Almaty. June 30. Kazakhstan Today - World market price of chrome has continued to rise. Average spot price of low-carbon ferrochromium in the free European market has risen over the last days.

After the period of stability in China internal prices on high-carbon ferrochrome have decreased. Many steel manufacturers in the country started to use low-carbon ferrochromium. European market conjuncture for Chinese manufacturers remains favorable as the prices were established at a high level and allow receiving good profit.

The Republic of South Africa, Kazakhstan and Zimbabwe are the largest manufacturers of chromic ores. Russia, alongside with China, Norway, Japan and Sweden, is included into a number of large manufacturers of ferrochromium, not having sufficient stocks of raw material. Russian manufactory of ferrochromium is traditionally focused on processing of high-quality chromic ores delivered from Kazakhstan.

The analysts of consulting company SOGRA forecasts increasing dynamics of prices for chromic ore till 2025 that, first of all, is connected with increase of demand for chrome in China.

According to Merrill Lynch analysts, ferrochromium remains a key component for manufacture of some sort of stainless steel. The analysts specify that "ferrochromium cannot be replaced with other material in manufacture of stainless steel owing to its unique properties."

The delegates of the International conference on chrome held in Paris expressed opinion that prices of ferrochromium will remain stable during the third quarter of 2008 due to high demand and deficit of deliveries from Southern Africa.

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