is estimated to be around 11m. tpa. Western World production was around nearly 6m. tonnes in 1979 but was probably nearer 5m. tonnnes in 1982. Total Western World production on capacity for deadburned natural magnesite is currently around 2.25m. tpa and of caustic-calcined natural magnesite is currently around 650,000 tpa. Total magnesia capacity from Western World seawater and brine plants is of the order of 2.2m. tpa. Most of this latter capacity is used to produce dead-burned magnesia (periclase) for refractory usage and it is difficult to be too precise on what proportion is for caustic-calcined magnesia since many of the large plants are flexible (theoretically they are 100% flexible because caustic calcined magnesia is an intermediate product in the seawater periclase process). However, it is estimated that around 250/300,000 tpa of caustic calcined magnesia from seawater and brines is produced for sale from seawater and brines in a normal year. The accom panying tables of world natural magnesite production and of Western World magnesia capacity highlight the dominant producing countries. Principal Western World producers of natural magnesite are Austria and Greece followed by Spain, Turkey, and Yugoslavia in Europe; Brazil, the USA, and Canada in the Americas; and India in Asia. The major seawater producers are located (in approximate order of size) in the USA, Japan, the UK, Italy, Mexico, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Israel. Western World magnesia capacity ('000 tonnes) Natural Seawaterlbrines DB CC DB CC Total Austria Greece Ireland Israel Italy Netherlands Norway Spain Turkey UK Yugoslavia Total Europe 510 520 - - - - 70 172 -- 250 1,522 95 (+35 dust) - 25 - 95 40 -- 20 405 - 605 - - 650 100 + 100 40 + 40 185 + 210 100 + 100 - . 25 25 - - 165 -- - 212 200 + 200 - - 270 625 25 2,577 USA Brazil Canada Mexico 100 130 340 20 60 100 -- Total Americas 500 250 f 577 225 1,032 - - 360 - - 160 170 + 170 747 225 1,722 Japan India Australia S. Africa --- 140 20 15 10 60 - 575 + 575 -- -- 160 - - 25 - - 60 Grand Total 2,237 685 1,947 250 5,119 Key: DB-- Dead-burned, CC-- Caustic-calcined + Total capacity of plant is shown under DB but caustic-calcined grades are also produced in significant tonnages Industrial Minerals August 1983 Country Greece --crude --caustic Austria -- dead-burned --crude --caustic --caustic dust --dead-burned Czechoslovakia --crude Poland --dead-burned Soviet Union Spain Turkey Yugoslavia South Africa Zimbabwe Canada Brazil --dead-burned --crude USA --dead-bumedandcaustic --crude China India North Korea Australia World total --crude 1976 1,284.000 53,000 376.000 927.000 92,000 33,000 401,000 * 2,500.000 654,000 26,000 3,600.000 349,000 409,000 491,000 63,000 95,000 40,000 415.000 196,000 *300.000 *1.000,000 380.000 *1,500.000 15,000 13,500.000 1977 1.358.805 87.000 389.000 1.003,041 92.000 81,000 372.000 * 2,500,000 661.000 24,000 *3.700,000 421.241 516.162 345.000 49.219 54,204 *42.000 481.000 205,719 *300,000 1.500.000 402,007 * 1.500,000 18,531 14,350.000 1978 1,058.211 92,000 307.000 982,320 100.000 26,000 421.000 ` 2,500,000 658,00j 23.746 3.800.000 306.548 418.002 333,000 37,407 65.756 40,356 410,000 217,270 *300.000 1.800,000 414,166 *1,600,000 21.350 13.900,000 1979 1,667.666 142.000 892.000 1.103,649 89,000 32.000 423,000 * 2.500.000 654,000 20,010 *3.900.000 381,867 729,876 293.000 65,336 84.495 52,553 591,000 265.671 *300,000 *2.000,000 392.211 *1.800,000 29.301 15,950,000 1980 1.166,998 86.000 267.000 1,318,156 96,000 36.000 427,000 * 2,500.000 666,000 19,610 *4.000.000 505,532 825,766 262.000 78.808 78,217 *59,000 729.000 315,851 250,000 *2,000,000 385,104 *1,900,000 32,198 15,000.000 1981 '930.000 n.a. n.a. 1,158,852 106,000 361,000 *2,500,000 664,000 11,282 4.200.000 *500,000 772,996 300,000 56.557 60,194 *60,000 *800,000 *350,000 *250,000 *2,000,000 453,410 *1.900.000 26,887 16,100,000 Notes: A daptedfrom Institute ofGeological Sciencesfigures Smallproduction (less than 10,000 tpa ofcrude magnesite) is recordedfrom Bulgaria, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania. Iran, Pakistan, New Caledonia New Zealand, Argentina, Colombia, and Uruguay. * denoted estimatedfigures, n.a. = notavailable For High Quality CALCINED MAGNESITE animal feed and fertiliser grades contact the leading producers MAGNESITAS DE NUBIAN S.A. MONTALBAN 3, MADRID-14 SPAIN. Tx 22782 Nomet E Telephone 2311105. Sole agents for UK and Eire ^Chance & Hunt Prop Imperial Chemical Industries Limited RUNCORN. Tx. 628341. Telephone 713222. Industrial Minerals August 1983 61 Trade Magnesite enters international trade in quite a big way and in an average year over 2m. tonnes of dead-burned and causticcalcined magnesia is shipped across international boundaries. Much of this traffic takes place over distances measured in thousands rather than hundreds of miles and in certain cases -- Chinese and European North Korean shipments to Europe -- the material travels half the globe. Another interesting feafre of the trade concerns the number of countries that are both large importers and exporters of magnesia, a consequence of the wide range of magnesites and magnesias available. For instance, Austria exports caustic-calcined and high iron deadburned magnesites and imports similar tonnage of high purity natural magnesites from Greece and Turkey and high purity seawater magnesias from Israel and Italy; Italy exports seawater magnesia but imports natural magnesites from Consumtpion and shipments ofmagnesia in the United States Source: USBM Greece and Austria; the UK also exports seawater magnesia but imports mainly caustic natural magnesite from Spain, China, and Greece. Japan is a major exporter of seawater magnesia to Far East countries yet imports large tonnages of natural product from China and North Korea. The USA exports (mainly to Canada) but also imports large tonnages from Ireland, Greece, and--more recently--China. Developments The European market An extensive collection of import and export statistics appears at the end of this article but the accompanying trade matrix (based on average yearly tonnages for 1979-82) helps to highlight some of the main elements of trade. The figures are for dead-burned and caustic magnesias of both natural and seawater/brine origin and although some countries split up their trade into the different categories there tend to be so many misclassifications that it is much more accurate as well as more simple to view them as total figures. It is immediately apparent that the Western European scene is dominated by Greece as an exporter and West Germany as an importer, a fact which should cause no surprise particularly when one considers that West Germany has no production of its own. The effects of recession are clearly drawn in Greece's export figures in recent years. Although 1982 figures are not yet available Greece's exports fell from a record total approaching 500.000 tonnes in 1979 to only 280,000 tonnes in 1981. Another major exporter, Italy, has a similar tale to tell with its exports apparently crashing from 150,000 tpa in 1979 to less than 50.000 tonnes in 1982. The UK's exports seemed to peak in 1980 at a total of 80,000 tonnes but were down to less than 40.000 tpa in 1982. Other countries such as Spain, Ireland, and Israel tended to hold their own (even if Ireland's steady 70,000 tpa plus in recent years hides the fact that one producer was phasing in and other phasing out). Actual increases in exports during the period under review were recorded by Austria whose 1982 tonnage was boosted by a sudden movement of material to Venezuela and most significantly of all by Turkey, whose 1979 exports grew from 40,000 tonnes in 1979 (admit tedly a poor year for the country) to 115,000 tonnes in 1982 (with the USSR emerging as a major new customer). Among the major importers the most significant drop in tonnage was recorded by the UK with 1979's total of 145,000 tonnes falling to below 90,000 tonnes in 1982. This was undoubtedly due to a rapid decline in purchases of Italian and Greek dead-burned magnesia and certainly in the case of Italy reflects the UK's domestic producer, Steetley, producing its own LD grade magnesia rather than merely marketing a similar product manufactured by its former subsidiary in Italy, Sardamag. The other major trend to appear in the import statistics concerns the increasing tonnages of Chinese and North Korean magnesite appearing not only on European markets but in the USA and Japan too. Indeed, these large tonnages and their low prices have caused China and North Korea to be cited in an anti-dumping action brought before the EEC Commission by the Greek magnesite producers. Western European magnesia trade--dead-burned and caustic, natural and seawater/brine grade Averageyearly tonnages in `000tonnesfor the 1979-82period Importers WG UK Fr Ita Neth Be-L Ire Den Swe Nor Fin Aus Spa Yug Exporters TOTAL 360 105 108 88 62 20 30 13 20 5 15 110 67 49 Greece 394 96 32 30 60 23 1 6 -- 2 -- -- 17 32 35 Italy 102 23 15 5 XX 8 3 -- -- -- -- -- 26 15 1 UK 55 14 XX 7 -- -- 3 7 -- 2 ------ 4 -- Netherlands 28 13 2 4 -- XX 2 2 . -- -- --- . -- -- 2 -- Ireland 64 5 8 -- 2 -- 4 XX __ __ -- -- 6 1-- Austria Spain 132 35 94 27 1 25 13 14 --12 . 7 5 Czechoslovak 356 42 -- -- -- -- 2' _ 5 5. 3 1_1 1 2 -- XX -- -- --3 -- 2 -- XX -- 2-- -- -- -- Israel 33 10 3 _-- -- -- __ __ __ __ 22 -- -- Turkey 78 -- 1 -- -- 5 -- __ -- -- -- -- 28 -- 5 Yugoslavia 27 2 -- -- 4 -- -- ' -- -- -- -- -- -- -- XX USA 83 12 -- 2 -- -- __ __ __ -- -- 2 -- -- Japan China 113 6 4 n.a. 37 12 4 3 16 _ 9 1 _-- 3 1 1 ---- N. Korea n.a. 28 1 1 -- -- -- -- -r -- -- -- -- 3 -- Industrial Minerals August 1983 63 Provisional duty removed The EEC Commission started investigating allegations of dumping of magnesite from China and North Korea during mid-1982 after complaints from Greek producers, and by the end of December came down in favour of imposing an anti dumping duty. The duty, which effectively pegged prices on a CIF basis down to 80 per tonne for caustic-calcined magnesite and 93 per tonne for dead-burned magnesite, was provisional in nature and set to run for a period of six months. Meanwhile the Commission continued its investigation in order to present further evidence before the Council of Ministers (for details up to this point read IM Feb. '83 `'Comment"). This evidence tended to conform the existence of dumping and the Commis sion therefore recommended that the provisional duty be made definitive. The Council duly met in mid-June and discussed magnesite for an hour and a half but could not agree on the procedures to be adopted. It seems likely that West German and the Benelux countries opposed the imposition of definitive duties and that there was, therefore, an insufficient majority. With no decision the provisional duty therefore lapsed when the official six months ran out on June 30 and therefore all duties paid by importers during the period were returned. So what happens now? No one seems to have a definitive answer because this case is evidently setting a precedent. There seems little doubt that the market will remain under the microscope for some time to come (perhaps the Commission has a little magnesia in its blood now) but the chance is being offered for the market itself to sort out the problem. There is already talk of the Chinese raising their prices in the next round of negotiations with the European mineral importing companies. Prices The two accompanying graphs present a simple record of prio levels for the grades quoted in ``Industrial Minerals" since IN records began. There are naturally broad similarities in th* price movements between the two types although the price cutting exercises for the agricultural grades of natural caustic calcined magnesite show up quite clearly in contrast to th* general trend. Both show the period of almost sleepy stabilit; before the effects of the late-1973 oil prices began to bite. Th* 1974-77 period was one of fairly steep increases in stages and ; distinct broadening of the price ranges. From the graphs i would appear that this, broadening of the range was not s< pronounced for dead-burned magnesia as for caustic-calcinet but in fact if IM had presented a quotation for LD grad* magnesia at that time then a similar phenomenon would hav< been observed. Current dead-burned magnesia prices an compatible with those shown on the graph with ex-UK work prices for maintenance grades remaining in the 120-130 pe tonne range and brickmaking grain still covered by the 140-22' per tonne bracket (with LD grades top of the range). Caustic calcined magnesia prices have seen some movement in th< month since the graph was drawn up:- CIF prices for agricul tural grades have increased slightly at the top end of the rang to give a 80-90 band (which translates to an ex-store price o 92-95 per tonne for bulk and 100-102 per tonne for baggematerial for premium agricultural material); natural industria grades are now in the 125-200 per tonne range with fusin grades naturally enough at the top end; and caustic calcine* seawater magnesia grades on an ex-UK-works basis are now i: the 170-270 range. This latter price to some extent reflects change in specification as a new source of lime used by the UI operator has further improved the quality of its calcine, product. Caustic-calcined magnesia prices Dead-burned magnesia prices -\--i--i--i--i--i--i--i--i-1--i--i--i-1--i--i--i 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 8182 83 84 Year 64 Year Industrial Minerals August 1983 w Outlook The immediate question to be asked when discussing the future of the magnesite/magnesia market is: "Will the supply: demand balance for magnesia ever return to normal?" The answer is probably "yes, but not for a long, long time." The oversupply that exists now looks set to last for a decade, particularly in the refractory market. The steel industry in the industrialised world is undergoing such a fundamental change that there is no chance of a return to pre-1980 operating levels and the trend of reduced specific consumption of refractories previously described will undoubtedly continue. In this sector of the market then, the only conceivable route to a supply: demand balance is through more magnesia plant closures. Survivors may not just be those that produce the purest product since the multi-tiered nature of the market will ensure the survival of the natrual magnesite industry as processing costs and energy conservation come under increasing scutiny. Meanwhile in the caustic magnesia market, optimism reigns in certain sectors. There appear to be clear opportunities for growth in the agricultural sector but the benefits to suppliers will be limited if everyone fights over the mature markets rather than helping to develop new ones. Some of the more esoteric uses for the purer grades of magnesia also look set to grow although the tonnages involved are small in relation to the total market. Certainly the general industrial sector could do with a "new use" to boost consumption. The environmental sector (covering fuel, waste, and water treatment) has dis appointed in this respect and there is no obvious successor. One Japanese magnesia producer was probably speaking for others in the industry when he summed up his view of the future thus: "At the bottom of patience is Heaven." The importers Ireland Greece UK Netherlands Spain China Total 1979 10.034 9.589 -- 3,370 5,431 29,776 1980 5,156 6,317 -- 4,556 15,967 32.116 1981 / 1982 76 4,778 15 5,186 9,437 19,816 14,254 3,837 7,250 5,044 5,458 37,114 West Germany Greece Italy UK Netherlands Ireland Austria Spain Czechoslovakia Israel USA China N. Korea Japan Total 113,667 31.684 6,185 11,893 2,500 42,726 27,188 28.120 10,490 25,714 19,546 41,145 3,759 373.291 118.268 26,371 14,874 9,597 3,340 42,871 19.757 33,278 6,439 45.665 43.822 31,472 7,018 407.976 89,604 17,349 17,120 12,500 7,649 33,461 17,712 35.609 12.049 21,317 42,459 11,795 7.368 335,765 75,215 21,566 17,640 13,759 12,156 28,622 13.714 34.644 11,058 3,977 43,514 27,990 7.934 319.461 United Kingdom Greece Italy Netherlands Ireland Austria Spain Turkey Israel China N. Korea Japan India Total 50.956 22.033 1.800 -- -- 29.788 -- 3.453 11.670 3,863 12.647 -- 145.260 21.523 13.526 2,600 10,208 1,100 22,523 -- 3,500 9,267 1,100 3,200 -- 94,177 25.708 6,102 4,742 16.111 , 1,428 25.708 1,450 1.308 10,360 -- 125 625 95,703 28.514 65 2,408 4,832 601 28.514 1.820 1,401 16.707 -- 331 1.766 86,738 Industrial Minerals August 1983 France Greece Ttaly Netherlands UK W. Germany Austria Spain Norway Turkey USA China N. Korea Total Italy Greece Ireland W. Germany Austria Yugoslavia Czechoslovakia Turkey China Total Netherlands Greece Austria Spain Turkey China USSR Total Belglum-Lux. Greece Netherlands UK Italy Austria Spain Czechoslovakia China Total Denmark Austria Spain Czechoslovakia China Total Sweden Greece UK Austria Spain Norway Czechoslovakia Total Norway Austria China Total Finland USSR Spain China Total 36,604 8.253 4.118 6,478 4.404 9.979 12.972 1,955 -- 933 2,300 1,003 98,358 33.085 12,286 3.745 9.255 2.728 10,862 17,824 1.630 646 3,328 3,< 30 611 115,540 31,434 11.050 5,430 5,555 5.380 13.645 21,045 1,273 1,265 3,538 6.022 1,566 110,636 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 59.924 4.652 -- 10,320 3,915 1,749 -- -- 82.903 77,618 4,785 1,791 13,452 3.814 -- -- -- 108.661 37.596 -- 2.013 12,577 1,956 -- 2,000 8.701 72.034 51,196 2,000 -- 25,432 -- -- -- -- 70,573 32,420 6,677 1,953 -- 6,679 6,922 62.711 21,579 7,432 4,415 -- 18,775 8,568 68.356 17,231 4,718 3,323 3,728 18J530 3,458 54,815 15,500 6,559 6,166 6,078 21,530 2.302 59,874 4.692 2,921 3,253 5,859 -- -- 1,560 -- 23,340 -- 2,118 4,513 7.324 2,163 -- 1,720 -- 22,148 -- 1,574 1,810 5,769 1,638 -- 1,880 -- 16.166 1,164 1,480 1,981 2,776 2,645 1,137 741 1,051 16.813 7,333 3,274 3,150 1,571 17,639 6.883 3,795 -- 2,068 13,873 4.873 2,409 -- 903 8,932 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 5,369 2,303 1,085 3,258 6,630 2,094 22,672 2.084 2,062 3,771 6,033 3,341 20,584 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 2.356 700 6,030 1,787 1,833 4,508 1,674 -- 3,840 n.a. n.a. n.a. 7,928 1,716 3,079 15,379 8.756 2,868 2,531 15,865 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 65 `WH Austria Greece Italy Ireland Turkey Israel Norway USA Mexico China Total Spain Greece Italy UK Netherlands N. Korea Ireland Total Yugoslavia Greece Italy Turkey Norway Japan N. Korea Total Japan N. Korea China Total 20,138 30,252 -- 34,527 20.545 3,432 -- -- 505 113,182 23,139 25,854 3,450 31,863 27,931 4,296 5,276 2.034 -- 125,512 11.532 25.299 9,142 20,246 20,858 4,544 3,969 3,424 558 104,440 18,258 22,588 11,046 20,672 16,790 868 -- 1,974 3,536 99,693 24,950 17,819 4,417 1,181 2,298 -- 52.550 37,829 14,232 8,329 3,249 4,257 1,960 71,481 35,688 25,307 4.048 1,195 4,470 -- 78,660 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 32,438 4.000 3,460 1.000 41,650 37,830 4,706 2,590 46,197 34,980 3,639 6,918 4,656 2,000 5,000 58,665 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 79.474 37,897 122,137 104,319 68,678 180,721 121,076 76,087 200,111 88,193 160,460 252,123 USA Ireland Japan Greece Brazil Israel China Turkey Canada Total Canada USA W. Germany Total The exporters Greece Canada USA Austria France W. Germany Ireland Italy Netherlands Spain UK E. Germany Czechoslovakia Hungary Romania Yugoslavia S. Africa Mexico India Total 44,221 21,016 11.634 5,699 2,113 -- 1,019 1,292 90,167 45,128 9,879 15,300 926 -- -- -- 2,288 77.327 37,064 17,765 15,965 15,823 -- 2,248 -- 535 91,858 69,935 6,606 99,573 64,628 5,071 76,596 60,000 5,000 65,000 1979 3,360 5,432 21,541 23,833 97,673 9,896 70,359 38,373 24,365 45,921 650 1,800 9,968 -- 29,400 18,650 35,750 25,801 476,813 1980 4,300 15.122 21,402 25,674 107,001 5,094 74,179 21,372 37,930 21,732 5,780 1,290 9,547 1,000 40,640 7,325 16,250 5,510 423,809 1981 5,170 4.355 6,460 25,696 71,449 40 40,841 12,610 28,032 23,650 520 59 2,331 3,000 37,502 6,300 10,500 -- 280,863 30,734 854 20,471 2,492 -- 15,650 -- 1.495 75.832 55,000 4,000 59,000 1982 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Industrial Minerals August 1983 67 Italy W. Germany UK Netherlands Austria Spain S. Africa Poland Canada Total Ireland UK Belgium-Lux W. Germany Italy Austria Spain Poland USA Total 31,075 20.953 8,200 29,190 15,090 11,275 14,650 12,700 154,439 600 -- 260 951 -- -- -- 33,861 35,901 25,344 15,275 16,121 30,474 12,870 14,900 -- 4,200 119,610 9,124 4,330 3,382 1,919 3,450 2,010 500 45,134 73,395 11,261 6,101 16.770 21,370 9,196 17,620 -- -- 88,602 14,937 8,882 6,062 -- 6,990 980 -- 37,035 77.361 -- -- 20,530 19,130 5,181 -- -- -- 46,190 5,504 17,495 5,702 2,350 10,970 1.318 1.000 26,546 70,861 United Kingdom W. Germany France Poland Ireland S. Africa Belgium-Lux Venezuela Portugal Sweden Total 13,200 7.500 8,700 6,800 4,700 3,200 2,800 1,900 1,600 65,000 WITHHELD 80,000 39,600 36,400 Netherlands (caustic-calcined only ---dead-burned withheld) W. Germany 14,164 11,773 13.870 14.351 France 4,016 3,473 3,651 4,748 Belgium-Lux 2,948 2,094 1.525 1.550 Spain 1,231 1,803 1,414 796 UK 1,587 862 1,049 585 USSR 990 -- 940 1,485 Total 30,556 26,887 26,169 28,001 HARDY HAEFFNER MINERALS LTD Importers and Distributors of all grades of CHINESE MAGNESITE - raw - calcined - dead-burned from Liaoning province, People's Republic ofChina Hardy House, Northbridge Road, Berkhamsted, Herts. HP41EF. Tel: International + 44 4427 3366 National 04427 3366 Telex: 826886 HARDY G 68 Austria W. Germany Italy Belgium-Lux France Netherlands Switzerland Sweden E. Germany Poland Hungary Egypt Argentina Venezuela USSR Total n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 111,345 40,348 12,917 2,360 11,455 7,640 2,872 1,116 3,098 32,546 13,340 1,064 1,500 1,064 -- 137,837 32,497 10,673 2,179 12,974 5,138 3,236 1,844 1,998 4,578 12,194 2,038 1.454 -- -- 96,636 27,854 9.990 1.908 16,302 6.801 3,078 1,993 571 -- 11,787 2,825 3,308 16,689 4,800 160,567 Czechoslovakia Hungary Poland E. Germany Romania W. Germany Total Spain W. Germany Denmark France Ireland Netherlands UK Canada Sweden Belgium-Lux Venezuela Total Yugoslavia USSR Italy Hungary Poland W. Germany Total Turkey Austria Netherlands USSR Yugoslavia India UK Italy Switzerland Total Israel Austria W. Germany UK USA Total Brazil Argentina Chile India Mexico Netherlands Peru Poland USA Venezuela S. Africa Total 82,000 58,000 62,000 41,000 58,000 377,000 82,000 70,000 55,000 37,000 61,000 385,000 73,000 62,000 57,000 20,000 38,000 305,000 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 43,652 3,150 4,520 4,435 7,931 24,209 1.412 803 -- -- 93,459 33,588 3,110 12,893 6,155 5,218 20,114 -- 3,688 -- -- 91,166 24,193 3.025 15,599 8,425 3,096 23,374 1,433 1,300 55,584 5.860 98,750 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. -- 3,783 3,212 16,994 3,589 28,182 7,126 4,052 2,948 5,875 2,762 24,218 20,607 4,812 2,047 1,565 -- 29,310 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 33,920 3,560 -- -- --. -- -- -- 41,506 31,370 4,013 25,500 6,970 4,000 -- -- -- 77,840 20,195 13,391 60,630 5,000 2,500 2.150 2,000 8,000 115,605 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 18,785 8,123 3,288 2.100 33,344 24.466 4,666 2,356 -- 32,407 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 7,020 2,320 10,000 7.000 2,000 3,304 60,650 5,700 5.500 -- 104,399 7,010 4,020 19,550 3,000 1,050 7,875 34,772 - 8.500 3,000 88,847 4.505 2,120 -- -- -- 6,003 72.055 15,500 5,000 -- 106,196 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Industrial Minerals August 1983 USA Canada Argentina Venezuela France Australia Belgium-Lux Total Japan i. Korea Taiwan Thailand Philippines Indonesia Netherlands Yugoslavia USA Venezuela S. Africa Australia UK Belgium-Lux France Poland USSR Total 70,103 4,456 5,025 1,011 824 1,077 91,979 44,989 5,776 27,031 3,082 3,856 264 90,075 54,898 1,228 28,637 3,756 2.920 3,566 100,289 33,065 1,107 3,133 3,002 2,440 967 48.702 12,488 13,670 4,780 4.458 1,765 -- 3,000 24,676 3,150 6,936 22,815 9,500 6,750 6,231 8.000 -- 138,299 20,157 11,008 7,015 3,868 1,889 7,000 -- 6,470 4,850 10,141 19,058 -- -- -- 17,000 150 119,262 19.839 8,187 3,650 2,637 1,935 10,600 5,000 10,084 7,500 4,459 14,540 -- -- -- -- 650 94,346 24,785 6,253 -- 3,593 3,035 6,500 -- 1,846 3,000 2,882 10,424 -- -- -- -- 28,648 101,427 Magnesia producers-- a review ofrecent developments Any review of production development within the past few years must begin with Western Europe and the Mediterranean area. (The addition of the latter is to allow both the Turkish and Israeli operations to be included for despite both being geographically in Asia they are both also very much in Europe so far as the philosophy and commercial reality of the magnesia market is concerned.) The region has not only seen the greatest expansion of capacity in the past decade, but con tinues to be a large importing region and consequently represents the most varied and fiercely competitive market in the world--and many would say that for this reason it will also be the scene of the most interesting shake out in the future. The post 1973 period has seen the introduction of new seawater/brine plants in Israel (Dead Sea Periclase in 1974), Italy (Cogema in 1975), Ireland (Premier Periclase in 1980), and the Netherlands {Billiton's Magnesia International in 1981) and new projects based on natural magnesite appeared in Turkey {Kumas in 1976) and Greece (the BodossakilPapastratis joint venture which opened in 1977 but closed permanently the following year). Apart from the Magnesia 15 Grades of Caustic Magnesia Produced from Australia's Premier Magnesite Mine. Servicing all industries where closely controlled, consistent High Grade Magnesia is required. Phone Telex Write Or Phone or Telex Interested?? If so, please 063-621177 CSMAG AA62627 Causmag International (DevexLtd) P.O.Box 438 Young N.S.W. 2594 Australia R.N. Colling (Norchem) Ltd Red Cow Yard Knutsford, Cheshire WA166DE Knutsford 52321/3 669629 NORKEMG latter the only closure of note saw the demise of the Quigley seawatermagnesia plantat Dungarvon in Ireland in 1981. Three other European seawater magnesia projects reached an ad vanced planning stage before final abandonment: these were the 200,000 tpa plant of Norsk Hydro at Bodo in northern Norway, the 100,000 tpa seawater plant proposed by the Scalistiri group on the island of Euboea in Greece, and the Magnohrom project to build a 100,000 tpa plant on the Adriatic coast, south of Dubrovnik in Yugoslavia. Other projects were also noted for Spain, Portugal and France (and probably in other countries too) but in these cases plans never appeared to reach an advanced stage. More plans are now in the pipeline for that other part of the Mediterranean area--the Arab World-- but more of that after a closer look at established production in the region. peHoles QUIMICA DEL REY, S.A. PASEO DE LA REFORMA, 383 MEXICO 5 D.F. TEL. 5 25-92-20 APDO. POSTAL 686 MEXICO 1 D.F. TELEX 017-75 871 Y 017-72-487. CABLE QUIREY MAGNESITE THE HIGHEST QUALITY FOR REFRACTORIES INDUSTRY Industrial Minerals August 1983 69 Seawater plants--start with Steetley There are now seven seawater or brine plants operating in the European/Mediterranean region with a total magnesia capa city of 650,000 tpa. Apart from the Norsky Hydro plant at Poragrunn, which produces only caustic magnesia all other plants produce a preponderance of dead-burned magnesia and the percentage output of caustic magnesia produced for sale varies from 1% to 15% from one plant to another. Maturity is not the only issue involved but certainly the older plants have been able to develop a substantial output of caustic grades to supply established customers in a wide range of industries. This is patently irue of the Steet'ey Refractories seawater magnesia plant at Hartlepool in north-east England. If the county in which it is now domiciled -- Cleveland -- is still striving for recognition then the plant itself has no such problems. The Hartlepool plant was the world's first commer cial plant for the production of refractory magnesia fromseawater and the Steetley group has been responsible for many of the subsequent developments that have lifted the seawater magnesia industry to its current state of refinement. Today the plant is capable of producing up to 200,000 tpa of both deadburned and caustic calcined grades of magnesia to cover the full spectrum of refractory" uses as well as a wide range of industrial applications. When the demand for high purity, high density magnesia first took off the Steetley Co. applied its technology to producing the material in Sardinia in Italy where the nearby occurrence of high purity limestone ensured an exceptional quality magnesia product. For many years Steetley retained a 30% interest in Sardamag, the Sardinian producer, in conjunction with Didier-Werke of West Germany and Italian interests. At the same time Steetley divested its interest in Sardamag as it developed its own LD grades at Hartlepool by using high purity domestic limestone instead of the less pure dolomite from Thrislinglon which had been the staple diet of the Hartlepool plant throughout its early years. Italy--Sardamag and Cogema Italy rose to prominence as a seawater magnesia producer as a result of the launching of the Sardamag project at Sant' Antioco in the south of Sardinia in 1965 by the three joint venturers -- Steetley of the UK, Didier-Werke of West Germany, and the Italian industrialist Dr. Giorgio Casari. Product from the original 60,000 tpa plant was soon in demand and un expansion was ;:ut in progress which resulted in a total capacity of 120,000 tpa by 1972. In 1976 the capital of the company was raised in anticipation of a further expansion and a fourth party, Sanac -- the refractories producing arm of the Italian Finsider steelmaking group, became a 10% shareholder in the company. It was about this time that the Italy's second seawater magnesia plant came on stream at Priolo, near Syracuse on the island of Sicily. Operated by Cia Generate del Magnesio (Cogema)), the 65,000 tpa plant was then controlled by Sirma, a refractory producing member of the Fiat carproducing giant. However in 1978 Sirma sold 50% of the shareholding to Sardamag and a further 25% to the Austrian magnesite producer, Veitacher Magnesitwerke. Later, in 1980, Sirma transferred its remaining 25% interest to Sardamag. Today both operations produced high purity LD grade magnesia and caustic-calcined grades for use in chemicals, fertilisers, paper, feedstuffs, etc. Mention should also be made here of Italy's modest and unassuming production of natural calcined magnesite con ducted by the Eraclit construction materials group of Peseggia. The group subsidiary, Eraclit Venier, extracts magnesite from an open pit at Solda in Bolzano province and transports it to a main plant at Portomarghera, near Venice. A number of grades of raw and caustic-calcined magnesite are prepared for industry and agriculture. MAGNESITE All qualities for distribution throughout the world THE MAGNESITE SYNDICATE LIMITED FOUNDED 1900. Head Office and works Station Road, Calveley, Nr. Tarporley, Cheshire CW6 9JL Telephone: 0829 260201 Telex: MAGSYN 617001 70 Industrial Minerals August 1983 Ireland--enter Premier, exit Quigley The Quigley Magnesite operation at Dungarvon in County Waterford entered production in 1970 with a capacity of68,000 tpa and by the end of the decade this had been stretched to 95,000 tpa by a number of process improvements. However, the 91% MgO product produced by the company began to lose many of its export markets as more and more higher per formance magnesias came onto the market and the plant was closed permanently in 1982. Quigley, whicn is a subsidiary cf Pfizer Inc. of the USA, continues to produce refractory specialities in Ireland but now uses imported magnesite. Despite the Quigley closure Ireland remains very much in the forefront of seawater magnesia production through the operations of a newer producer. Premier Periclase. This company was set up as a joint venture between Cement Roadstone Holdings ofIreland and the UK's largest refractories manufacturer, GR-Stein Refractories (which subsequently withdrew from the venture during 1982 to leave Cement Roadstone as sole owners). The 100,000 tpa plant at Drogheda in County Meath was actually converted from an inoperative wet-process cement plant to which sophisticated trappings have been added, it entered production at the end of 1980 and needless to say it was an unfortunate time to try to enter the market and in common with many other producers. Premier had to temporarily close down the plant (in late 1982 and early 1983). Since reopening in April the plant has run close to full capacity and production is likely to reach 60,000 tonnes for this year. The company proudces one high purity magnesia for conventional refractory use and two low boron LD grade products and is also starting to produce small quantities of caustic magnesia for sale. Israel The Dead Sea Periclase project is a joint venture between Israel Chemicals, which has for many years been extracting potash, bromine, and salt from the brines of the Dead Sea, and the Austrian magnesite and refractories producer, OEAMAG. The 50,000 tpa plant to produce magnesia from magnesium chloride brine was completed at Mishor Rotem in the Negev Desert some 20km from the Dead Sea in 1974. A unique thermal decomposition process is employed (the Aman process), in which magnesium chloride reacts with water vapour to form magnesium oxide and hydrochloric acid. Washing the oxide produces the hydroxide which is then converted to dead-burned magnesia in the conventional manner. Very high purity magnesias containing over 99% MgO are produced in both dead-burned (for LD and electric arc refractory applications) and caustic calcined form (for rubber, adhesives, metallic soaps, and magnesium chemicals). The plant is currently running at the 40,000 tpa level, which is. considered as full capacity with the current split of grades. Netherlands--the Billiton venture The Veendam magnesia-from-brines operation in the Netherlands was mechanically completed at the end of 1981 and commissioning proceeded into 1982. The plant is operated by Magnesia International, a subsidiary of Billiton Nederland, and is capable of producing well over 100,000 tpa of high purity (98.5% MgO) magnesias, predominantly in the dead-burned pelletised form for LD and electric arc usage. The company will also produce some caustic magnesia for sale in the longer term. Norway Norsk Hydro first began to produce magnesium metal from seawater in the early 1950s and subsequently started supplying small quantities of its intermediate process product, caustic magnesia, to local paper works. Today the company continues to make about 25,000 tpa of caustic available to papermakers in Norway, Sweden, and elsewhere. DENABY MINERALS Ltd. Old Denaby, Doncaster DN124LQ, S. Yorkshire, UK Telex 547223G Tel: 0709 864848 MAGNESITE CHROMITE OLIVINE BAUXITE FLINTCLAYS FIREBRICKS MAJOR PROCESSORS and SUPPLIERS to the INDUSTRIAL MINERALS INDUSTRY FULL GRADING RANGE FROM COARSE TO FINE POWDERS PROMPT BULK DELIVERIES MINI BULK- PACKAGED ~ TANKED Industrial Minerals August 1983 71 Austria--the pioneers Austria's refractory magnesite industry recently celebrated its centenary and indeed during most of the last century has continued to play a major role in the development of Europe's basic refractories industry. The Austrian output is based on deposits of a high iron form of magnesite known as breunnerite. For many years this was considered to be the ideal form of refractory magnesite as the iron content helped to play a positive role in the sintering process and the refractories made from breunnerite were eminently suitable for the operating conditions of open hearth furnace. However, the more stringent operating conditions of the LD furnace required purer forms of magnesite and the Austrians were not slow to recognise the fact (after all the Austrians invented the LD furnace) and since suitable quality magnesite was not available within the country, the two main producers -- Veitscher and OEMAG -- both set out to secure supplies from overseas. OEAMAG set up operations in Greece based on high purity cryptocrystalline magnesite (through its subsidiaries, Magnomin and General Mining--now combined into one unit) and Veitscher established a similar operation in Turkey (Manyesit). Subsequently both have also taken interests in seawater/brine magnesia operations -- through OEAMAG's involvement in setting up the Dead Sea Periclase operation in Israel and Veitscher's moving to take a share holding in the Italian seawater magnesia producer, Cogema, once the Sirma/Fiat group withdrew its interest. Hence both Veitscher and OEAMAG import material from these (and other) sources to supplement output from their own mines and enable both to offer a complete range of magnesia-based products, a major proportion of which is for export. The two companies are also both involved in caustic-magnesia pro duction, with OEAMAG focussing its attention on the construction market by supplying caustic magnesia and caustic flue dust (waste from dead-burning) to subsidiary companies in Austria and West Germany for the production of'Heraklith lightweight building boards. Veitscher's interest in caustic magnesia is pursued through its subsidiary, Magindag, which produces grades for agriculture (feedstuffs and fertilisers), cement floorings, abrasives, pulp and paper, and flue gas desulphurisation. Greece--a purple patch Greece's magnesite industry enjoyed a "purple patch" during the 1960s and early 1970s in which its status grew from not merely being an important source of caustic magnesia into a leading position as the Western World's major source of both high grade refractory magnesia as well as high grade caustic. The Austrian influence in this process has already been alluded to but the main force behind the country's rise to prominence was most obviously encapsulated in the spectacular growth of the Scalistiri Group with its operations centred on Mantoudi on the north east coast of the island of Euboea. After a long history as a small but important supplier of high purity crude and caustic-calcined magnesite, the group -- through its subsidiary, Sociiti Financiere de Grice, later to be renamed Fimisco, Financial Mining Industrial & Shipping Corporation -- ventured into the refractory magnesia market in 1973 with a 10.000 tpa rotary dead-burning kiln. By 1971 new kilns had been added to raise total burning capacity at Mantoudi to over 200.000 tpa and plans were laid down for new kilns as well as a refractory brick plant, a seawater magnesia plant, a dolomite operation, and new centres of production at Ormylia in Chalkidiki and on the island of Lesbos. The 1973 oil shock and subsequent reappraisal of Western World growth naturally put the brakes on such ambitious plans and the seawater project and expansions outside Euboea were shelved. However, the company's refractory brick plant came on stream during 1973 and expansions and improvements to its Euboea operations have increased total dead-burning capacity to the current MAGNESITAS NAVARRAS S.A. CALCINED AND DEAD BURNED MAGNESITE CAUSTIC Various mesh sizes and qualities upto 87% Magnesium for: - animal feedstuffs - fertilizers - Iron and Steelmaking - Refractory masses - Chemical Industries SINTER For refractory masses and bricks to 93% Magnesium, 2.6% Ferric Oxide and Dicalcium Silicate - High degree of homogeneity of product obtained by flotation - Refractory masses and mortars - Wide range for all applications We are at your disposal for technical advice regarding all of our products. MAGNESITAS NAVARRAS S.A. BOULEVARD 24,2, SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN TEL: (43) 423961/5 TELEX: 36213 MAGNA E. 72 Industrial Minerals August 1983 4a i i A*. 350.000 tpa. which includes 50,000 tpa of an extremely high purity flotated natural magnesite known as "Mogaflot". This product uses a double-burning and pelletising process similar to that used by seawater magnesia producers. The second largest magnesite producer in Greece is Grecian . Magnesite Co., a member of the Portolos group, with its operations centred in Yerakini on the Chalkidiki peninsula of the northern Greek mainland. The company also had longestablished caustic-calcined origins before it entered the ranks of dead-burned magnesite produced with the installation of a 60.000 tpa kiln during 1971. The company has subsequently expanded both dead-burned and caustic-calcined capacity at Yerakini and also took over the caustic-calcining plant at nearby Kalyvia which was formerly operated by Magnomin. Grecian Magnesite's total capacity now stands at 120,000 tpa dead-burned and 85,000 tpa caustic-calcined. Meanwhile Magnomin continues to operate its 50,000 tpa dead-burning plant at Vavdos in Chalkidiki, Greece's remaining magnesite producer. Mining Trading & Manufacturing, has continued to produce high purity raw and caustic-calcined magnesite from its operations at Tamvakas, near Mantoudi, on the Euboea, and although it at one time held a share in the short-lived MMICE-Magnesite Mining Industrial & Commercial Enter prises, which operated a 50,000 tpa dead-burning plant on Euboea during 1977/78, the company has no current plans to enter dead-burned production. The Americas Activity in the Americas during the past decade has been less spectacular than in Europe -- partly because the real period of expansion for the USA's magnesia industry came in the 1960s when new seawater and brine plants were added to supplement the existing natural magnesite operations. By the early 1970s total US magnesia capacity from seawater, brines, and natural magnesite was around the 1.2m. tpa figure. Since then there have been no new plants built: the only major expansions made have been to Martin Marietta's brine plant at Manistee, Michigan; and there have been a number of recent closures. Martin Marietta's rolling programme gradually pushed the company into the position of being the USA's largest magnesia producer (with a total capacity of around 325,000 tpa of both dead-burned and caustic-calcined magnesias). Closures at Freeport, Cape May, and Pascagoula The Dow Chemical Co has for many years operated a seawater plant at Freeport, Texas, whose prime objective has been to produce magnesium metal. However, since magnesium hyd roxide is an intermediate product in the process, Dow also produced up to 50,000 tpa of caustic-calcined magnesia for sale and also supplied magnesium hdydroxide to the nearby dead burning plants of Lavino (until 1974 the refractories division of IMC) and A. P. Green Refractories. The Lavino company was taken over by Kaiser in 1974 and the Freeport dead-burning plant subsequently closed. Dow itself ceased caustic-calcined magnesia production in early 1976 and the more recent closure of A.P. Green's plant means that the Freeport plant now concentrates solely on magnesium metal production Never theless, Dow still has a part to play in the USA's magnesia industry through its brine chemicals plant at Ludington, Michigan, from which it produces bromine as well as various magnesium and calcium compounds. Among the latter the company produces a magnesium hydroxide slurry which it supplies to the nearby dead-burning plant of Harbison-Walker Refractories. In fact H-W's 800,000 tpa Ludington plant is now the company's sole captive source of magnesia within the USA since the recent announcement that it was closing down its Cape May, New Jersey, seawater magnesia operation as of VAN MANNEKUS & CO. B.V. P.O.Box 6290 3002 AG ROTTERDAM HOLLAND Telephone 768666 (6 lines) Telex 23380 Cables: EMGEOXYD For 75 years prominent in MAGNESITE Crude Caustic Calcined Dead Burned ABRASIVES Processing facilities at ROTTERDAM, OUDENBOSCH and HAMBURG van teuton Worldwide Sales Agents of leading Producers Industrial Minerals August 1983 73 31 July 1983. The other significant closure of recent years was the demise of the Pascagoula, Mississippi, seawater magnesia plant during 1981. This plant was at one time run by H.K. Porter Co. but ownership was transferred to Corhart Refrac tories, a subsidiary of Corning Glass Works, during the mid1970s. The big four These developments leave total US magnesia capacity at a level of around lm. tpa -- although in recent years capacity utilisation has been low--of the order of 60%. Apart from the 40,000 tpa of capacity held by the specialist producers of high purity magnesias (including technical and pharmaceutical grade) this is now all in the hands of the four large proudcers-- Martin-Marietta, CE-Basic, Harbison-Walker, and Kaiser Refractories. As mentioned above both Martin-Marietta and Harbison-Walker base their operations on the Michigan subterranean brines. Kaiser's production is based on its seawater plant at Moss Landing, California, whereas CE-Basic operates both a seawater plant -- at Port St. Joe, Florida -- and is the country's sole surviving producer of natural magnesite from its operations in Gabbs, Nevada. Of the "big four", Harbison-Walker produces only dead-burned magnesia and that for its own consumption in refractory manufacture; Kaiser is predominantly a producer of dead-burned magnesia (largely for its own use) but is an important supplier of caustic to US west coast markets; CE-Basic produces dead-burned magnesia at both Gabbs and Port St. Joe essentially for its own use but is a major-supplier to the free market of its caustic magnesia from both operations, and Martin Marietta is a major supplier to the open market of both types of magnesia and consumes only a small fraction of its dead-burned production in the manufacture of its own range of refractory specialties. Special magnesias -- Merck and Morton lead Outside the "big four" there are five smaller magne producers with a total capacity of around 40,000 tpa which specialise in the smaller volume, higher purity end of i market. The largest of these is Merck & Co, which produce range of heavy and light magnesias for use in food a pharmaceuticals, rubber and plastics, and a wide range miscellaneous industrial uses (paints, adhesives, cataly; ceramics, oil additives, steel coatings, etc.) from its seawa magnesia operation in South San Francisco Bay in Californ Morton Chemical produces a similar range of products from brine operations at Manistee, Michigan, and has recen undergone a major expansion to increase its overall capac and its range of products. Two other small seawater plants run by Barcroft Co at Lewes, Delaware, and by West, Magnesium at Chula Vista, California -- appear to rem operational. The fifth and newest of these specialist proudc is Woodville Lime of Ohio, which began producing high pui magnesia from dolomite (in a variation of the Pattison proce during 1981. Canada -- enter Baymag... Canada has never exerted a major influence on world m nesia markets but its contribution has always been interesting one. For many years it was the home of the worl only commercial operation producing magnesia from bruci natural magnesium hydroxide. The plant at Wakefic Quebec, began operations in the early 1940s but was fin; closed for economic reasons in 1968 by the operator, Alcan Canadian seawater plant also operated for a short time in late 1960s and early 1970s at Aguathuna, Newfoundla specifically designed to supply the country's pulp and pa industry. This too was closed by the owners, Lundrigans L for economic reasons. One operation that has continued OSTERREICHISCH-AMERIKANISCHE MAGNESIT AG. A-9545 Radenthein/Osterreich Telefon (0 42 46) 21 OO.Telex 04-5655 BR0HLTAL I DEUMAG / . BROHLTAL-DEUMAG Aktiengesellschaft fur feuerfeste Erzeugnisse KKIQX D-5401 Urmitz/BRD Telefon (02630) 89-0, Telex 867715-0 Our production programme: Magnesite bricks Special magnesite brick* Magnesite-chrome bricks Chrome-magnesite bricks Fused magnesite bricks Fused magnesite-dolomite bricks Pitch-bonded magnesite bricks Magnesite-carbon bricks Crude magnesite Crude dolomite Caustic magnesite Sintered magnesite Fused magnesite Mortars Mixes Fireclay bricks Special bricks Corundum bricks SiKonanite bricks Silicon carbide bricks Muttrle bricks Lightweight refractory bricks Silica bricks Carbon bricks Mortars Ramming mixes and castables f We supply refractory materials for complete plants 74 Industrial Minerals August' Kilmar. Quebec, plant of Dresser Industries Canada (formerly Canadian Refractories), a subsidiary of Dresser Industries of Houston and an associate to Harbison-Walker of the USA. The company produces up to 60,000 tpa of dead-burned dolomitic magnesite containing approximately 60% MgO which is then shipped to the company's refractories plant at Marelan. The most significant recent development involving Canadian magnesite production was the start-up in June 1982 of the Baymag Mines project in Western Canada. Raw magnesite from the Mount Brussildof deposit in British Columbia is transported to a calcining plant at Exshaw, Alberta, where current operating capacity is about 60,000 tpa but is expected to reach full capacity of 100,000 tpa by 1985. At present all production is of high purity caustic magnesia averaging 97% MgO and supplied in a range of grades. Since 1979 Baymag has been a subsidiary of the West German refractories group, Refratechnik of Gottingen. .. .andMagnaq As if to underline Canada's determination not to conform with the rest of the magnesia industry, the first known plant to produce magnesia from asbestos waste is due to go on stream at Thetford Mines in Quebec later this year. Tlie 6,000 tpa operation is based on the reaction between the residues (essentially serpentine) and ammonium sulphate. The mag nesium sulphate product of the reaction is easily purified and is converted in a carbonation tank to magnesium carbonate, which is then calcined to yield magnesia. The beauty of the process is that the ammonia from the reactor, the sulphate from the carbonation tank, and the carbon dioxide from the kiln can all be recycled. The products will be aimed at high purity consuming industries such as pharmaceuticals, cos metics, and rubber. Mexico's two magnesia operations are both subsidiaries of the major industrial and mining group, Industries Penoles. Quimica del Mar runs the 70,000 tpa seawater magnesia plant at Ciudad Madero, near Tampico in Tamaulipas State. The second operation, which extracts magnesia and sodium sul phate from brines at Laguna del Rey in Coahuila State, is operated by Quimica del Rey. An expansion programme to raise magnesia capacity from 45,000 tpa to 100,000 tpa is currently being commissioned. Brazil Brazil is the possessor of some of the best quality natural magnesite deposits in the world and has established itself as a major supplier to world markets. The main driving force behind this has been the Magnesita group of Belo Horizonte whose operations at Brumade in Bahia have been expanded in stages to the current dead-burned capacity of 315,000 tpa. Three main grades are produced: a 97% MgO grade (1980 output 10,000 tonnes), a 95.5% MgO grade (110,000 tonnes), and a 94% MgO grade (170,000 tonnes). A fair proportion of output is consumed in the company's own refractories plants (the company is also South America's largest refractories manufacturer). Brazil's second ranking refractories manu facturer -- Industries Brasileiras de Artigos Refratarios (IBAR), a member of the Votorantim group -- also produces magnesite at Brumado and has recently installed a 25,000 tpa dead-burning kiln there which is operated by the subsidiary, Ibar Nordeste. Another group subsidiary, Ceramica de Guarulhos, operates a 18,000 tpa caustic-calcining plant at Brumado (and also once operated a similar plant in Ceara province). TKZ FOREIGN TRADE CO LTD. JASIKOVA 2. 82605 BRATISLAVA. CSSR PHONE: 295 841-5: 295 851-4 TELEX : 093235.093236 REFRACTORIES ORES METALS FERRO-ALLOYS rrmTJCD7 CONTINENTALE ERZ-GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H. LUIl I IL.IW. Representatives. CONTINENTALE ERZ-GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H.. 3 Jan Wcllem-Platz. 4000 Dusseldorf, FRG Phonc<0211)80541 Telex 08582501 Industrial Minerals August 1983 75 Japan -- and then there were two India--Salem and Almora The brief but spectacular history of Japan's magnesia industry epitomises the fluctuating fortunes of refractory magnesia. Led by the rapid growth of its domestic steel industry, based to such a degree on the LD process, Japan's magnesia industry grew in leaps and bounds to cater for the burgeoning demand for refractory magnesia. By the early 1970s magnesia capacity in Japan exceeded 700,000 tpa and its largest producer, Ube Chemical Industries, had emerged as the world's largest producer ofrefractory magnesia with a total capacity of450,000 tpa. With its close links with several of Japan's steelmakers, Ube was well placed to develop its products not only in quantity but quality as well and to build an important export market on top of its firm domestic base. Nevertheless the changing conditions of the past decade have had their effect in Japan too. Although Ube has retained all of its capacity at its Ube City site in Yamaguchi Prefecture, it has been operating at low capacity utilisation levels in recent years and there have been closures throughout the rest of the industry. Smaller producers such as Hokuriku Seiel and Nihon Kaisui left the scene completely (the latter in 1981) and last year the country's second largest -- and indeed only other surviving -- seawater magnesia producer closed down its 70,000 tpa plant at Toyama. This company -- Shin Nihon Chemical Industries, a subsidiary of Asahi Chemical -- now relies on its 100,000 tpa plant at Minamata and the small 20,000 tpa plant at Onahama to supply its reduced markets. Hence Japan's total seawater magnesia capacity is now 575,000 tpa. A further 20,000 tpa dead-burning capacity is also owned by Asahi Glass (no relation to Asahi Chemical) and is evidently running at full capacity at its Kitakyushiu plant. To compound the problems of lower steel production and lower specific consumption in steel, Japan's magnesia pro ducers are also faced with having to meet the competition of low-priced imports from China and North Korea. The Salem district of Tamil Nadu in southern India has for many years been the centre of India's magnesite production and although there has been significant growth of production in other states -- particularly Uttar Pradesh -- it is still responsible for over 70% of the country's total output. (453,000 tonnes in 1981). Until the early 1970s Salem's production was essentially in the hands of two producers -- Dalmia Magnesite (specialising in dead-burned magnesite production) and Salem Magnesite (a caustic-calcined producer). However, the 1970s saw a period of expansion for the district in which both established producers added new capacity-- Dalmia expanding to 72,000 tpa dead-burned and Salem Magnesite adding a small 10,000 tpa rotary kiln toproduce dead-burned product -- and in which new plants were set up in the area by Burn Standard (a Government of India undertaking) and Belpahar Refractories (a subsidiary of Tata Iron & Steel Co -- Tiasco in which Didier-Werke of West Germany also has an interest). The period also saw the increasing involvement of the Tamil Nadu State Government in the industry as it took over most of the mining leases in the area (which are administered by Tamil Nadu Mining Cor poration) and set up the operating subsidiaries, Tamil Nadu Magnesite Ltd. and Tamil Nadu Magnesite Products Ltd. The former of these two is engaged in mining magnesite from the Kudumbpatti deposits and the latter is actually responsible for magnesite processing (dead-burning 7,200 tpa and caustic calcining 20,000 tpa). When TNMP was first formed, (in 1979) it was as a joint venture with the old Salem Magnesite but it now appears to have become wholly-owned by the government and in the meantime Salem Magnesite has resurfaced as Salem Refractories, which no longer mines magnesite but buys in raw material for the production of caustic magnesia, dead-bumed magnesite, and refractory bricks. The dead-burning plant of Belpahar Refractories appears to use some raw material from Was this Js^r dogeared andyrnssmg yltalpages-Sweifeit landed on your desk? If so itrs .time you arranged your own personal copy*,: v Rubber Report MgO particle size affects processing. .? Vi vl *1 . r 0^ low colt bar Ion witti coirtt. low activity MgO. ' Con subscription details: -T?-- e L'fcc*'*.'**"**'*' NewYork ? ' (212)4900791 Telex 640213 Photomicrographs show the difference! It's no accident that compounders get better results with Elastomag* Mag nesium Oxide than with any other MgO for the rubber industry. Elastomag* MgO was designed with the finest particle size and controlled activity to give the greatest degree of process safety and state of cure. Elastomag comes Inpow der, micropellets, non-dusting g/omu/es and bars. Ask for our new Elastomag Tech Report. It compares magnesias used in rubber compounding. Then call: Akron Chemical, Jensen-Souders & As soc., Lukens Chemical, H.M. Royal, or Santech and order Elastomag* MgO. AllmignlllettiencSOQX London (01)3304311 Telex 21383 Morton Chemical Division of MortonThiokol 2 North Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606 Phone: (312) 621-5561 Outside Illinois: (800) 621-2847 Industrial Minerals August 1983 77 the Tisco group mine at Mysore, just over the state border in Karnataka, and the dead-burned product is evidently sent to the company's refractories plant in Orissa. The Uttar Pradesh magnesite mining industry has grown considerably in recent years to establish itself undisputably as the country's second largest magnesite mining region. The main momentum has come from the operations of Almora Magnesite, a joint venture between the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corp, Belpahar Refractories of the Tisco group, and the Steel Authority of India. The company operates a 24,000 tpa dead-burning plant at Matela in the Almora district which is supplied from its own mines at Jhiroli. Two smaller producers in Uttar Pradesh are Himalayan Magnesite and Orissa Industries (Orind). Both of which operate mines only in the Pithoragarh district. At one time it appeared that Orissa Industries was intending to build a 30,000 tpa dead-burned magnesite plant at Chadak, UP, to be based on these deposits but these plans were apparently abandoned in favour of Orind's interest in the new Nepalese magnesite project. Nepal The Kharidunga magnesite deposit in the Dolkha district to the north east of Katmandu first came to prominence after a thorough appraisal was made in the early 1970s to establish its size and quality (see IM April 73). The first real details on the likely participants and the nature of a commercial project began to emerge in late 1979 (see IM March 79) when it was announced that a joint venture between the Nepal government and Orissa Industries of India would build a 50,000 tpa deadburning plant at Lamusangu. Financial assistance has been supplied to the project by the International Finance Corp and technical assistance has been supplied by Harbison-Walker Refractories of the USA and by Orind which is implementing and managing the project under the joint subsidiary, Nepal Orind Magnesite. Start-up is scheduled for 1987. China China is one of the world's largest producers of natur magnesite, and its industry is based principally on the hut reserves of the Liaoning deposits in north-east China. / present three large open cast mines are in operation to provic feed to a wide range of kilns of shaft, rotary, and calcimati type which together are thought to have a capacity i 700.000 tpa dead-burned magnesite and 300,000 tpa caustii calcined magnesite. A modern high temperature shaft kii with 30-35 tpd capacity is currently being installed to produce 97% MgO high density LD grade product. North Korea The Korean Magnesite Works with its mainplant at Tanchon i currently thought to have a dead-burning capacity of aroun 600.000 tpa but recent reports suggest that the country is aboi to embark on a major expansion programme. Southern Africa -- seawater to come? Apart from small production of caustic magnesia to serve loca industries magnesite production in southern Africa is esser tially controlled by South Africa's two major refractor manufacturers, Vereeniging Refractories and Cullinan Refrac tories. Within South Africa itself the only large scale magnesiti mine in current operation is the Burgersfort, Transvaal, plan of Vereeniging's mining subsidiary, Verref Mining. Th associated plant has a dead-burning capacity of 35,000 tpa Vereeniging and Cullinan used to jointly operate a mine a Messina in the Transvaal through the subsidiary, Mopar. Magnesite, but this was closed down in 1980. Meanwhile th` two company's have another joint subsidiary, Gatooma Mag nesite, mining in the Hartley district of Zimbabwe supplyin; crude magnesite to plants in South Africa but a further join WE PRODUCE ESPECIALLY HIGH QUALITY DEAD BURNT MAGNESITES FROM THE NATURAL TURKISH MAGNESITES WHICH ARE THE BEST AVAILABLE MATERIALS WHOSE TECHNICAL SUPERIORITIES ARE . UNQUESTIONABLE ALONG WITH THE USUAL GRADES.SPECIAL GRADES ARE ALSO PRODUCED UPON REQUEST. OUR SERVICE IS AS GOOD AS OUR GOODS YOUR RELIABLE PARTNER KljTAHYA MANYEZlT iLETMELERi A^. KIBRISS0KAK, NO.24/1-2 KAVAKLIDERE - ANKARA/T U R K E Y TELEPHONE : 2847 57 -2847 19 -TELEX : 42 736 keme-tr 78 Industrial Minerals August 1983 venture, Pande Magnesite, with operations at Beit Bridge was closed in 1977. For many years now there has been speculation about the possibility of South Africa constructing a seawater magnesia plant and a number of the country's major industrial groups have had their name connected with past schemes. A project currently under consideration proposes to simultaneously produce magnesia and soda ash from seawater by a new but undisclosed process. The company behind the plan is Anglovaal and thorough investigations are understood to be in progress on several levels -- financial, commercial, and technical. Australia -- re-enter Norseman? Australia's magnesite industry has grown very gradually over the years with the prime objective of serving the country's own' somewhat modest consumption of magnesia. One company-- Harbison-ACI, a joint subsidiary of Harbison-Walker of the USA and Australian Consolidated Industries -- specialises in the production of dead-burned magnesite from its 15,000 tpa plant at Fifield, New South Wales. Caustic-calcined magnesite output is the preserve of Young Mining, a subsidiary of Devex, which runs a 10,000 tpa plant at Young, New South Wales. Australia's other magnesite deposit of note which makes news from time to time is the Ravensthorpe magnesite deposit in Western Australia owned by Norseman Gold Mines. During the mid-1970s the Austrian company, OEAMAG, undertook extensive testwork on the material and development seemed a distinct possibility. However, the project was subsequently abandoned but Norseman appears to be thinking seriously about reviewing the project in one form or another. Spain Probably the most significant event in recent years affecting Spain's magnesite industry was the decision of Magnesitas' Navarros (Magna) to enter the caustic-calcined magnesite field. This affiliate of Didier-Werke of West Germany was appropriately enough set up in the first place to produce refractory magnesia from its operations in Zubirir in Navarra Province and it remains a well-regarded supplier of magnesite for open hearth and electric arc applications. Nevertheless the company was aware that its overall market was not an expanding one and thus the move to agricultural grade magnesia. Today the Zubiri plant has a capacity to produce 70,000 tpa of two dead-bumed products (one brickmaking, one fettling) and 25,000 tpa of caustic magnesia. The company also has an arrangement with one of Spain's largest mineral processors, Molinera Astur of Gijon in Asturias. Astur is mining a grade of magnesite at Mallecina in Asturias suitable for calcination. Meanwhile no news seems to be good news of Magnesitas de Rubian, Europe's number one producer of agricultural grade caustic magnesia. Despite increasing competition the company continues to experience strong demand for its product and production remains close to its 70,000 tpa capacity. Turkey Turkey's magnesite industry has received a fillip in recent years from the strong demand from the USSR for the dead-bumed magnesite product from the Kumas opera tion at Kutahya in western Anatolia. A project to double capacity from the current 72,000 tpa level is currently believed to be at the commissioning stage. The country's two other dead-burning operations are the Manyezit operation at' Eskisehir, now a joint venture between Veitscher Magnesitwerke of Austria and Bazir Ates Tugla of Istanbul, and the Sumerbank operation at Konya which produces magnesite almost exclusively for its own refractory production. The y-'U < FUSED MA GNES1A FUSED CALCIA Single crystal. Poly crystal. Powder other products: SILICON NITRIDE WHISKER, SILICON CARBIDE WHISKER Calcined Magnesium Oxide, Magnesium Hydroxide Fused Zirconia For further information TATEHO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES CO. LTD. 974Kariya Ako-shi, Hyogo-ken, Japan TelexNo: 5778625 TATEHO J industrial Minerals August 1983 79 country's caustic magnesia specialist. Comag, has been parti cularly successful in recent years in building up its sales of higher purity magnesias, particularly fusing grade from its Kumbet operation, between Kutahya and Eskisehir. Yugoslavia The country's magnesite producer, Magnohrom of Kraljevo, has spent much time and effort over the past decade trying to locate deposits of high MgO magnesites similar to those of its southern neighbour, Greece, so that it could be come a significant producer and exporter of LD grade product. Indeed the company considered at one time building a 100,000 tpa seawater magnesia plant on the Adriatic coast to achieve such an end. However, these plans were abandoned and it would now appear that the company has settled for a more modest, but probably wiser, plan to build a 25,000 tpa plant to cover its own requirements (currently met by expensive imports). This plant is currently under construction and will be based on blends from its own natural magnesite with secondary sources. Arab World developments Projects involving both natural and synthetic magnesia remain on course in the Arab World. The Zarghat project in Saudi Arabia is still under development and in the Cah Chaouen region of Morocco a deposit is being evaluated with Bulgarian assistance. Magnesia also features highly in the plans of the Arab Potash Co. in Jordan, which started to extract potash and salt from the brines of the Dead Sea at Safi in 1982. Both magnesia and bromine are expected to be recovered when the second stage of the project takes place in the mid or late 1980s. Tunisia is also taking a serious look at the possibility of building a seawater magnesia plant in the Zarzizs area. VECTUR S.A. MINERALS AND ORES FOR/FROM SPAIN We deal with any raw materials for the Refractories Industry. All grades. All applications. We act mainly as sole agents in Spain and also as importers for a number of leading foreign mines, processors, manufacturers and traders of minerals, ores and products which are raw materials for refractory making. We also export Spanish raw materials for the Refractories Industry. Offers welcome for further agencies and other agreements. IMPORT-EXPORT of minerals and ores also for the foundry, glass, iron and steel, ceramics and enamelling industries etc. IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT SPAIN PLEASE CONTACT US VECTUR, S.A. c/. Ercilla, 17-5. BILBAO-9 Spain Tel: 424.84.74 - 424.84.73 Telex 31962 -VEC E World magnesia producers Company/Country Location Europe and the Mediterranean area Capacity* Ownership!Other remarks Austria Veitscher Magnesitwcrke Magindag (Steirische Magnesit) Oesterreichisch-Amerikanische Magnesit AG (OEAMAG) Tiroler Magnesit Breitenau, Steiermark Trieben, Steiermark Oberdorf Radenthein Hochfilzen, Tirol 300,000 DB N 45.000CCN 120,000 DB N 50,000 CCN 90,000 DB N Magnesia AG of Switzerland Veitscher Magnesitwerke General Refractories Group of the USA. Also produces around 30,000 tpa of by-product caustic flue dust OEAMAG/General Refractories Czechoslovakia Slovenska Magnesitove Zavody Jelsava, Kosice, Lovinobana, and Lucenec 700,000 DB N East Germany VEB Kombinat Kali Greece Fimisco - Financial Mining Industrial & Shipping Macedonian Magnesite Co. Grecian Magnesite Co. Magnomin General Mining Mining Trading & Manufacturing Teutschendal Sonderhausen Mantoudi, Euboea Yerakini.Chalkidiki Kalyvia, Chalkidiki Vavdos, Chalkidiki Tamvakas, Euboea 30,000 350,000 DB N 30,000 CCN 120,000 DB N 60,000CC N 25.000 CCN 50,000 DBN 15,000 CCN By-product of potash mining and processing Scalistiri Group. Mines at Kakavos and Paraskevorama on Euboea Island are supplemented when necessary by output from Ormylia (Chalkidiki) and Lesvos Island Portolos Group * OEAMAG/General Refractories Papastratis Group. Also produces special grades of raw magnesite Irish Republic Premier Periclase Israel Dead Sea Periclase Drogheda,Co. Louth 100,000 DB+CCS Cement Roadstone Holdings Mishor Rotem. Arad 40,000 DB+CC B Israel Chemicals/OEAMAG joint venture Industrial Minerals August 1983 HSU* Sardamag CoGeMa Eraclit Venier Netherlands Magnesia International Sant'Antioco, Sardinia Syracuse, Sicily Portomarghera, Venice 120,000 DB+CCS 65,000 DB+CCS 25.000 CC Uniref/SANAC/Didier-Werke joint venture Sardamag/Veitschcr Magnesitwerke joint venture Eraclit Prefabbricati o Peseggia. Mine at Solda, BZ Veendam, Groningen 100.000DB+CC B Shell/Billiton group Norway Norsk Hydro Spain Magnesitas Navarras - Magna Magnesitas de Rubian Turley Kumas- Kutahya Manyezit Manyezit Comag-Continental Madencilik Sumerbank Konya Krom Magnezit United Kingdom Steetley Refractories Magnesia Materials Div. USSR Satka Magnesite Combine Sivash Magnesia Works Yugoslavia Magnohrom Porsgrunn, Oslofjord 25,000 CCS Further 75,000 tpa output used ror Mg metal production Zubiri, Navarra Monte Castelo, Lugo 95.000DB+CC N Associate of Didier-Werke of West Germany 70,000 CC N Specialises in agricultural grades Kutahya Eskisehir Tavsanli.Eskisehir, and Bursa Konya 72,000 DB N 60,000 DB N 40.000 CC N 40,000 DB N Associate of Etibank. Expansion to 144,000 tpa in progress Bazik Ates Tugla/Veitscher Magnesitwerke joint venture Transturk Holdings Sumerbank Genel Mudurlugu Hartlepool, Cleveland 200,000 DB+CC S Steetley PLC Satka, nr. Chelyabinsk 600.000DB+CC N Sivash, Crimea 100,000 DB+CC S Kraljevo 250,000 DB+CC N OXIMAG-85 The improved grade of Spanish granular Calcined Magnesite for animal feeds * Based on 85% MgO to give the magnesium levels you require. * Better palletability with particle size based on 0.1-1.5mm * Available in bulk, mini-bulk or 50kg bags to suit your own mill's requirements. * Depots throughout the UK to service your regular needs. * Manufactured by Magnesitas Navarras SA: * Fertiliser grades also available. Exclusive UK Distributors: FERGUSSON, WILD & Co Ltd 3 St. Helen's Place, London EC3A 6BD. Telephone No: 01-588 7022. Telex No: 883503. Industrial Minerals August 1983 83 The Americas United States ofAmerica Martin Marietta Chemicals Harbison-Walker Refractories CE-Basic Kaiser Refractories Merck & Co. Morton Chemical Co. Woodville Lime Barcroft Western Magnesium Brazil Magnesita SA Ceramics de Guarulhos Ibar Nordeste Canada Dresser Industries Canada Baymag Mines Magnaq Mexico Quimica del Rey Quimica del Mar Manistee. Michigan Ludington. Michigan Gabbs, Nevada Port St. Joe, Florida Moss Landing, California San Francisco, California Midland. Michigan Woodville. Ohio Lewes. Delaware Chula Vista. California Brumado. Bahia Brumado. Bahia Brumado, Bahia Kilmar.' Quebec Mt. Brussiloff, Brit Columbia Thetford Mines. Quebec 325.000DB+CC B 200,000 DB B 100.000 DB N 130.000 CC N 27,000 l B S 50,000 CC S 160.000 DB+CCS 150,000 CCS Martin Marietta Corp. Dresser Industries. H-W's seawater magnesia plant at Cape May, New Jersey was closed permanently in July 1983 Combustion Engineering Group Kaiser Aluminium & Chemical Corp. Sales through Calgon in Pittsburgh 10.000 CC B 5,000 CC D 5,000 CCS 5,000 CC S Recently completed an expansion Prepared from dolomite FMC Corp. 315,000 DB N 18,000 CCN 25.000DB N 60,000 DB N 100.000 CC N 6,000 CC N South America's largest refractory manufacturer Industrias Brasileiras de Artigos Refratarious (IBAR). itselfpart of the Votorantim Group Dresser Industries of the USA. Produces a 60% MgO dead-burned dolomitic magnesite product Refratechnik of West Germany Ste Nationale d'Amiante. Prepared from asbestos waste Laguna del Rey, Coahuila Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas 100.000 DB+CC B Industrias Peholes. Co-product sodium sulphate 70,000 DB+CCS Industrias Petioles Thinking MAGNESITE?... Think MINMET Are you looking for an expert to bring your promising deposit into production? Then contact MINMET! We specialize in the processing of natural low-iron crypto and crystalline magnesites and have an extensive experience worldwide. Our expertise includes: - mining and economic feasibility studies - process design and engineering -equipment selection and procurement -construction supervision -project financing -market studies -final marketing and sales. It is our philosophy that every magnesite deposit is unique and requires a process tailored to its individual characteristics. This is the ``Minmet Processing System": we think you'll like our approach. Why not give us a call: Minmet Financing Company 54, Avenue de Etethusy CH-1000 Lausanne 12 (Switzerland) Phone: 021/334555 Telex: 25927 Metor Ch Cable: Minmet Lausanne Industrial Minerals August 1983 85 The Far East and Australia Ube Chemical Industries Shin-Nihon Chemical Industries Asahi Glass India Dalmia Magnesite Corp. Tamil Nadu Magnesite Bum Standard Almora Magnesite China Liaoning Magnesite Works North Korea Korean Magnesite Works Australia Harbison ACI Young Mining Ube, Yamaguchi Minamata, Kumamoto Onahama, Fukushima Kitakyushu 450,000 DB+CC S 100,000 DB+CC S 25,000 DB+CC S 20,000 DB Ube Industries. Capacity includes synthetic magnesiodolomite production Asahi Chemical Industries. A third plant--at Toyama with 70/80,000 tpa capacity--was closed in mid-1982 Clinker plant within refractory works Salem, Tamil Nadu Salem, Tamil Nadu Salem, Tamil Nadu Almora, Uttar Pradesh 72,000 DB N 7,200 DB N 20,000 CC 20,000 DB N 30,000 DB N Dalmia Cement Salem Magnesite/Tamil Nadu State Government joint venture Indian Government UttarPradesh5tateGovernmentelpaharRefractories/ Steel Authority of India joint venture Dashhchiao, Liaoning 700.000 DB N 300.000 CC N Sales through China National Minerals & Metals Import & Export Corp. Tanchon 600,000 DB N Sales through Korea Paekgumsan Trading Corp. Fifield, NSW Young, NSW 15,000DB N 10,000CC N AustralianConsolidatedlndustriesandHarbison-Walker of USA joint venture Devex Ltd. Southern Africa South Africa Verref Mining Burgersfort, Transvaal 35,000 DBN Vereeniging Refractories Zimbabwe Gaiooma Magnesite Gatooma N CullinanRefractories/VereenigingRefractoriesofSouth Africa. Produces up to 7,000 tp month of raw magnesite for shipment to parent companies' plants in S. Africa * Capacity in metric tonnes per annum. DB -- Dead'Burned; CC -- Caustic Calcined; DB+CC-- Predominantly Dead-Burned but with significant output ofCaustic Calcined; N-- Naturalmagnesite; S--Seawater Magnesia; B--magnesiafrom Brines MAGNESITE MAGNESIUM OXIDE CRUDE CALCINED DEAD BURNED VARIOUS TYPES AND QUALITIES CONTINENTAL MAGNESITE CORPORATION 820 Second Avenue NEWYORK, N.Y. 10017 Phone: (212) 867 - 3565 Telex: 125401,66403 industrial Minerals August 1983 87