China contributes a lot to world selenium and tellurium consumption

摘要

China performs as a major consumer both for selenium and tellurium in the world currently, which are two kinds of by-products of copper smelters and mainly produced from slime, according to Mr. Yang Xiagwen, deputy manager of the New Materials Company under Jiangxi Copper Company Limited. In recent few years, global consumption of selenium was about 2,200-2,500 tonnes, mainly in the fields of metallurgy, electronics, glass manufacturing, painting, chemical industry, and medicine and nutrition, said Mr. Yang at "2005 China International Copper Forum", the biggest copper conference in China organized by Antaike taking place in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu during Sept.8 and 9. China. USA, and Japan are the leading consumers, representing more than 80 percent of the usage of the metal in the world, Mr. Yang said. China consumed 1,393 tonnes of selenium in 2004, accounting for 55.94 percent of the world consumption, up from 826 tonnes in 2000 that took up 38.60 percent of the world consumption for that year, Mr. Yang said.