Demand for sand

India is looking to purchase more rutile and ilmenite mineral sands from Sri Lanka, a media story said quoting Kerala state industries minister Elamaran Kareem.

Sri Lanka’s The Sunday Times newspaper in a Kerala dateline story said 2 state-run firms Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd and Travancore Titanium Products Ltd was looking to introduce more mineral sands from Sri Lanka.

The newspaper story said there was not a sufficient amount of ilmenite to feed the packed capacity of the Titanium plant.

Ilemenite and rutile is used to create Titanium metal used in the aerospace industry, and Titanium dioxide pigment, used in paints.

China was the biggest buyer of Sri Lankan mineral sands in 2008, followed by India, according to data released by the island’s geological survey office.

Great mineral assets are sourced in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka, where a 30-year war ended this year. The sands are extracted by state-run Lanka Mineral Sands.

Titanium shrink price

Osaka Titanium Technologies are finalising the value negotiation of spongetitanium with offshore rolled titaniummakers to shrink the price by around 15% for 2010 delivery from 2009.

The price decreases for 2 years in a row after the price decreased by 10% to 15% in 2009 due to slow airplane demand.

The price slash would impact on price compromise with domestic rolledtitanium makers in spring 2010.

Zirconium dental implants

Dental implants are replication tooth replacements that are used to replace teeth when lost. The procedure generally involves prosthetic dentistry, though it also falls into the class of cosmetic dentistry. There are a number of other restorative options for missing teeth like bridges and dentures; none have proven to be as functionally successful and long-lasting as implants.



Implants offer a everlasting solution to tooth loss and are also used in combination with other restorative procedures like providing support to single crowns for greatest effectiveness.

Implants can also be used to hold a dental bridge for the replacement of multiple missing teeth, and can be used with dentures to boost stability and diminish gum tissue irritation.

Hybrid implants will structure a Zirconium head for improved aesthetics and a titanium implant for improved power and functionality.

Molybdenum price decreasing

Molybdenum prices are still on the slide, showing the markets poor essentials. There is a debate within the marketplace due to future prices, because some analysts say they are more weak further in early 2010 while atleast one producer will see a demand surge ahead.

Steel Mills are working in Molybdenum inventories and ordering new supply, so the spot price have slid to an estimate $10.75/lb from an estimate $11.01 in Novemeber 2009 and the highest of $16.64 in August.

In summer 2008, the mills were purchasing Molybdenum at length just prior to the pick up in weekly carbon steelmaking output that has since stopped. “The mooted revival in thestainless steel industry has failed to materialize,” said independent consultant Angus MacMillan.

Molybdenum mine costs rise

Thompson Creek Metals Inc. uncovered Monday a $124.4m cost boost to its Endako Molybdenum mine because of changes to design. The increase of 33% updates the price of the project to $498m, in which TCM who is current owners of the mine, is responsible for $374m.

“While the new design has raised the total capital cost of the Endako modernization and expansion project, the project remains economically attractive and will, with a greater certainty, generate the expected significant reduction in per-pound cash processing costs,” says Thompson Creek Metals chairman and CEO Kevin Loughrey.

TCM still need the go ahead of its joint partner Sojitz Corp. to carry on with design.

The changes to the design include enhanced flexible pebble crusher circuit to ensure a finer grind and an enhanced automation system, which will add to improved findings ofmolybdenum from the ore.

Globe Metals & Mining results at Kanyika Niobium Project

Globe metals & mining have announced the first set of 2009 infill drilling results from Kanvika Niobium project in Malawi.

The infill drilling programme was made to upgrade the resource group of certain areas of the deposit.

The highlights include KARC167 23m @ 11,331ppm Nb2O5, 561ppm Ta2O5, 393ppm U3O8 (from 46m) incl. 9m @ 24,119ppm Nb2O5, 1,187ppm Ta2O5, 838ppm U3O8 (from 46m) incl. 2m @ 84,428ppm Nb2O5, 4,400ppm Ta2O5, 2,996ppm U3O8 (from 46m).

The upgrade resource estimate is soon to be completed.