The International Nickel Trade

Simon Clow
145 Pages
The aim of this book is to paint an overall picture of the international trade in nickel. The author describes the growth of the nickel industry, defines areas of production and explains the mechanisms of demand and consumption. Above all, The International Nickel Trade is concerned with worldwide trade, with patterns of supply, with prices and with attitudes towards different pricing mechanisms.

It should therefore appeal to all those involved in the trade whether as producers, consumers, traders, investors or finanacial advisors.

Table of Contents

History of the Nickel Industry

Time, patience and money

Mining the colonies: New Caledonia
Mining the wilderness: Canada

Chapter 2: The Production of Nickel

Sulphide and laterite ores

Nickel products
Exploration and mining
Smelting and refining

Chapter 3: The Consumption of Nickel

The underlying economics

Historical trends
Consumption of nickel by end-use
Stainless steel: the product
Development of the stainless steel market
The geography of stainless steel
Trends in the stainless steel industry
Non-stainless uses for nickel
Nickel consumption in centrally-planned economies
Substitiution
Demand for nickel

Chapter 4: Major Western Nickel Producers

Inco
Falconbridge
Societe le Nickel
Outokumpu
Pt. Inco
Sherritt Gordon

Chapter 5: The Geography of World Nickel Supply

The former Soviet Union

Cuba
Japan
Australia
Europe
The Far East and the Pacific Rim
Africa
The Americas

Chapter 6: Nickel Trading

History and background of the LME
The LME nickel contract
How does the LME function?
Physical delivery and warehousing
The clearing system and regulation
The nickel crisis and prospects for change
The uncut cathod question
Ferro-nickel pricing
The role of the physical trader

Chapter 7: Politics and Nickel

The former Soviet Union
Cuba
Political stability
Environmental considerations

Chapter 8: Prospects for Nickel Supply and Demand

New projects
The former Soviet Union
Non-Soviet supplies
Future consumption
Price
Demand

About the Author

Simon Clow worked until recently on Metals Price Reports.