Platts to clarify US silicon metal specs

Platts is proposing to clarify the specifications for its price assessment for silicon metal in the US, and to align the naming convention for the price assessment across Platts Metals Alert, Platts Metals Week and Platts Market Data, effective April 11.

The updated specifications reflect what has prevailed in the market and will not result in changes to the data history or the consistency of the data going forward.

The name as it appears in Platts Metals Alert and Platts Metals Week will change to Silicon, 553 grade, delivered US Midwest.

In addition, all silicon assessments will be listed under Light Metals in Platts Metals Week and no longer under Ferroalloys.

Assessed grades will be normalized to a specification with minimum 98.50% silicon; maximum 0.50% iron; maximum 0.30% calcium and 0.2-0.5% aluminum, lumps size 4 inches.

The assessment will encompass silicon of US origin and imported, free market material, cents/lb, in bulk/2,000-3,000 lb supersacks, duty-paid, delivered Midwest, delivery within 30 days from date of transaction, net-30 days payment terms from date of delivery.

Reported in-warehouse, or picked-up transactions normalized to delivered US Midwest.

Fines normalized to stated lump specifications. Special packaging and payment terms to be normalized to meet stated specifications. Assessment quantities are three truckloads upward.

Smaller quantities to be normalized to stated quantity.

Assessment made Wednesdays or closest business day, based on a survey of producers, traders and consumers.

Please submit comments and/or questions to Anthony Poole at Anthony_Poole@platts.com or +1 212 904-2992.