[+/-] : Hazards of Antimony Trioxide

Antimony trioxide is not considered a hazardous chemical by the Department of Transportation unless packaged in containers of more than 30 pounds. Typically, antimony trioxide is sold in bags of 50 pounds or 25 kilograms, neither of which meets this criterion. If the product is sold in super sacks, which can range from 1,000 pounds to 1,000 kilograms, then it must be shipped as a hazardous chemical of Hazard Class 6.1 and Packing Group III.

Proper personal protective equipment for handling antimony trioxide include goggles, gloves and a lab coat or work garment over street clothes. While antimony will generally not harm anyone who touches it with their bare skin, some people do seem to be more sensitive to antimony trioxide. In those cases, individuals develop a rash similar to poison ivy after prolonged or repeated exposure. This condition is known in the industry as antimony measles. People tend to be more susceptible to antimony measles when their skin is moist as when perspiring.

Antimony trioxide should not be ingested or inhaled if possible; so most manufacturing or packaging operations require their personnel to wear masks or respirators when dealing with antimony trioxide powder. If powder is inhaled, there is generally some mild irritation to the respiratory tract and the individual might experience a sore throat or cough. If for some reason antimony trioxide is ingested there can be irritation to the mouth, nose and throat as well as nausea, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, dizziness, and muscular pain. A doctor's care should be sought if ingestion occurs. Subjects with pre-existing conditions like heart disease or impaired respiratory function could experience more severe reactions more quickly so exposure should be limited.

Chronic exposure to antimony trioxide could result in heart or liver damage and according to the State of California, antimony trioxide is a carcinogen. Some companies that have employees who are exposed to antimony trioxide on a regular basis have each employee go through a yearly physical including chest x-rays to make sure there are no long-term adverse effects from their exposure. This is mostly precautionary, but is good practice.

It is also good practice for employees to wash their skin and hair thoroughly after exposure to antimony trioxide dust. As a result, many employers provide their employees with uniforms to wear while at work and then equip their locker rooms with showers so that everyone can clean himself or herself before they leave work. This way, you can ensure that no antimony trioxide leaves the facility.

SAM XU is a technologist with JIEFU. Amspec manufactures and distributes full package flame retardants.

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[+/-] : Manganese based ferroalloys prices touch rock bottom

It is reported that though electrolytic manganese price surges in domestic market recently, SiMn and FeMn markets remain weak. SiMn6517 is mainly quoted at CNY 6,600 per tonne to CNY 7,000 per tonne and SiMn6014 is offered at CNY 5,500 per tonne to CNY 5,900 per tonne. Prices now stands at CNY 6,600 per tonne to CNY 6,800 per tonne for high carbon FeMn Mn 65% and 8,000 yuan/ton for medium carbon FeMn Mn75C2.0. Many alloy producers complain about dull sales as price has dived near cost line.

According to a Hunan-based producer, profit only stays at some CNY 100 per tonne at the moment. The producer maintains production yet is worried about future market owing to stagnant sales and low purchase prices.

Many steelmakers offer purchase prices at no more than CNY 6,700 per tonne for high carbon FeMn Mn65%. FerMn market is unlikely to revive in a short term.

A SiMn producer in Guangxi also reveals that SiMn6517 is now quoted at CNY 6,600 per tonne a level near production cost. The producer is also pessimistic about future market since demand will hardly rebound.

Market analysts believe prices for SiMn and FeMn have dropped to the bottom hence will not fall dramatically in the coming days on the buoyancy from production costs. – Mysteel.net

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[+/-] : Price of Chinese electrolytic manganese metal suddenly turns to rise

Following an expectation to recover stainless steel production in China and a rebound of prices for nickel and chrome as raw materials for stainless steel production, an attitude for sales of Chinese electrolytic manganese metal has suddenly turned to be aggressive. Both of producers and shippers in China have still held speculative factors as a Chinese characteristic and, being influenced by this aspect, the price of Chinese electrolytic manganese metal for export is now being offered at US$2,500 per metric ton CIF Japan.

The latest price of Chinese product for export prevailed in last week was US$2,300 per metric ton CIF. LME price of nickel metal as a rival for manganese metal has suddenly turned to rise from the 10th of April to a level of US$12,000 per ton from a lower level than US$10,000 per ton as seen before the 1st of April. Accordingly, price of nickel metal transacted in domestic market of China has been risen successively from the beginning of April, because Jinchuan Group, as a leading nickel smelter in China, has insisted on an improvement of the price at present, which is not payable for its production cost.

The sales of high carbon ferro-chrome at discounted prices by India have also disappeared from the market and spot price of charge chrome has risen by 14% to 65 – 66 US-Cents per lb. of Cr CIF Japan from the bottom (58 US-Cents) with keeping a basic tone to rise further.

The output of stainless steel by Baosteel Group of China in January – March quarter of 2009 is anticipated to maintain a scale of 100,000 tons without any increase of stocks and a future map of stainless steel production in China (viewed to decrease at the beginning of 2009 but is being felt to increase at present) is currently changing somewhat.

Being influenced by this change of the circumstances surrounding stainless steel, the market of electrolytic manganese metal in China has suddenly turned to take an aggressive attitude for sales. Since the Central Government of China has more strengthened the regulations for environmental pollution from the beginning of 2009, the production of electrolytic manganese metal in China has been driven to continue on a low level, in addition to a higher cost to be not payable for its production, and the supply situation of this metal in China has become tight. By taking a chance on a sharp rise of nickel prices, Chinese producers have endeavored to sell electrolytic manganese metal at high prices but this attempt is successful or short-lived, depending on further developments of the matter.

Even a forecast of nickel prices has divided. There is a view in the market that the production of stainless steel mainly in part of Europe and part of Asia (Taiwan and China) will revive in October – December quarter of 2009 and jump by 32% from that at present. On the other hand, at the Conference held in last week at Pittsburgh of the USA, an atmosphere was felt that the ceiling price of LME nickel will be on a level of US$13,000 per ton as the maximum for the time being. Therefore, a shortsighted view of nickel prices has divided to an extreme extent. – TEX Report

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[+/-] : Franklin quickly becoming significant antimony supplier

Franklin Mining, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: FMNJ) (FRANKFURT: FMJ) CEO William Petty confirms that since his public confirmation of the operating agreement at Bolivia's Turiri Mine, Franklin Mining has received numerous inquiries from both US and international manufacturers and distributors concerning product availability and is presently negotiating for laboratory testing and other evaluations prior to contracting for product delivery.

"The response to our Turiri announcement has been overwhelming. We have received inquiries wanting to purchase our production. And, we have been contacted by a couple of other antimony miners with question about distributing their product," said Mr. Petty.

"Bolivia has long been recognized as being one of the few countries with proven antimony reserves. Several small operators have expressed interest in working through Franklin to find buyers for their production."

About Franklin Mining, Inc: Franklin Mining, Inc. has mining interests in the United States and Bolivia. Additional information is available at www.FranklinMining.com. ...
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[+/-] : Hsikwangshan Twinkling Star Co., Ltd

Hsikwangshan Twinkling Star Co., Ltd.(HTS)is a large 
comprehensive enterprise integrated with mining, dressing, smelting, 
chemical industry production and scientific research, the biggest  factory for producing antimony products, the cradle of the country antimony industry, and the major exporting base area of antimony products. The company owns two mines, four smelters, one technology center and one inspection and measure center. Its annual production capacity is 55,000 metric tons of ores, 40,000 metric tons of antimony products and 40,000 metric tons of zinc ingots. It is famous all over the world for its rich anti-mony reserves and antimony products, and has been titled beautiful name "World Antimony Capital" for a long time. 
    Since the commencement of the mining in 1897, Hiskwangshan has had 
antimony industry for more than one hundred years of history, and 
accumulated abundant antimony production experience. The antimony 
products have good quality and various specifications, of which over 90% 
are exported far away to more than 50 countries and regions such as Japan,America, Europe, and are famous domestic and overseas. The products have won the National Silver Medal for many times. The product trademark "Twinkling Star" brand has been appraised as famous trademark for many times. The quality management system has obtained ISO9002 series quality Certification.
    At present, of its over 7000 employees, more than 800 are the 
different kinds of specialized technical personnel. So HTS can keep  ahead in the production and scientific research field of antimony industry in the country. The related standards of antimony quality and chemical analysis methods were drawn up by the company under the government s accreditation.With antimony uses incercreasingly extending, other than keeping on producing antimony ingots, antimony trioxide, antimony sulfide, etc., traditional products with high grade, the company has been researched and developed wide antimony series such as sodium antimonate, dust-free antimony trioxide, antimony pentoxide,
golden yellow antimony, antimony series flame-retardant masterbatch. 
Especially the antimony oxide line with high technology that was put into production in 2002 and listed as one of the national "Double High & One Top"items introduced computer control, and practiced lots of scientific payoffs developed in donkey's years, therefore, all kinds of chemical indexes and physical characters of the products are more stable and the outside package improved visibly. Now they could completely meet the requirements of all kinds of customers.
    In order to keep up with the market changes and enhance economic benefit, while focusing on producing antimony products, the company has been actively developing other products. Presently, it has established several product lines with the annual production capacity of 10,000 metric tons of chlor-alkali, 5000 metric tons of hydrogen peroxide, 40,000 metric tons of zinc ingots, and 70,000 metric tons of sulfuric acid, zinc sulfate, indium metal, cadmium metal, etc.. A new pattern, of which antimony production is the major but coexisting with other production, has taken shape and sufficiently shows the obvious  advantages and large potential of "World Antimony Capital."
    There is only one "Antimony Capital"around the world, and "Antimony Capital" will be worthy of its name. "Twinkling Star" is a symbol of high quality, and satisfying all reasonable requirements of the customers is Hsikwangshan' s aim.We will provide favorable service and cooperate sincerely with the domestic and overseas customers with reciprocity.
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