“A number of minerals have promising outlooks, somewhat independent of the way the economy goes, due to changes in technology among consumers or to growing demand related to environmental regulations,” said Michael Chender, editor-in-chief of Metals Economics Group, a research firm based in Halifax, N.S.
Examples, he said, are calcium carbonate, benefitting from the adoption of alkaline papermaking, and garnet, replacing silica in sandblasting. “In addition, value-added markets are developing in a number of minerals du e to the continuing demand for improved quality in manufacturing and product performance leading to the consumer’s willingness to pay more for higher quality, better performing raw materials,” Chender said.
Demand is increasing for talc, mica, wollastonite, calcium carbonate and high-grade silica for use in plastics being developed for automobile bodies, he said.
Acquisition interest, for example from companies looking to expand into markets in which they are already active and from cash- rich firms wanting to diversify, has been driving up the prices for properties and projects across the spectrum of industrial minerals, he said.
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