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| Production Activities Of Ferro-Alloys And Nickel By BHP Billiton In CY 2005 |
| = Nickel Production Increased By 81% From That In 2004 And Strengthened The Power |
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The quantities of manganese ore, ferro-alloys, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum produced by BHP Billiton in the calender year ( January - December ) of 2005 were known on the 24th January of 2006 as per the table shown below. Namely, BHP Billiton ( BHPB ) increased their production of manganese ore in the calender year of 2004 to a considerable extent ( increased by 24% compared to that in 2003 ) but the output of manganese ore at BHPB in 2005 remained on a similar level to that in 2004 and the production of manganese ferro-alloys by BHPB in 2005 turned to decrease by 16.2% compared with that in the preceding year of 2004, reflecting a fall of prices for manganese ferro-alloys. However, because of the fact that BHPB has taken over WMC Resources in Australia as of June of 2005, the output of nickel by WMC Resources from June was added to that by BHP in 2005 and, consequently, the quantity of nickel produced by BHPB in 2005 had a considerable increase of 81.2% from that in 2004. The output of nickel by WMC Resources in January - May of 2005 was excluded but, when this output in the first 5 months is included, the quantity of nickel produced by BHPB in 2005 comes to a scale of 190,000 tons on an annualized base, which is the third largest production in the world following Norilsk Nickel of Russia ( 240,00 - 250,000 tons / year ) and Inco of Canada ( 220,000 - 230,000 tons / year ). BHPB produced 5.38 million tons of manganese ore in 2005, which remained on a similar level to 5.34 million tons in 2004 ( increased by 24% compared to that in 2003 ), and this output of manganese ore in 2005 was due to a weak tone of price for manganese ore in the second half and a shrink of the demand for manganese ore. The matters, which China held back to purchase manganese ore in the second half and requested to reduce price of manganese ore, are remarkable. Reflecting a sharp fall of prices for manganese ferro-alloys, BHPB produced 657,000 tons of manganese ferro-alloys in 2005, having decreased by 16.2% compared with that ( 784,000 tons ) in 2004. For a reference, the output of manganese ferro-alloys by BHPB in 2004 had an increase of 11.7% compared to that in 2003. Owing to the matter, which BHPB sold Samancor Chrome to Kermas in June of 2005, the output of chrome ferro-alloys by BHPB in the first 5 months ( January - May ) of 2005 came to 418,000 tons. The total quantity of nickel produced by BHPB in 2005 had a considerable expansion as mentioned above and came to 145,700 tons of nickel content, consisting of 28,400 tons by QNI of Australia, 52,800 tons by Cerro Matoso of Colombia and 64,500 tons by Nickel West ( WMC Resources ) from June of 2005. BHPB has been proceeding the Ravensthorpe nickel project in Western Australia and is scheduled to produce nickel intermediate ( 220,000 tons / year of MHP containing 20% of nickel ) from April - June quarter of 2007. For a reference, QNI produced 1,400 tons of cobalt in 2005, compared with 1,900 tons in 2004. |
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| last modified : Mon 30 Jan, 2006 [11:36] |
