This week, the domestic fluorite price trend was mainly volatile. As of the weekend, the average domestic fluorite price was 3406.25 yuan/ton, slightly higher than the early week price of 3400 yuan/ton by 0.18%, and a year-on-year decrease of 5.48%.
Supply side: Normal inventory of fluorite spot remains high
The current situation of the game in the domestic fluorite industry still exists. Overall, the operating rate of enterprises has not changed much. Upstream mining is still tight, and backward mines will continue to be eliminated. In terms of new mines, mineral investigation work is still difficult. In addition, the national department needs to reform fluorite mines, and fluorite mining enterprises are facing increasingly strict safety and environmental protection requirements. The difficulty of operating fluorite mines has increased. However, the spot supply in the fluorite field is normal, and social inventory continues to operate at a high level without obvious signs of depletion. The supply side maintains a stable production rhythm. In addition, production activities will slow down before the end of the year, and the scale of periodic replenishment will shrink. Recently, downstream procurement is not active, and fluorite shipments are generally average. The fluorite market trend is stable.
Demand side: Hydrofluoric acid price stable, refrigerant market average
This week, the domestic price trend of hydrofluoric acid is temporarily stable, and the mainstream price of hydrofluoric acid discussed in various regions of China is 12000-12500 yuan/ton. The downstream hydrofluoric acid equipment is still in shutdown, and there is little change in the spot supply of hydrofluoric acid. Manufacturers mainly purchase hydrofluoric acid on demand, and the overall production of hydrofluoric acid remains at more than 50%. Fluorine enterprises maintain essential orders, while hydrofluoric acid enterprises are in a loss making state. Recently, hydrofluoric acid merchants have not been actively purchasing, and the fluorite market is in a fierce game between supply and demand, falling into a “price but no market” deadlock. Despite being in the traditional stocking stage of downstream refrigerant and other industries, the high prices have suppressed procurement demand, thereby affecting the digestion rhythm of upstream raw materials. Fluorite prices have not changed much.
The overall stability and operation of the terminal refrigerant market have been maintained, and the terminal policies of the refrigerant industry have been strengthened. Demand is expected to achieve substantial improvement. Fluorine chemical enterprises within quota control have strong confidence in raising prices in the refrigerant market. Currently, the pace of high price procurement is relatively slow, and downstream channels mainly focus on stocking up for essential needs. Industry inventory has dropped to a low level in nearly two years; The supply side is constrained by the quota system, coupled with a highly concentrated industry share pattern, and market confidence remains stable. However, caution is still held towards upstream procurement, with a focus on maintaining stable prices in the fluorite market.
In addition to the traditional demand in the refrigerant industry, fluorite, as an important mineral raw material for modern industry, is constantly developing in emerging fields. It is also applied in strategic emerging industries such as new energy and new materials, as well as in national defense, nuclear industry and other fields, including lithium hexafluorophosphate, PVDF、 Graphite negative electrodes, photovoltaic panels, etc., have received certain support in the application of fluorite due to the demand for new energy and semiconductors.
Market forecast: In the near future, it is difficult to improve the supply of domestic fluorite mines, and some mines have stopped production and undergone safety inspections. The tight supply of fluorite mines is a positive support for the fluorite market. However, the high inventory of fluorite spot goods, downstream hydrofluoric acid enterprises mainly purchase on demand, and demand has not actually improved. The fierce game between supply and demand, overall, the fluorite market price is mainly volatile in the short term.