Data from Refractories Window shows: In May, white fused alumina (WFA) prices first fell and then rose, sintered alumina prices increased, while the base prices for brown fused alumina (BFA), silicon carbide, and magnesia declined. Prices for other bulk raw materials remained temporarily stable.

【Fused Alumina】The price of industrial alumina continued to rise, and the upward trend persisted.

Influenced by rising industrial alumina prices and raw material shortages in the second half of May, large-scale production stoppages occurred in major WFA production areas like Zhengzhou and Sanmenxia. Driven by rising costs and reduced supply, WFA prices increased significantly. For the same reasons, the spot supply of sintered alumina became insufficient, leading to an increase in its base price.

In the first half of the month, the base price for BFA experienced a slight decline. However, rising costs for lightly calcined bauxite and increasing WFA prices interrupted the downward trend in BFA prices.

【Bauxite】The continued tight supply of bauxite ore keeps production costs high. However, downstream demand remains weak. Consequently, bauxite market prices are overall stable. Prices for higher quality bauxite saw a slight increase, though the magnitude was limited. The bauxite ore market is unlikely to settle in the short term, creating potential uncertainty in bauxite prices.

【Magnesia】Base prices for both sintered magnesia and fused magnesia fell.

Sintered Magnesia: Prices for dead-burned magnesia (DBM), mid-grade magnesia, and high-purity magnesia decreased. Beyond weak demand for sintered magnesia, this price drop was also driven by factors like reduced costs and increased supply. Magnesite mining in areas like Liaoyang and Dashiqiao has normalized, easing the previous supply tightness. Lower energy costs, slowing sales of sintered magnesia, and increasing inventory pressure have strengthened producers' willingness to lower prices.

Fused Magnesia: The fused magnesia market was soft, with prices declining moderately. Although rising electricity prices have increased production costs, market demand is difficult to stimulate. Issues like supply-demand imbalance and overcapacity have become prominent. Additionally, fluctuations in overseas demand, adjustments to trade policies, and exchange rate volatility have all significantly impacted fused magnesia prices. To maintain cash flow and reduce inventory risk, manufacturers are opting for price reductions. Significant variation exists in market prices due to differing costs and inventory levels among producers.

【Silicon Carbide】 Demand for silicon carbide remains weak both domestically and internationally. Competition among suppliers has intensified, compressing profit margins. Some buyers report that semi-coke or coke is being mixed into the raw materials during smelting, leading to a decline in silicon carbide quality. Therefore, buyers are advised against solely pursuing low prices; prioritizing product quality is also essential.