Thor Mining PLC. declared investigation of alternatives to reduce capital and operating costs for the Molyhil tungsten-molybdenum development project in Australia’s Northern Territory continues and is expected to be finalised at the end of August 2009. For full story, click here
Despite the recent optimism across the metals sector, molybdenum prices are continuing on a downward trend. Last week, sluggish demand and high stockpiles caused European ferromolybdenum prices to drop below US $21 per kg. US market prices also slid.
Molybdenum prices took a considerable tumble in the fourth quarter of ’08, falling from USD 30 per pound in September 2008 to USD 9.50 at the end December 2008. Despite unprecedented demand for the metal, molybdenum prices crashed as crisis permeated the financial markets.
In 2008, molybdenum cost an average of $29/lb after peaking at $30 in 2007. On a monthly basis, however, molybdenum has sold for less than $10/lb for two months now. Investment bank Dahlman Rose & Co. in New York expects molybdenum to average $12/lb this year.
As the shock waves spread around the global economy; many analysts are starting to hedge their bets on when a recovery will start. In their Global Metal’s Report released this week, Morgan Stanley gave their take on the near future for the molybdenum market.
Molybdenum prices have crashed from a high of $35 per pound at the end of October down to the recent level oft US $12 per pound. This represents the worst decline when it comes to commodity prices; a 53 percent drop to be exact.
Slower Chinese buying impacted Ferro-molybdenum prices between last Wednesday and Friday; however, the US’s proposed $136 Billion infrastructure spending plan capped the downside. Western-grade Ferro-molybdenum fell to $24.50-26.50 per kg from $26-28 per kg previously, with the bulk of material sold towards the low end of the range.
Quadra Mining has postponed plans to begin construction of molybdenum mine in East Greenland due to recent decline in metal prices. For full story, click here
Creston Moly Corp. (CMS) is a Tier 1 TSX-V listed company actively developing its 100% owned Creston Molybdenum Deposit in Mexico's mining friendly state of Sonora.
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